In-house tailoring · Est. 1972
SuitAlterations
Twenty years in the same alterations room, on the same floor where the clothes are sold. Nothing gets shipped out. Nothing gets guessed at.
The Man’s Shop offers full men’s suit alterations in Arlington, Texas, handled in-house by Enrique, our master tailor of more than twenty years. We adjust sleeves, waists, trousers, shoulders, and jackets, including garments bought elsewhere. Bring the piece in, we fit it on you, and most work returns within one to two weeks.
Why in-house matters
The tailor is here, and so are you
Most stores send alterations out. The garment leaves, someone you’ll never meet makes a judgment call, and it comes back a week later either right or wrong.
Ours doesn’t leave the building. Enrique has run our alterations room for more than twenty years, and he fits the garment on you before he touches it. If something needs a second look, you’re standing in front of him — not describing it over a counter.
That’s the whole difference. A measurement written down is an estimate. A pin placed while you’re wearing the jacket is a fact.
What we do
Alterations, by garment
- Jacket sleeves
- Shortened or lengthened, from the cuff or the shoulder depending on the working buttonholes and how much cloth is there. Roughly a quarter to half inch of shirt cuff should show. Most men are wearing sleeves too long.
- Jacket body
- Waist taken in or let out, side seams, back seam. There is a limit to how much can move before the pockets and vents start to look wrong, and we will tell you where that limit is before we start.
- Shoulders
- Possible, occasionally worth it, rarely cheap. If the shoulder is badly off on a jacket you love, come in and we will give you a straight answer about whether it is worth the work.
- Trousers
- Hemming, tapering, waist and seat adjustment, rise. Plain hem or cuff. If you wear boots, tell us — the break is different and we will hem to the boot you actually wear.
- Shirts
- Body taken in, sleeves shortened, collar work. A trim shirt costs a fraction of a new one and reads far better than a billowing one.
- Formalwear
- Tuxedos, dinner jackets, formal trousers. Bring it in well before the event — two weeks is comfortable, the week of is not.
Bought somewhere else?
Bring it in anyway
We alter garments we didn’t sell
Online purchases, department store suits, a jacket inherited from your father. If it can be improved, we will improve it. If it can’t, we will say so rather than take your money.
Online orders, especially
Buying tailored clothing online means guessing at fit. Most of what arrives is fixable. A hundred dollars of alterations on a jacket that fits nowhere is still money badly spent — we’ll tell you which one you have.
The honest assessment is free
Put it on, we look, you get a real answer and a real number before any work starts. No appointment strictly required, though calling ahead means Enrique is expecting you.
Timing
How long it takes
Standard work
One to two weeks for most jobs — hems, sleeves, waists, tapers. Busy seasons run longer, so plan around weddings, graduations, and the holidays.
Event work
If you have a date, give us two weeks minimum. A tuxedo the week of a wedding is a gamble, and we would rather you not take it.
Rush
Sometimes possible. Call, don’t email — we will look at the schedule and give you a yes or a no, not a maybe.
Common questions
Alterations, answered
How much do suit alterations cost in Arlington?
Cost depends on the work. Hemming trousers sits at the low end, sleeve shortening a step above that, and structural work such as shoulders at the high end. We quote at the counter with the garment on you, before any work begins, so there are no surprises when you pick it up.
Do you alter suits and clothing bought somewhere else?
Yes, routinely. Online purchases, department store suits, and inherited garments are all welcome. We will look at the piece on you and tell you honestly what can be improved and what cannot — including when the answer is that the alteration isn’t worth the cost.
How long do alterations take?
Most standard alterations take one to two weeks. Event work should be brought in at least two weeks ahead. Rush work is sometimes possible depending on the schedule, so call and ask rather than assuming either way.
Can a jacket’s shoulders be altered?
Sometimes. Shoulder work is the most involved alteration on a jacket because the sleeve has to come off and the canvas is affected, so it is neither quick nor cheap. On a jacket you love or one with sentimental value it can absolutely be worth it. Bring it in and we will give you a direct assessment.
Do you hem trousers for boots?
Yes, and you should tell us if you wear boots. The break over a boot shaft is different from the break over a dress shoe, and hemming for one when you wear the other is the most common reason trousers look wrong. Bring the boots with you if you can.
Do I need an appointment for alterations?
Not strictly. You can come in during business hours, Monday through Saturday, ten to five. Calling ahead is a good idea if you want a longer consultation or you are working against a deadline.
No appointment needed
Bring it in
Wear the shoes you’ll wear with it and bring the shirt you like. Ten minutes on the floor settles most questions.
100 S. West Street, Arlington, Texas 76010
Mon–Sat 10am–5pm · Closed Sunday
(817) 265-1116