﻿How To Tailor Your Denim Jacket [0:00:00]
The denim jacket that has rugged and masculine written all over it,
just look at Steve McQueen rocking this look. So, you buy a denim jacket, but for some reason
you’re just not quite feeling like Ryan Gosling. So, what’s the problem? The
issue is your jacket just doesn’t fit as well as it should. It’s too baggy.
Don’t worry, guys, Thomas with Real Men Real Style here. In today’s video,
I’m going to show you how to easily adjust your denim jacket to look amazing.
Here are the tools you need to get started – a sewing machine, thread that closely matches your
fabric, sewing pins, safety pins, a fabric pencil or a chalk, seam ripper, scissors, and an iron.
Step number one. Measure and pin. There are two ways we can get the right measurements
for how much fabric we need to take in. The first and easiest method is take a perfect
fitting denim jacket you already own and to use it as a template. Of course, if you don’t already own
one, you can use a similar style jacket instead. Turn the jacket you’ll be adjusting inside out,
band it up and lay it on the flat surface. Now, take your perfect fitting jacket
and lay it on top. Line up the top of the shoulders in the outer edge of the sleeves.
Take your fabric pencil and trace a line along the edge of the template jacket going from the bottom
of the hem all the way to the armpit. If you’re only slimming the waist,
then you need to taper the line gradually into the armpit. If you cut in too sharply,
you’re going to create a nasty looking dimple. If you are only sliming the sleeves, then taper
from the armpit and trace your way down to the cuff. You don’t want to sew through the cuff,
you need to taper the line before you reach the top edge of the cuff.
If you’re slimming both the body and the sleeves, then you can just continue the
lines to the armpit without tapering. Now, put in sewing pins, so the fabric
will stay in place. Make sure the pins oriented in the direction you’ll be sewing, so they can
be easily removed as you go. To get the right direction, remember, the bulk of the fabric
will go on the left side of the sewing machine. Now, what do you do if you don’t have a perfect
fitting jacket to use as a template? In that case, you’re going to need
to figure out the measurements for yourself. Take your denim jacket and turn it inside out,
then put it on. It’s a bit tricky to do, but you’ll need to fasten the buttons.
Pinch the fabric at your sides until it fits as snugly as you want,
then secure it in place with a safety pin. Continue to do this from the bottom hem
up to the armpit. You want it to fit close, but the front button should not be pulling open.
If they are, then you have it too tight. You also need to be careful that you aren’t
bringing in more than an inch or two from each side, otherwise you’ll be stitching
into the front pockets or the side tabs. If the sleeves are too baggy, you can use
the same process on them. Simply pinch the fabric and secure it with a safety pin.
Make sure you’re taking in an equal amount from both sides of the jacket.
Now, take off your jacket and lay it down flat. Trace a line along the safety pins with your
fabric pencil, then replace your safety pins with sewing pins. Remember to point them in the right
direction, so they can be easily removed later. Step number two. Let’s sew. Install your matching
thread and prepare your bobbin. Let’s do this. We’re going to sew with a straight stitch,
go with the 2.5 mm stitch length. I also advice switching out to universal sewing needle for
one specifically designed for denim. The universal needle can work in a pinch,
but it’s more likely to break when sewing through a top fabric like denim.
Lay down your first few stitches, then make a couple of back stitches. This locks in the thread
and prevents the stitch from coming undone. Carefully stitch on the line you drew with your
fabric pencil, removing the sewing pins as you go. Be sure to sew in a straight
even line. You don’t want to zigzag back and forth. Once you’re at the end, finish off with
a couple of more back stitches and you’re done. Now, try on that jacket and see if you’re happy
with the fit. If the jacket is still on the loose side, then repeat the process
to tighten it up. But, if you’ve gone too far and it’s now too tight, take your seam ripper,
open up the stitch you just made and start over. Step number three. Clean up. If you’re satisfied
with your result, take your scissors and trim off the excess fabric inside the jacket,
leaving a quarter inch of seam allowance. We don’t want the fabric to fray, so use a zigzag
or overlock stitch to seal in the loose threads. Now, take your clothing iron and set it to the
correct temperature for your fabric. Press the seams flat against the inside of the jacket
for a clean finish drape. Now, you look like a rugged badass in your denim jacket.
So now, your denim jacket fits amazing. But, what about another staple of casual style? Your hoodie.
Check out this video, gents, where I show you how to quickly and easily tailor your hoodie.
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