Guide · Fit
Taking clothes in to fit
Updated: September 2026
2 min read
Shirt, dress, trousers or jacket too wide? We take it in at the side seams, waist and sleeves so it fits instead of hanging loose. Waistband from €20, larger adjustments on request. Usually one to three working days.
- Waistband from €20, larger adjustments on request
- Usually one to three working days
- Side seams, waist and sleeves — we take in what is too wide
- Shirts, dresses, trousers or jackets
- Workshops in Berlin, Bernau, Strausberg and Tangermünde
Contents
Check before taking in
How to work out how much width really needs to come out.
- 01
Put it on and look
Put the piece on and look in the mirror at where it's too wide — waist, sides, sleeves.
- 02
Pin roughly
Pin or peg it together roughly to see how much width can come out.
- 03
Wear what goes with it
Wear the shoes and underwear that belong with it — they change the fit.
- 04
Do a movement test
Sit down, raise your arms. Taken in doesn't mean too tight — it should stay comfortable.
- 05
Come by
Bring the piece. We pin it precisely and tell you how much can come out cleanly.
What can be taken in — and where the limits are
Most things can be taken in: side seams on a shirt, blouse, dress and jacket, the waist, the waistband on trousers and often the sleeve or leg width too. It gets difficult and expensive at the shoulders and across the chest of a jacket — those areas should fit from the start. And there's a limit to how much width can come out before the cut suffers. We'll see what makes sense for your piece at the fitting.
Typical adjustments
What we do most often when taking clothes in.
- Shirt or blouse taken in at the side seams.
- Dress adjusted at waist and sides.
- Trousers: waistband taken in, and the leg width if needed.
- Jacket taken in at the sides.
- Sleeves narrowed so they don't flap.
- Skirt taken in at waist and sides.
Costs and turnaround
Gross prices, incl. 19% VAT. Final price after assessment. Usually one to three working days.
- Waistband (trousers)
- from €20, 1–3 working days
- Shirt or blouse taken in
- On request. Depends on cut and seams.
- Dress or skirt taken in
- On request.
- Jacket taken in
- On request.
Why taking in is worth it
A piece that's too wide quickly looks unkempt — no matter how good the fabric is. A few targeted seams at the waist and sides turn a baggy shirt or dress into something that looks made for you. It's almost always cheaper than buying new and the fastest route to a better fit. Our guide to fit problems explains why off-the-peg clothes rarely fit straight away.
What to bring
Bring the piece the way you wear it — with the right shoes and the underwear that sits beneath it. Tell us whether it's too wide all over or only in one spot. We pin it on the body and tell you honestly how much width can come out cleanly before the cut starts to go wrong.
More guides
Shortening trousers — guide and prices
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The fit problems built into every mass-market piece
Zara, H&M and their competition cut for an average body. That works well enough — until your shoulders slope differently, or you're long in the torso, or one hip sits higher than the other. Those aren't bad luck with a particular piece. They're built into how volume cutting works.
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Suit alterations: what's possible, what it costs
Take in the jacket, shorten the sleeves, trousers to measure: what can be altered on a suit and what can't. Trouser hemming from €15, waistband from €20, jacket work on request. Usually one to three working days. Our suit guide explains how to read a fitting.
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Frequently asked questions about taking clothes in
What does taking clothes in cost?
The waistband on trousers from €20. Tops, dresses and jackets on request, depending on the cut and the work involved. We give the final price after the fitting.
Can a jacket be taken in at the shoulders?
That's the hardest and most expensive jacket alteration — shoulders should fit from the start. At the sides and the waist, though, we can take a jacket in nicely.
How much width can be removed?
Often several centimetres, spread across several seams. A lot of width at once changes the cut — then we tell you where the limit is.
How long does it take?
Usually one to three working days, depending on the work and how busy we are. When you come in we give a firm pickup day.
Can trousers be made slimmer all over?
Yes, waistband and leg width can be adjusted. For very wide trousers it can make sense to combine both so the proportions stay right.
Is it worth it on cheap clothing?
If the piece is comfortable and you like it, yes — a few seams cost less than a new outfit and clearly improve the fit.
Ready? Stop by.