How to Take In a Blazer at the Waist

Where a blazer is taken in at the waist

The width in a blazer sits in the back panel, and that is where it is removed. The front is almost never touched – that is where the pockets, button placket and an inner reinforcement (canvas) live, and they should not be altered. The shape is created in these seams:

• The center-back seam – the vertical seam down the middle of the back. Most of the waist width comes out here, in an even curve into the waist.
• The side-back seams – the seams between the back and the side panels. A little can come out here to spread the take-in evenly.
• Not the front and not the shoulders – take in the wrong place and the balance shifts, the pockets wander and the lapels sit crooked.

The lining is why this is hard

A structured blazer is really two garments in one: the outer fabric and a separate lining sewn inside. When you take in the outer fabric at the back seams, the lining has to be taken in by exactly the same amount, or it pulls or bags and the jacket hangs wrong. To reach it, the lining has to be opened – usually at the hem or a sleeve vent – the take-in is done in both layers, and the lining is sewn shut by hand. It is this extra layer that sets a blazer apart from a simple shirt or dress, and that turns a seemingly small take-in into a precision job.

How to do it on an unlined blazer

If the blazer is unlined or half-lined and without heavy structure, you can do a modest take-in yourself. Keep the change small, and baste before you do anything.

1. Put the blazer on inside out, buttoned up, and let the back lie smooth.
2. Pinch in the excess width along the center-back seam, in an even curve that is deepest at the waist and tapers out toward the shoulders and hem.
3. Pin it, mark it with tailor's chalk, and take the jacket off.
4. Baste the new seam, try it on the right way out again, and check that the back vent still hangs closed and the balance is intact.
5. Sew along the mark with a gradual taper, trim the excess seam allowance, and press the seam flat.

What goes wrong quickly

Even a small mistake shows on a blazer. Watch especially for:

• The vent gapes: take in too much at the bottom of the back seam and the vent (or vents) pulls up and splays open – a clear sign of over-tightening.
• The balance breaks: too much at the waist without following the whole curve makes the jacket bulge over the seat or pull across the hips.
• The lining is forgotten: sew only the outer fabric and the lining bags inside and the jacket feels tight even though the outside looks right.
• Too much at once: a blazer takes a modest waist take-in, but to drop it several sizes the shoulders and armholes have to be assessed too – a completely different job.

When should the blazer go to a tailor?

If the blazer is lined, structured, has a back vent, or is a suit jacket you want to sit right, this is a job for professionals. We take the blazer in at the back seams to suit the garment and the fit, handle the lining in the same round, and keep the vent, pockets and balance intact. You send the jacket to us from anywhere in Norway, you order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions