Getting a coat altered?

[ilovecherries]

I have an Ikat coat that I love. Its now at least two, maybe three, sizes too large for me. I love it so much I would like to get it altered. But before I go on the search for dressmakers, I wondered a) is this even feasible? Any idea at all of cost? Anything up to £60 I would probably pay for a great job, but I realise it would be a lot of work and if my budget was unreasonable, I'd just say a sad goodbye to it. It's not quite the same as this one, but nearly www.purecollection.com/clothing/womens-jackets-coats/jacquard_longline_jacket.htm

Sounds like you've been losing weight - congratulations!

I buy vintage/second hand clothes and get them altered. A lot depends on fabric/cut/age/whether there's a lining but typically I've paid about £25 to have a jacket taken in at the shoulders and the sleeves shortened; £12-£15 to have a seam taken in. I think it's worth it for something you really love - if you tried to buy new it would probably be worse quality.

I'm interested to hear what other posters say as I'm after a tweed overcoat and I think the only way to get what I want is to find a vintage men's one and then track down a tailor who'd take it apart and put it back together. I dread to think what that would cost

Yes it's possible. Anything with a lining is more time consuming than without so you would have to bear that in mind, but it looks as though there aren't any darts to re-site. More that two sizes difference may make it tricky if there are collar or pocket changes necessary, and that would affect the price.

IIWM I would undo the sleeve, armscye and side seams in the fabric and lining and alter to your measurements. You would need at least one fitting and it would probably take 2-3 hours work if the alteration is straightforward. HTH.

That's what I'm thinking, Flo, that it may need taking apart, and I know that will rack the costs up. And it's a modern coat, so not sure that it's totally worth doing that. Though I do love it. I will tackle shortening sleeves, but not much else. I have lost weight :), and I'm hurtling towards 60, and I feel a real urge to up-cycle a lot of my existing clothes, rather than just buy new. I've recently bagged a gorgeous Harris tweed jacket with an intact silk lining that my dad was on the point of recycling, but Dad is a big man (even at 85, and even taller and broader when he wore it maybe 40 years ago), so it's a remake job. It's not so much that I want to wear a vintage style, more that I want to take those lovely fabrics and have them made more current. Not sure if that even makes sense. Maybe I should learn to do this stuff as a retirement project, but not sure I have the patience. I just want the fun of finding the stuff, and then the finished item, not the bit inbetween.

I know what you mean about fabrics - I've got a couple of Harris Tweed jackets and I love them to death. I've planning to take it up in retirement too although I've been following the sewing thread and thinking maybe I shouldn't put it off.

Thanks, goujons, that's helpful. Think I will take it into the local place, and ask for a quote. It's hardly had any wear, so I'm reluctant just to give up on it.

Hi, I had a size 14 coat taken in to a size 8 by a local seamstress for £25, the daft thing is it only cost £10 in a sale but I get SO much wear out of it it was worth it...cost per wear and all that.

I'm so pleased - thank you everyone for your help. Just got the coat back - £25 and it's perfect. It actually looks better than it did initially. She says if I still love it when I drop the next three sizes to bring it in again and she could bring it in again with darts. Delighted with it. I'm now taking in some dresses to be done as well.