Adjusting leather jacket (waist)?

[MadameSapphire]

Have bought a lovely second hand leather online - it fits apart from the waist which is, unfortunately, just a bit too tight! It’s (sort of) elasticated/ruched at the bottom IYSWIM - is there any way of having this style altered or is there no hope? TIA 🤞🏼

Is it a piece of elastic inside a "tunnel " that you could snip or is the elastic stitched into the leather?

Photo please. I get lots of clothes altered so will try to help

@mymobileisonsilent, sorry - I may have confused description by using ‘elasticated’. Can’t see any elastic... hopefully pics might make it clearer!

@ILoveShula, thank you very much - pics attached.

Thanks for the photo. You could unpick the elasticated thread.
If that seems a bit scary you could pull the elasticated bit so that the elastic weakens. If you know someone with strong arms, get them to do it for you.

You could get it altered, but my suggested fixes are ones you could do yourself and won't cost anything, unless you buy a seam ripper (about £1.50)

It looks nice. I picked up a suede midi skirt in a charity shop a few days ago. Looked quite new but looked quite boring, but when I tried it on it looks great, just not particularly trendy. £3 well spent

stitch ripper

According to my extensive research (a quick google), the elastic will weaken if warm, so a hairdryer might make the stretching easier.

Said I'd help.

Personally I'd take it to a professional and get a new waist band in something contrasting or even a fabric like you have on a bomber jacket .

If you unpick you will have the stitch holes in the leather, they don't close like fabric.

The thread that is doing the ruching is elasticated. I'd blast it with a hairdryer all around the waistband inside and out, then give the waistband a good old yank. It won't break but will get weaker

Alterations will be £££.

Thanks so much for the useful advice here (especially @ILoveShula) 😊 - that’s great.

You are welcome. I like helping, and I get clothes repurposed or altered, or do it myself. Had a similar problem with the waistband of some joggers a few months ago. A sharp few yanks and they were a much better fit.
The best solution is usually the simplest.

@ILoveShula, can I be very cheeky and ask for a little bit more advice? 🙈 You might be able to tell I’m having a sort out of my coats! I also have a gorgeous trench coat, but the shoulders are too big. Is this a simple thing to have altered and do you have any idea how much this might cost? Thanks again. 💐

No idea how much it would cost.
Almost certainly doable.
How good it will look afterwards depends on how good your seamstress(/seamster?) is

Is it lined? Are the shoulders padded, could you post a photo of the shoulder area of the coat please?

Op I've had a couple of coats / jackets altered at the shoulders but my regular seamstress isn't keen to take them in by any more than about a centimetre.

I did find a fully fledged tailor who'll do it but he charges more - from memory, I think I paid around £50 in total but that wasn't only for the shoulder alterations - and even he won't alter raglan shoulders.

Having recently gone back to sewing, I can appreciate now that it's a bigger job than it might look.

I was going to say No to changing raglan sleeves too, and my immediate thoughts was to add, remove or replace shoulder pads.

The person who does my alterations is trained in tailoring and can work wonders, but would almost certainly say no to altering raglan sleeves.

Raincoats tend to depend on the shoulderline for structure. but changing the shoulderpads might make it more like a duster coat or more retro 80s (which is in)

One thing I have noticed and my 'seamstress' has said too that clothes used to be better quality. She says that fabrics aren't what they used to be.

You can pick up coats for about £1-£3 in the charity shops here, and things like vintage M&S and BHS are good quality compared to nowadays.

Thank you, @ILoveShula and @Floisme - pics attached! 🤞🏼

A seamstress/ tailor could add some elastic in there faulty easily .

@MadameSapphire

Thank you, *@ILoveShula and @Floisme* - pics attached! 🤞🏼

I used to charge £20 to take shoulders in, it's pretty easy. If you need a lot taking in though the whole sleeve will need to be reset and that will cost more.

I like the raincoat too. The contrast collar is nice Thanks for the photo.
The shoulders should be straightforward to alter.

Thank you for the responses - that’s great to know (because I really like the coat!). 😊