The London Lounge

I have a question for the gentlemen in the fourm:
Years ago I bought a tuxedo from cornelliani that fit me well. peak lapels, no vents, one button. Now my physique has changed (for good). I do not wear it often, maybe once or twice a year, being last saturday the last itme I had worn it in over a year. Now I notice that the fron button hole sits too low, so my chest tend to protrude over the jacket, and the shoulders seem a little bigger. Finally, both sides look wrinkled, wobbly and big. I took the jacket to a taylor who told me "just give up on it". The second taylor told me that it can be fixed, if we take like hald an inch from both shoulders, refrape the sides and put a second buttonwhole, higher, to narrow the gap in the front (500 $). I have consulted several books, and all the dinner jackets do have a single buttonwhole in the callsical desingn, although I have seen two and three button dinner jckets out there.
Could you please members give me your opinions?
thanks in advance

Chapunso,
give up on it and do not try to have Your DJ fixed ,as suggested by the second tailor ,because it is quite impossible to get good results adding a buttonhole and transforming a single button jacket in a two buttons one .Indeed he lapel line will be completely altered. In addition ,as stated by You also, by fixing it You will get an anomalous DJ, as the classical SB dinner jacket with peak lapels wants only one button at variance with notch lapel SB DJ that can have two or three buttons.
By adding some extramoney to $500 You can buy a RTW new one that could fit You much well.
A final suggestion: try to buy DJs, possibly made in England ,as they have a more traditional cut ,fitting and design.
You can also make some browsing on line :for example Pakeman and Catto in UK sells beautiful SB and DB DJ , made by black barathea wool, at around 450 english pounds including trousers.
This is their website: http://www.pakeman.co.uk/menswear-formalwear.php

Regards
Angelo

I would have to agree - the second tailor may be technically right but he has given no thought whatever to how it would look - on those grounds alone his judgement is very poor.

Given that you reckon your physique has changed but is now stable, invest in a new one.

Based on your description, I agree that alteration results would likely not be satisfactory. As mentioned, if your new physique is now stable, reward yourself with a well-fitting dinner suit.

pbc

PS. You didn't mention it, but do the trousers need alterations as well? Those can be more forgiving with larger changes, but still have their limits.