How To Tailor a Shirt: An Alterations Guide and DIY Hacks

Nothing ruins an outfit like an ill-fitting shirt. Often, the top anchors the whole look. So, shirt tailoring is of the utmost importance when it comes to looking good. Let’s explore.

When it comes to universally flattering fashion, it’s all about clean lines and effortless neatness. Of course, there will be times when an oversized or more casual fit will be in vogue. That’s fine. Fashion is cyclical, after all. But even then, there are some unchanging tenets. For example, shoulder fit and pant breaks tend not to budge too much. I think how your top fits is one of the most important aspects of looking great. So, learning how to tailor a shirt is not a bad idea. Or, you should know what the professionals can and often do, along with some easy at-home hacks.

It’s like knowing how to change a tire. You may not need to use the knowledge often. In fact, you may never use it ever. But it’s good insurance. Knowing how to fix up your shirt may be your saving grace in a pinch!

Basic Dress Shirt Alterations: It’s Easier and More Affordable Than You Think

Getting dress shirts tailored is more attainable than a lot of men realize. In fact, a huge money-saving hack? If you can’t afford a custom shirt, you can always tailor a fast-fashion one. It’ll come out looking hundreds of dollars more expensive.

For the record, I don’t condone or judge fast fashion. For some people, it’s the only option. However, many new shirt brands offer direct-to-consumer shirts that are just slightly more expensive but far better in quality.

I just use fast fashion as an example of how cost-effective it is to buy a shirt cheaply or on sale and then get it tailored. Here’s a list of the basic things you can get altered at a tailor or dry cleaner and their prices.

Basic Sleeve Alterations

Properly fitting sleeves are essential to a professional and polished appearance. Even if your dress shirt fits through the torso, improperly fitting sleeves make your ensemble look unbalanced. Altering your sleeves is one of the easiest ways to ensure a perfect-fitting shirt. Here are basic sleeve alterations and a range of their costs. 

Shortening Sleeves at the Shoulder Seams: $30 to $70

I believe fixing your shirt sleeves is the most important thing for men of modest height. A shirt body with too much excess fabric can always be gathered and tucked in the back.

So, let’s say you buy a $20 shirt at H&M and pay $50 to get the sleeves done. That’s still a $70 shirt, and it can look like a $200 one. Or perhaps you get a $40 shirt from Charles Tyrwhitt or even a $50 shirt on sale at Brooks. 

That’s still a fraction of the cost of a high-end dress shirt from Thom Sweeney or Luca Faloni. Yet, it won’t look too far off from that category.

Shortening Sleeves at the Cuff: $15 to $30

This is so easy. If you only need to take off an inch or two (or up to three), your tailor will shorten it at the cuff. This is cheap and simple and can sometimes be done on the day of.

Relatedly, you can replace the cuffs, which will cost a bit more than shortening at the cuff. You might need to source a matching fabric here, so keep that in mind. Fabric can cost anywhere from $20 to $50 a yard. 

Still, you can always go for a white contrast cuff and call it a day.

Taking in the Sleeves: $20 to $40

Remember, excess fabric is the enemy regardless of whether it’s through your shirt’s back, front or sleeves. Usually, if you find a shirt that’s extra small and a slim fit, you won’t need to do this. However, we realize that not everyone gets that perfect, off-the-rack fit. Overly long sleeves or overly billowy bodies are more common. Taking in your sleeves is still an easy ask for most tailors, though.

Basic Shirt Body Alterations

If you’re reading this article, you’re conscientious about ensuring your dress shirt is well-fitted. After all, a well-tailored shirt elevates your overall appearance and can help build (or exude) confidence. Here are a few ways to tailor the body or torso of your shirt to achieve a personalized fit. 

Taking in the Shirt Body: $20 to $40

This is an important procedure if you plan to wear your shirt untucked. Of course, I highly recommend tailoring the shirt body regardless of how you plan on wearing it. It’s more versatile that way. Your tailor may even add darts to the back to create a more tapered fit. Depending on your tailor, this may or may not cost an extra $15 to $25.

Replacing or Moving Buttons: $0 to $10

You can, of course, remove your own buttons with mini sewing scissors. Often, if you’re getting a bunch of other alterations done, tailors will throw this in for free. On the other hand, adding or replacing your buttons is one of the easiest things you can do yourself. All you need is a thread and a sewing needle. I’ll cover how to do this in a minute!

Replace the Collar: $40-$60

I’ve actually never done this. If you’re looking at a shirt with an ill-fitting collar, I recommend just not buying it. However, this might be worth it if you inherit a shirt for free or find one for a bargain basement price.

