Jacket take-in & shoulders
Bringing the jacket in at the waist and sides for shape, sorting sleeve length, and cleaning up how the collar and shoulders sit against your neck.
Suit alterations & tailoring, Exeter
Suit Alterations & Tailoring in Exeter
I'm Malina, a seamstress in Exeter. An off-the-peg suit is cut for nobody in particular, but a few well-placed alterations turn it into one that looks like it was made for you.
The short version
What I do.
A suit looks sharp when it actually fits you. Most of the time that's got little to do with the cloth or the label. Bring the jacket in at the waist, get the sleeves sitting right and taper the trousers, and a small bit of work makes a big difference.
If you need suit alterations in Exeter for an interview, a wedding or a new job, I can take a jacket and trousers that are close and make them properly fit. Everything's itemised and priced before I start, and tracked in the app so you know exactly when it's ready.
What suit alterations cover
Trousers: taper & hem
Tapering the leg for a slimmer line, hemming to the right break over your shoes, and taking the waist in or out so they sit comfortably.
Shirts & waistcoats
Taking in a billowing shirt at the sides, shortening sleeves, and adjusting a waistcoat so the whole outfit looks considered, not thrown together.
The suit jobs I do most
A suit usually needs two or three of these to go from off-the-peg to properly fitted. Not sure which yours needs? Put it on at the fitting and we’ll see together.
- Taking the jacket in at the waist and sides
- Shortening jacket sleeves (and adjusting shoulders)
- Tapering trouser legs for a slimmer line
- Hemming trousers to the right break
- Taking the trouser waist in or out
- Taking in or shortening shirts
- Adjusting waistcoats for a clean line
- Repairs, re-lining and new linings
How it works
1
Book a fitting
Pop into the workshop or book a time on the Contact page. Bring the piece, along with the shoes or underthings you'll wear it with, so I can set the length right.
2
Measured & photographed
I pin and measure you in person, photograph the garment and write up an itemised ticket, so the price is clear before any thread is cut.
3
Tracked, then collect
Follow your garment from received to ready in the app, with notes and a direct line to me. I'll let you know the moment it's done.
Turnaround
How long it takes.
Most suit alterations are ready within a few working days. A simple trouser hem or taper can often be quicker, while a full jacket take-in needs a little longer to do properly.
Got an interview on Thursday or a wedding at the weekend? Tell me your deadline when you book and I'll do everything I can to have it ready in good time. You'll be able to watch it move from received to ready in the app.
What to bring
Come prepared.
Bring the shoes you'll wear with the suit. Trouser length is set to those, and good shoes break very differently from trainers. If it's for a particular outfit, bring the shirt too, so we can get the sleeve and cuff balance right.
Wear or bring a normal shirt for the jacket fitting as well, so the take-in allows for what'll actually be underneath. Five minutes getting this right at the fitting saves you a return trip later.
Why Crop Design
One bench, not a factory.
A good fit is the best money you can spend on a suit, and it doesn't need a designer price tag. It needs someone who'll take the time to pin it properly. That's what one bench gives you: my full attention, an honest itemised quote before anything is cut, and the same hands from fitting to finish.
And because every ticket lives in the app, you're never left wondering whether your suit will be ready before the big day. You'll see where it's up to, read my notes and have a direct line to me right up to collection.
Clear, honest pricing
Suit & trouser pricing
Jeans · Trousers
- Waist£15–20
- Zip£18
- Shorten£12–15
- Taper£18
- Taper & shorten£25
Shirts · T-shirts
- Sleeve£15–25
- Take in£15–20
- Hem — shorten · straight · curved£12–16
- Collar turn£10
Prices are a guide. Every garment is different, so I'll confirm the exact cost at your fitting before any work starts.
Yes. Taking a jacket in at the waist and sides is one of the most common jobs I do, and it’s usually what makes the biggest difference. Sleeve length and how the shoulders and collar sit can be adjusted too. We’ll see what yours needs at the fitting.
Most are ready within a few working days; a simple trouser hem or taper is often quicker, a full jacket take-in a little longer. If you've a deadline like an interview or a wedding, tell me when you book and I'll work to it.
It depends which jobs the suit needs, so have a look at the guide above for trousers and jackets. Everything is itemised and quoted at your fitting before any work begins, so you’ll know the full cost up front.
Absolutely. Interview suits, wedding-guest and groomsmen outfits, a new suit for a new job, all welcome. Book a fitting with a bit of time before the date and I’ll have you looking sharp for it.
Yes, separate trousers, chinos and jeans are all fine. Hemming, tapering and waist adjustments are everyday work, and if you bring the shoes you’ll wear with them I can set the length exactly right.
Areas served
Based in Exeter, I look after wardrobes across Exeter city centre, St Thomas, Heavitree, Topsham, Exwick, Pinhoe, Crediton and the surrounding villages.