Suit alterations and tailoring in Sterling Heights

02

The most common suit alterations

• Hem the trousers to the break you want: no break, a slight break or a full break.
• Shorten or lengthen the jacket sleeves so a quarter to half an inch of shirt cuff shows.
• Take in the jacket waist so it follows your shape without pulling at the button.
• Take in or let out the trouser waist and seat.
• Taper the trouser leg for a slimmer line.

The shoulder is the one part that is hard to change. A stylist fits the shoulder first, then tailors the rest around it.

03

Bring the date

Tell the stylist the date of the wedding, prom, interview or event when you book. The stylist plans the fittings back from that date, so the suit is ready before you need it. If you have a tight date, call or text the store first.

04

Sizes on the floor

Suits and tuxedos run from a 36 to a 48 chest, in short, regular and long lengths. Dress shirts run from a 14.5 to a 17.5 collar. Use the size guide on any product page or the measuring guide to find your starting size. A stylist confirms the final size in store.

05

Hemming trousers: pick the break first

The break is the fold where the trouser hem meets the top of the shoe. It is the first thing a stylist asks about at a fitting in our Sterling Heights store, because it sets the length of every pair you buy.

• No break: the hem just touches the shoe. Clean and modern, best on slim and tapered trousers.
• Slight break: one soft fold. The safe choice for a business suit and a wedding.
• Full break: a deeper fold. Traditional, and better on wider trousers.
• Cuffs: a turned-up hem adds weight so the trouser hangs straight. Good on flannel and pleated trousers.

Wear the shoes you will wear with the suit. A loafer and a lace-up sit at different heights, and the hem should match the shoe you wear most.

07

Taking in the jacket waist and the back

A jacket that fits the shoulders but hangs loose at the waist is the most common fit problem on a suit off the rack. A stylist pins the side seams and the back seam so the jacket follows your shape when it is buttoned.

The test is simple: button the jacket and stand straight. The front should lie flat, with no X-shaped pull at the button and no loose fabric at the small of the back.

08

A size up plus tailoring, or a size down

Buy the size that fits your shoulders and your chest. Those are the hardest parts to change. The waist, the sleeves and the trouser length are the easy parts, and a stylist tailors them in the store.

If you sit between two sizes, try both on in front of the mirror at Blite in Sterling Heights. Pick the one that sits clean on the shoulder, then let the stylist take in the rest.

09

What to bring to a fitting in Sterling Heights

• The shoes you will wear with the suit.
• A dress shirt that fits, and a belt if the trousers have loops.
• The date of the event, so the stylist plans every fitting before it.
• For a wedding party: the list of names and the colours the couple picked.

Blite is at 37742 Van Dyke Ave in Sterling Place Plaza, Sterling Heights, with free parking in front. Book a fitting online or call or text the store at (586) 983-9143.

10

Fittings before an event

Plan two visits. At the first, you choose the suit and the stylist pins it on you. At the second, you try on the finished suit with the shoes and shirt you will wear, and the stylist checks every point again.

Leave a margin before the event date. If the date is close, call or text the store first so the stylist can tell you what is possible.

12

Shirts: collar and sleeve

A dress shirt fits at the collar when one finger slides in with the top button closed. The sleeve should reach the wrist bone with the arm straight, so it shows under the jacket. If the collar fits but the body is loose, a stylist can take in the sides so the shirt does not balloon above the belt.

13

A mirror check you can do yourself

• Shoulders: smooth, no dent below the seam.
• Collar: the jacket collar rests on the shirt collar with no gap.
• Button: closes flat, no X.
• Sleeve: a little shirt cuff shows.
• Length: the jacket covers your seat.
• Trousers: no pull across the seat, the hem sits on the shoe the way you chose.

If two or more points fail, ask the stylist to try the next size before pinning anything.

14

Fittings for a wedding party or a group

A group fitting puts everyone in the same suit and checks each man against the same points, so the group looks matched in photos. Book Wedding and group fitting, or call or text (586) 983-9143 with the date and the number of people. See groomsmen suits.