[rhz]

Hi,

I have read about the perils of having blazer/sport coat sleeves altered from the shoulder. In the case, of faux button holes (made to look like a working cuff), I have also read that it is easy for a tailor to sew those holes shut without leaving a mark and simply move the buttons up. Has this been the case for you? I would have a hard time imagining that for all materials, all trace of the original faux button holes can be removed/hidden.

For example, I liked this cotton jacket with faux button holes, but I'm concerned about having to shorten the sleeves (a good 1.5 to 2 inches). Thanks!

 

[16412]

Faux button holes are not cut. They are movable. Cut buttonholes are different.
Moving sleeves up or down at the shoulder also has to do with the elbow. Your elbow and the coats elbow works best when they fit together.

 

[rhz]

Faux button holes are not cut. They are movable. Cut buttonholes are different.
Moving sleeves up or down at the shoulder also has to do with the elbow. Your elbow and the coats elbow works best when they fit together.

Yeah, I think I may have my terminology messed up. Those holes do appear to be cut, but the buttons cannot be unbuttoned as in a full working cuff.

So, I presume that this means that this jacket would have to be taken up at the shoulder, right?

 

[EclecticSr.]

What WA correctly refers to is sleeve pitch. You just don't raise the sleeve, it's pitch must be retained relative to the pitch of your arm. Faux buttonholes posses less of a problem since they are not actually cut and can be eliminated.

Have you a competent tailor who could perform either operation?

 

[Matt S]

Yeah, I think I may have my terminology messed up. Those holes do appear to be cut, but the buttons cannot be unbuttoned as in a full working cuff.

So, I presume that this means that this jacket would have to be taken up at the shoulder, right?

If the holes are cut, the holes would open up and the buttons could be opened. They look like faux buttonholes in that photo. Sleeves cannot be shortened very much from the shoulder because the upper sleeve would be too narrow. These sleeve can be shortened about 3/4" from the ends because the buttons are so far from the edge. But you can't shorten them 2 inches from the shoulder. It's probably not worth the cost and risk of shortening from the shoulder with this jacket.

 

[EclecticSr.]

Yeah, I think I may have my terminology messed up. Those holes do appear to be cut, but the buttons cannot be unbuttoned as in a full working cuff.

So, I presume that this means that this jacket would have to be taken up at the shoulder, right?

Unusual, non working cuffs are generally not cut but can be to full working cuffs. If they are indeed cut then why cannot they be unbuttoned?

 

[EclecticSr.]

In the event you ever are faced with tailoring trivia, the opening in the jacket that accommodates the sleeve is called the armsyce.

 

[rhz]

So, the take away here is that anytime the button holes look like those in the photo, I should not assume that they can be moved, right?

 

[EclecticSr.]

So, the take away here is that anytime the button holes look like those in the photo, I should not assume that they can be moved, right?

You have already established they cannot be unbuttoned.

Those in the photos appear to be faux, if in fact they are faux = fake, sham, they therefore can be undone unless one wishes to have them cut and become real working button holes. Me thinks your not paying attention.

Faux, fake, sham not cut can be undone and re-fauxed elsewhere.
Real working, actually cut, a button hole, is nigh impossible to stitch back closed without a trace unless one wishes to have a master weaver do their magic.

 

[rhz]

You have already established they cannot be unbuttoned.

Those in the photos appear to be faux, if in fact they are faux = fake, sham, they therefore can be undone unless one wishes to have them cut and become real working button holes. Me thinks your not paying attention.

Faux, fake, sham not cut can be undone and re-fauxed elsewhere.
Real working, actually cut, a button hole, is nigh impossible to stitch back closed without a trace unless one wishes to have a master weaver do their magic.

I'm trying hard to pay attention. I'll attempt to get it one more time before resigning myself to not understanding:

1) On the basis of the photo, you believe that the button holes are faux.
2) If the button holes are indeed faux, you state that they can be undone and re-fauxed higher up the sleeve.
3) This implies that there would be no problem shortening the sleeve of this jacket say, 2 inches, from the cuff with no complicated surgery at the top of the sleeves near the shoulder.

Is that what you're saying?

 

[16412]

Thread, but no holes, they are moveable.
Any tailor will know. That's his job.
Just take it to one of them and find out.

 

[EclecticSr.]

I'm trying hard to pay attention. I'll attempt to get it one more time before resigning myself to not understanding:

1) On the basis of the photo, you believe that the button holes are faux.
2) If the button holes are indeed faux, you state that they can be undone and re-fauxed higher up the sleeve.
3) This implies that there would be no problem shortening the sleeve of this jacket say, 2 inches, from the cuff with no complicated surgery at the top of the sleeves near the shoulder.

Is that what you're saying?

Yes.

 

[phyrpowr]

There seems to be a communication problem here. Are you asking, ultimately, if the stitching can be removed, so as to make it look like no buttonhole, faux or otherwise, had ever been there?

It requires that the thread be (very carefully) cut and then (very tediously) picked out. Whether this would leave obvious damage, this deponent knoweth not, but thinketh it likely with cotton.

 

[Troones]

I have to have the sleeves shortened on every jacket I purchase. I have had the faux button hole stitching removed and moved higher by my local alterations tailor each time and not once have I had an issue with residual damage. This goes for smooth worsteds, tweeds, and a couple of cotton sport coats (one cotton/wool blend and one 100% cotton.) Of course this is my personal experience. I've had other tailoring jobs botched that I thought would be a lot less challenging.

 

[never behind]

I just took my Hopsack blazer to the tailor and she said removing the non working button holes would not leave marks. I’ll tell you in a week if she was right.


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[JBierly]

I just took my Hopsack blazer to the tailor and she said removing the non working button holes would not leave marks. I'll tell you in a week if she was right.

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I have seen them removed successfully.

 

[suitman19]

While it is true that faux buttonholes can be removed.....

The OP states that it is a cotton jacket.
Almost every time we have tried to remove the stitching on cotton it leaves a mark where the stitching was. OP would have better luck just shortening the sleeves slightly. The problem with taking one buttonhole apart is that if it does leave a mark it is very difficult to duplicate the original faux stitched buttonholes.

 

[JBierly]

While it is true that faux buttonholes can be removed.....

The OP states that it is a cotton jacket.
Almost every time we have tried to remove the stitching on cotton it leaves a mark where the stitching was. OP would have better luck just shortening the sleeves slightly. The problem with taking one buttonhole apart is that if it does leave a mark it is very difficult to duplicate the original faux stitched buttonholes.

Thoughtful reply. Sounds like the material matters.

 

[rhz]

I appreciate the replies. In the end, it sounds like it's not worth the risk.

 

[EclecticSr.]

I appreciate the replies. In the end, it sounds like it's not worth the risk.

Okay, since you've decided against it, I feel no risk in saying that given the rough texture of that jacket leaving telltale signs of stitching would be nill. Any tailor worth his salt should easily be able to duplicate such a simple straight faux stitch, it's not as if it's a keyhole shape and then, not impossible. The problem is more of one finding the right tailor. In fact, Iv'e had my tailor remove the one closest to the cuff and add it above the remaining 3 and make them all working.