#AskPedro – How to freshen up an old suit

This question comes from reader Steve:

I found an old suit, I think it’s from the 90s, at a vintage store that I like, but it looks a bit old-fashioned. Is there anything a tailor could do to change it up or modernize it?

My response:

A good alterations tailor can certainly make adjustments – like shortening a jacket or nipping in the waist – that will help the shape. But I’d make sure you make those changes to improve the fit, not to make it look more trendy. In fact, if it was trendy at the time it was made, you can help un-trend it by making the shape a bit more classic. On the other hand, there is one simple technique for freshening up a suit that I just did to myself: swap out the buttons.

db-before

This jacket is part of a suit made in 1988 I got at a vintage store. It is thankfully very classic in its cut and shape. In fact, I love everything about it, except the buttons. It annoyed me that there were only 4 instead of the more traditional 6 (the top two being nonfunctional). Plus, I felt that the black colour was rather serious and staid. The suit had belonged to a lawyer, so the black made sense for him. I’m more of a dandy who wears suits because I enjoy them, so I wanted to give the suit a personal touch while still honouring its classic appeal.

db-after

As you can see, changing the buttons changes the jacket almost entirely. I went for horn buttons in a greenish-grey, something that I felt harmonized with the grey of the jacket’s flannel while also adding a touch of dash. This 25 year old suit feels suddenly brand new.