Tailoring Alterations in Bangkok
Most people who come to us for tailoring alterations in Bangkok have a fit problem, not a quality problem. A jacket that pulls across the back, trousers that pool at the shoe, sleeves that swallow your cuff: none of these mean the garment is bad. They mean it was made for an average body rather than yours.
Galaxy Tailor has been making and altering garments on Sukhumvit Road since 1999. The same cutters and tailors who build our bespoke suits handle tailoring alterations in Bangkok, on site, in the same workroom. Bring the garment in and we will tell you honestly what can be improved and what cannot.
Free Tailoring Alterations in Bangkok on Garments We Made
If the fit shifts after you collect a Galaxy Tailor suit, shirt or trousers, bring it back. Alterations on our own garments are free.
For tailoring alterations in Bangkok on anything bought elsewhere, bring the piece in and our team will assess it, explain what can realistically be improved, and talk you through the work before anything starts.
Jacket Alterations
The jacket is the hardest garment to alter well, and the one most people come to us for, because so much of its shape is built into the chest and shoulder before anything else happens. The split below is the most useful thing on this page.
Worth doing
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Sleeve lengthThe most common adjustment and usually the most transformative. Roughly a centimetre of shirt cuff should show.
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Waist suppressionTaking in the side seams to follow your waist rather than hanging straight. This is what separates a jacket that looks tailored from one that looks borrowed.
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Sleeve widthNarrowing a sleeve that balloons around the forearm. A quiet change that makes a jacket look considerably more modern.
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Jacket length and shoulder widthBoth possible, both major surgery. Shortening moves the pockets out of proportion; narrowing shoulders means detaching and resetting the sleeves. We will do either when it is worth doing.
Cannot be fixed
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Shoulders that are too narrowThere is no cloth there to release. If the shoulder is wrong, the jacket is wrong.
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A chest that is too tightSame problem. No amount of alteration will rescue it.
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A collar dramatically undersizedOn a shirt, the band is built to a fixed length and cannot be meaningfully extended.
We would rather tell you a garment cannot be rescued than take your money for work that will not help.
Trouser Alterations
Of all the tailoring alterations in Bangkok we handle, trousers are the most forgiving, and small changes make a large visible difference.
Hemming and break
How the trouser meets the shoe. No break sits above the shoe, a half break creates one soft fold, a full break rests on the instep. Bring the shoes you will actually wear.
Waist
Most trousers carry enough cloth in the seat seam to let out or take in comfortably.
Taper
Narrowing through the thigh and leg. The single most effective way to update older trousers, and a straightforward job.
Seat and rise
Adjusting how the trousers sit through the back. More involved than a waist change, but very often the actual cause of a problem people blame on the waist.
Shirt and Women’s Garment Alterations
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Shirt bodyTaking in the side seams or adding darts at the back to remove the billow around the waist. The difference between a shirt that looks fitted and one that balloons over your belt.
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Sleeve and cuffShortening sleeves and narrowing cuffs so the cuff sits at the wrist bone rather than halfway down your hand.
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CollarCollar size can be adjusted within limits. A collar that is dramatically too small cannot be rescued.
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Women’s garmentsDresses, skirts, blouses, trousers and jackets, including hem adjustments, waist shaping and strap changes. Measurement and fitting is done specifically for women’s garments rather than adapted from men’s patterns.
If you are booking tailoring alterations in Bangkok on more than two or three parts of the same garment, it is worth asking whether a new one makes better sense. Tailored shirts start from $50 USD and take 2 to 4 days, and our women’s tailoring team can advise either way.
How Tailoring Alterations in Bangkok Work Here
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Bring the garment inWalk in or book ahead. Bring the shoes and, for a jacket, the shirt you would normally wear with it. Fit decisions made without the right shoes are usually wrong by a centimetre or two.
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Try it onWe look at how the garment actually sits on you rather than working from a list of measurements. Most people arrive asking for one change and leave having identified the change that was really causing the problem.
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We tell you what is worth doingIncluding when the answer is nothing.
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Pinning and markingAdjustments are pinned and chalked on you, so you can see the difference before any stitching happens.
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CollectionTurnaround depends on the work. Simple jobs are quick. A jacket that needs the shoulders reset is not a same-day proposition. If you are flying out soon, say so and we will tell you honestly whether it is achievable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer free alterations?
Yes. Alterations on garments made by Galaxy Tailor are free. If the fit shifts after you collect your suit, shirt or trousers, bring it back to us on Sukhumvit Soi 18.
Can you alter a suit I bought somewhere else?
Bring it in and we will take a look. Our team will assess the garment, explain what can realistically be improved, and talk you through the work before anything starts.
How long do tailoring alterations in Bangkok take?
It depends entirely on the work. Hemming trousers or shortening sleeves is quick. Resetting shoulders or reshaping a jacket through the body takes considerably longer. We give you a realistic collection date when you drop the garment off.
Can a jacket be made bigger?
Sometimes. Side seams and waist usually carry enough cloth to let out. Shoulders and chest generally do not, because there is no spare fabric there to release. If a jacket is too tight across the shoulders, alteration cannot fix it.
What is the most worthwhile alteration?
For a jacket, sleeve length and waist suppression. For trousers, hemming to the right break and tapering the leg. These four changes account for most of the visible difference between a garment that fits and one that does not.
Should I bring my shoes?
Yes, and the shirt you would normally wear under the jacket. Trouser length cannot be set correctly without the shoes you will wear, and sleeve length is judged against your shirt cuff.
Is it better to alter an old suit or order a new one?
If the shoulders and chest fit, altering is usually good value. If they do not, you are spending money to improve a garment that will never be right. Tailored suits start from $250 USD, and we will give you a straight answer about which makes more sense.
Do you alter women’s clothing?
Yes. Our women’s tailoring service handles dresses, skirts, blouses, trousers and jackets, with fitting done specifically for women’s garments.
Do I need an appointment?
Walk-ins are welcome and we are open seven days a week. Booking ahead means a tailor is set aside for you, which is worth doing if you are on a tight schedule.
Where are you located?
Galaxy Tailor is at 52 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, five minutes on foot from BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit.
Bring It In
For tailoring alterations in Bangkok, Galaxy Tailor is at 52 Sukhumvit Soi 18, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, a five-minute walk from BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit. Open seven days a week, walk-ins welcome.
+66 87 414 2443 or +66 95 003 8770
Find us on Google Maps. Thinking about a new garment instead? Browse tailored suits or our price guide.