Jacket and coat sleeve shortening in Tomball, TX

What this alteration involves

Sleeve length is one of the most visible fit details on a jacket. On a suit or sport coat, a common guide is that about a quarter to half an inch of shirt cuff shows when your arms hang at your sides. Overcoats are usually worn longer, covering the jacket and shirt cuffs underneath. Most sleeves are shortened or lengthened at the cuff: the sleeve is opened, the length changed, and the lining reattached so it does not pull or hang below the edge. The cuff buttons are moved to sit the same distance from the new edge. Vents, decorative buttons and working buttonholes at the cuff all affect how the change is done. Sleeves on heavy wool coats, quilted coats or coats with a knit or trimmed cuff are more involved than a lined suit jacket.

How to get the best fit

• Wear a dress shirt that fits you well, with the sleeve length you normally wear, so the jacket can be set to it.
• For a coat, wear what you usually wear under it, such as a suit jacket or a thick sweater.
• Stand with your arms relaxed at your sides during the fitting. Reaching forward pulls the sleeve up.
• Mention it if your arms are different lengths. Many people's are, and each sleeve can be set separately.

What can and cannot be done

Sleeves with working buttonholes, where the cuff buttons actually unbutton, can only be shortened a small amount from the cuff before the buttonholes run out of room. Larger changes may have to be made from the shoulder, which is a much bigger alteration. Lengthening depends on the fabric folded inside the cuff, and an old crease can show. At the counter we can look at your jacket or coat and say what it allows.