Shirt alterations for a cleaner line under the jacket.

Why a well-fitted shirt changes the whole outfit

A shirt carries more of an outfit than it appears to. Excess cloth at the waist bunches above the trouser and pushes the jacket out at the front; sleeves that are too long swallow the cuff, so the jacket sleeve has nothing to sit against.

Most ready-made shirts are cut generously through the body so they fit as many people as possible. Taking in the sides or adding back darts is a small job that makes a shirt look as though it was bought for you.

What we alter on shirts

Cotton, poplin, twill, Oxford cloth and evening shirts. The usual work is:

• Side seams tapered, from £38
• Back darts for a cleaner line, from £26
• Sleeves shortened with the cuff moved, from £32 — double cuffs included
• Buttons sewn or replaced, from £6 each

Sides or darts?

Side tapering removes cloth evenly along the seam and keeps the back clean, which suits plain city shirts worn under a jacket. Back darts take shape out of the back and are quick to do; they suit slimmer frames and shirts that are often worn without a jacket. The fitter pins both options if you are unsure and shows you the difference in the mirror.

Sleeve length and cuffs

A shirt sleeve should show a little linen beyond the jacket sleeve. When the sleeve is shortened, the cuff is moved up rather than simply cut, so the cuff, its buttons or links, and the placket stay as they were made. Double cuffs are included at the same price.

If the jacket sleeves also need work, pinning shirt and jacket together on the same visit gets the two lengths right relative to each other — see jacket and blazer alterations.

Several shirts at once

Shirts tend to come in sets. Once one shirt has been pinned, others from the same maker in the same size usually need the same work, which keeps the visit short. The £30 visit fee is credited in full when confirmed work reaches £120; the £60 minimum order applies to the collection as a whole.

Turnaround

Standard turnaround is 7–10 working days. Shirt work is eligible for express (about 72 hours, +30%) in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast; ask when you book and we confirm before collecting.

How the home visit works

Send a request with a preferred day and a two-hour window. We reply to every request by email within one working day. A named fitter then comes to your home, office or hotel; appointments run daily, 07:00–21:00, and most visits take under half an hour.

The garment is pinned on you, confirmed in sterling before it leaves, and returned pressed to the same address. Standard turnaround is 7–10 working days. There is a £30 visit fee, credited in full when confirmed work reaches £120, and a £60 minimum order per collection.