Backstory: I have an RJ classics melody mesh show jacket in size 10, it’s their 4 button style. I found a harmony, 3 button style, for a really good price in a size 8. It fits better than the 10 in the shoulders and chest, but is a bit small in the waist. This appears to be a discontinued color and I can’t find a 10 anywhere. I can return it, but I don’t want to. lol. Here’s a bad mirror picture showing what doesn’t fit the best.
Do we think this is fixable? Losing weight is not out of the question, but this is a continual problem area on my body and I don’t want to rely on what-ifs.
Depending on the seam allowance, you might be able to let it out a quarter to half inch or so, but most mass-produced stretch/athletic wear doesn’t have enough to do that (or the fabric doesn’t handle it well. You could have a tailor add fabric in a contrasting (or matching) color under the arms, but my overall suggestion would be to find the 3 button in a size that fits the largest measurement, then take in the areas that are big.
Take it to a good tailor and ask their opinion on how successfully it might be altered. Otherwise, return it, that is not a flattering look from the back and you will most likely always be unhappy with it.
Another option would be to wear a safety vest over your show coat, in which case the waist is covered anyway! Only if it’s an exceptionally good deal on the coat, however, as it does mean it will be more limited usefulness.
Thank you. I pulled it out to look at it again and there really is not a lot of seam allowance in my non-tailor eyes opinion. I’ll still take it in and otherwise try to return it.
Speaking as someone who has had a fair number of alterations done on work wardrobe and keeps my “good” clothes for decades. And buys on sale.
You can make things smaller. You can shorten sleeves and legs, you can take in the waist of jackets or trousers or fitted dresses. If you get them taken in you can also let them out again when you put weight back on!
The exception is trying to take in shoulders or armpits on tops where you went a size larger for the bust or where you took out your 1980s shoulder pads in 1997. I tried, I failed.
But it’s about impossible to make something that’s too tight into something that fits nice. There is not enough room in most seam allowances to make a meaningful difference.
The only option might be to actually insert a gusset or strip of fabric but in general that wrecks the look of the outfit if you want polished or professional. It makes the thing more patchwork
Now all my advice here is about woven fabric, like wool suiting or cotton twill or linen. Synthetic stretch fabrics can be trickier to work with, but they can still in general be hemmed or taken in. An alteration shop would have a proper serger to stitch knits.
I have wasted a lot of money buying clothes that just barely fit at the time but I know eventually I will gain some weight and the clothing goes to waste, sitting in my closet waiting for me to lose weight again. Now I don’t buy anything that doesn’t fit me well at the time of purchase.
OP I wonder if the ‘fix’ to this is undergarments. Worth experimenting? I would consider a sports bra with a compression tank top over top, if not too uncomfortable. The smoothing might be just enough to make this look as you wish, without having to risk altering the coat into something unusable.
Thanks everyone. I sent the jacket back today. Even with compression garments, I don’t think the gapping on the vents was going to be fixed. I got a different jacket to try that was slightly more expensive, but not any more than what I would have put into tailoring that may or may not have been successful.
That’s a good idea, I have several of the HoneyLove tanks and cami’s and although I don’t think I look a whole lot thinner in them they are super comfy and do a great job of smoothing back fat, definitely worth trying. They are not cheap though.
Only if it’s an exceptionally good deal on the coat, however, as it does mean it will be more limited usefulness.