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Shortening jacket sleeve length with faux button holes

16K views 25 replies 11 participants last post by  Searching_Best_Fit  
#1 ·
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!

Image
 
#9 ·
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.
 
#12 ·
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.
 
#13 ·
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.
 
#14 ·
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.
 
#17 ·
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.
 
#20 ·
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.
 
#21 ·
Well, it seems that the issue has arisen again. Similar faux button holes--this time on a navy seersucker jacket (https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/threads/lapel-on-this-jacket-too-wide.239657/). It's the same brand, so not a big surprise.

This time I brought it to two tailors who both said the same thing--that removing the faux button holes would leave some stitch marks behind, but that they would become less noticeable after dry cleaning. Neither saw it as a potential problem.

Do you guys think it's safe to go ahead on this?
 
#24 ·
Well, it seems that the issue has arisen again. Similar faux button holes--this time on a navy seersucker jacket (https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/threads/lapel-on-this-jacket-too-wide.239657/). It's the same brand, so not a big surprise.

This time I brought it to two tailors who both said the same thing--that removing the faux button holes would leave some stitch marks behind, but that they would become less noticeable after dry cleaning. Neither saw it as a potential problem.

Do you guys think it's safe to go ahead on this?
That statement is true for wool or cotton, only if you are not doing some ironing/pressing after the faux buttonhole stitching is removed. Typically, once the faux hole is removed, a pressing is required to minimize or remove the stitching marks. It works great for wool, somewhat hard for cotton, but it is achievable.

Maybe the tailors just wanted to cover their back to tell you that some residue marks may still be there, but as @Troones mentioned, there is no reason why this faux buttonhole removal cannot be done cleanly.

Just FYI: a faux buttonhole stitching is typically done by machine, probably a chain stitch. If done carefully, it can be cut and pulled fairly easily once the cuff is opened from lining. OTOH, the stitching in the OP's picture seems a bit different, but with careful cutting it can still be removed without cutting into the clothes.

Speaking of faux buttonhole or not, I have seen a suit jacket done by Banana Republic with buttonhole sewed and ready to be cut to be functional but looks like faux when on the rack. The key difference is that the cuff placket is connected to the sleeve lining with functional cuff in mind: that is, the lining is sewed to the edge of placket under the buttonholes rather than around the cuff. A non-functional cuff has one piece lining around the cuff, near the placket so that the placket cannot be opened. A functional cuff has the lining sewed differently so that the placket can be opened.

Hope this helps.
 
#22 ·
As I mentioned in a previous post, I've had this done to several jackets of various fabrics and never had a problem with visible marks where the stitching was removed. But I see a lot of people disagree with me. I never realized my tailor was as skilled as she is. I'll need to remember to pay her a proper compliment on her skills.
 
#23 ·
Compliments go a long way and so do referrals. Mine is quite talented as well and I have felt compelled on occasion to do more. I have brought a few different gifts to my tailor over the years and I think the bottle of Champagne was his favorite. His wife absolutely loved it! They are great people and he deserved a proper thank you.