Perhaps you need a more structured or less raggedy collar. As with the cuffs, just go for a white contrast collar if you can’t find the right fabric. You can also shorten your collar points, which may cost between $60 and $100.

How Should Your Dress Shirt Fit?

A button-up or button-down shirt should fit exactly the same way, for the most part. Of course, button-downs are more casual, so there’s more room for a bit of extra fabric. And, of course, you can move the needle here and there for personal preference. As a foundation, though, here’s what to look for.

You should be able to fit a finger or two in between your shirt collar and neck. However, when the shirt is buttoned up, you don’t want too much visual negative space between your neck and collar.

Your shoulder seams should sit right on top of your shoulders. It should never extend past the shoulder bone, even if you’re going for a looser fit.

Your shirt body should follow the natural lines of your silhouette while still allowing you freedom of movement. It shouldn’t be so tight that your buttons hold on for dear life. If you’re going to wear your shirt untucked, make sure it stops somewhere around the middle of your fly.

For shirt sleeve length, you want the end of your shirt cuff to stop somewhere around your wrist bone. It’s okay if it goes past this bone and sits on your wrist, and it’s okay if it stops just short of the wrist bone.

How To Tailor a Shirt at Home: The DIY Button Hack

Before I continue, I implore you to learn how to sew a button or do a simple stitch on a sewing machine. It’s actually not that hard. From there, you can make several alterations to your shirt at home.

My ultimate hack? Moving buttons around. It doesn’t require cutting fabric; it takes minutes, and you can achieve better fits.  If you need a slightly more snug or loose fit on your collar, move the top button a few millimeters to the left or right. You can also do the same with the collar or the shirt placket. 

I once found a women’s shirt at a vintage shop that perfectly fit my thin, modest-framed body. However, it wasn’t meant to be worn with a tie, so the collar and top of the placket didn’t feature buttons. I sewed two buttons on myself, effectively transforming it from a ladies’ shirt to a men’s shirt.

If you’re feeling ambitious, adding darts or taking in the body is relatively simple with a sewing machine. Just make sure to stick to solid shirts. Leave the patterned ones to the professionals, as you don’t want to disrupt or mismatch the composition.

Men’s Made-to-Measure Shirts: The Middle Ground

Men’s made-to-measure shirts are one of my favorite ways to achieve a good fit. An MTM shirt is made from an existing fabric and pattern. You’ll then choose your fit and, often, your shirt style. Many brands allow you to pick what kind of collar you want, what type of cuff you want, and whether or not you want pockets or other personalizations.

It’s not bespoke since you’re picking from their inventory of fabrics and style options. However, it’s a nice middle ground between full custom and off-the-rack. MTMs offer a pretty great value proposition.

My only note about MTM shirts is that they don’t always come out perfect, especially if you’re getting them done purely online. You may still need to make some slight alterations. In my experience with made-to-measure shirts, I’ve sometimes still had to shorten the sleeves. Still, you get a better, more personal product than you would with a tailored off-the-rack shirt.

Here are some brands that do made-to-measure shirts and custom shirts:

• Brisk
• Proper Cloth
• Charles Tyrwhitt
• Turnbull & Asser
• Apposta

FAQs

Do you still have questions about how to tailor a dress shirt? No problem. Here are some of the most common questions about shirts, tailoring, and general fits.

Can a Dress Shirt Be Tailored?

Yes, a dress shirt can and should be tailored. You may not need to tailor a made-to-measure shirt, but if you’re a man of modest height, you’ll likely have to get any off-the-rack shirts altered to achieve a proper fit.

Can You Tailor a Dress Shirt That Is Too Big?

Yes, you can tailor a dress shirt that’s too big. It’s also highly recommended since dress shirts are meant to have a streamlined fit.

Can You Tailor a Dress Shirt That Is Too Small?

Yes, you can tailor any shirt to fit you better. It’s actually easier to take shirts in since taking a shirt out might require extra fabric. However, with the right tailor and the right materials, you can get any garment tailored.

Conclusion: Streamlined Style

Now you know the basics (and even a bit beyond) when it comes to how to tailor a shirt.I’ve found that many guys don’t realize how many alterations are possible. They also don’t understand that it is a very affordable solution. 

Whether you need to make slight adjustments to a new shirt or want to overhaul that old, billowy button-down sitting in the back of your closet, it’s essential that you know which aspects of the shirt can be changed.

Questions? Comments? Leave them in the comments below!