The short answer
A tailor can restore most vintage or inherited suits if the shoulders fit and the fabric is sound. Typical work includes cleaning, relining, new buttons, reweaving moth holes and taking in or letting out the jacket and trousers. Adding up typical 2026 alteration prices, we estimate about $240 to $600 for a thorough restoration, plus about $60 to $400 per rewoven hole. Shoulders and lapels are the hard limits.
- Judge the shoulders first: a tailor can fix almost anything except shoulders that do not fit.
- Hold the suit up to the light and check the collar, underarms, seat and hems for holes and thin spots.
- Relining costs about $120 to $300 and fixes most tired interiors.
- Reweaving runs about $60 to $400 per hole in 2026, depending on the hole and the specialist.
- Wide lapels, big shoulders and high rises belong to the suit's era; changing them rarely looks right.
- Restore a suit for its fabric, its construction or what it means to you, not to save money on a new one.
In this guide
- Is a vintage suit worth restoring?
- How does a tailor assess an old suit?
- How much does it cost to restore a vintage suit?
- Can a tailor reline a vintage suit jacket?
- Replacing buttons on an old suit
- Can moth holes and worn spots be repaired?
- Can a vintage suit be resized or recut?
- Should you update a vintage suit's style?
- How do you clean an old suit before taking it to the tailor?
- Restore, refresh or retire? Weighing cost against value
- What should you ask the tailor?
- Questions people ask
A father's wedding suit, a grandfather's flannel double-breasted, a 1960s sharkskin found in a vintage shop: older suits are often made from heavier, better fabrics than their price suggests, and many were built with care. But age brings moth holes, shredded linings, missing buttons and a fit cut for someone else. A good tailor can fix much of this. The skill is knowing which repairs are worth paying for and which suits are better left as they are.
Restoring an old suit at a glance
- Check first
- Shoulders and chest: they cannot be fixed cheaply
- Easy wins
- Cleaning, pressing, new buttons, trouser hem and waist
- Common jobs
- Relining, taking in or letting out, reweaving holes
- Hard limits
- Shoulder width, lapel width, jacket length, armholes
- Estimated cost (2026)
- About $240 to $600 by our estimate, plus about $60 to $400 per rewoven hole
- Time
- One to two weeks for alterations; allow two to four weeks more for reweaving
Is a vintage suit worth restoring?
Four things decide it: whether the suit fits you across the shoulders and chest, the condition of the fabric, how the suit was built, and what it means to you. If the first three are good, almost everything else is fixable. If the shoulders are wrong or the fabric is falling apart, no amount of tailoring will give you a suit you want to wear, though it may still be worth keeping.
Signs an old suit is worth restoring
- The shoulder seams end at or very close to your own shoulder bone, with no dents below the shoulder.
- The jacket buttons across your chest without pulling into an X.
- The fabric feels firm. Pinch and tug it gently: it should not split, crackle or feel papery.
- Damage is limited to a few small holes, not wide thin patches.
- The front is canvassed rather than fused. The pinch test tells you in a minute.
- There is spare fabric in the seams (the inlay) for letting out, if you need it.
- The matching trousers survive. A suit jacket without its trousers is harder to wear.
How does a tailor assess an old suit?
A good tailor puts the suit on you first, then turns it inside out. The inspection takes ten or fifteen minutes and tells you, before you spend anything, which repairs are possible and roughly what they will cost.
The tailor's inspection
- 1
Try it on
The tailor checks the shoulders, the chest, the collar (does it sit against your neck or stand away?), the sleeve length and the trouser waist and length. This decides how much alteration the suit needs.
- 2
Hold it up to the light
Held against a window or a bright lamp, moth holes and thin, grazed patches show as points of light. Moth larvae feed in dark, hidden places, so the tailor looks hardest under the collar, beneath the lapels, along the cuffs and hems and in the trouser seat.
Tip: Do this yourself before you go. Mark every hole with a pin or a dab of chalk.
- 3
Check the stress points
Armholes, the seat seam, the crotch, the pocket corners and the trouser hems take the most strain. Split seams can be re-sewn; fabric worn thin at the inner thighs can be reinforced from the inside but not made new.
- 4
Look at the lining
Old silk and viscose (rayon) linings split along the seams and rot at the underarms where sweat collects. If the lining tears when you pull it gently, it needs replacing.
- 5
Feel the front
A canvassed front can be cleaned, pressed and altered many times. A fused front that has started to bubble cannot be repaired, because the glue has failed.
- 6
Measure the inlays
The tailor opens a corner of the lining or looks inside the trouser waistband to see how much spare fabric sits in the seams. Bespoke and well-made older suits were often cut with generous inlays so they could be let out over the years; cheap suits have very little.
- 7
Smell it
Mothballs, smoke and mustiness all point to cleaning before any other work. Strong smells usually fade with airing and a professional clean.
How much does it cost to restore a vintage suit?
Restoration is priced job by job, at the same rates as ordinary alterations, with reweaving charged separately by a specialist. The table gives typical US prices as of 2026. Prices in London are similar in dollar terms; high-end tailors and big-city specialists charge more.
| Job | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reline a jacket | About $120 to $300 | More if the sleeves are relined too |
| Replace buttons | About $2 to $5 per button, plus the buttons | Horn and corozo cost more than plastic |
| Reweave a moth hole | About $60 to $400 per hole | Done by a specialist reweaver; see below |
| Take in the jacket waist | About $35 to $90 | Through the side seams, back seam and darts |
| Let out the jacket | Similar to taking in | Only as far as the inlay allows |
| Shorten sleeves, non-working buttons | About $25 to $60 | From the cuff |
| Shorten sleeves, working buttonholes | About $75 to $175 | Usually from the shoulder |
| Trouser hem | About $15 to $40 | Plain or with turn-ups (cuffs) |
| Trouser waist and seat | About $20 to $50 | Through the center back seam |
| Narrow the shoulders | About $100 to $250 or more | Limited, risky and often not worth it |
Typical ranges at independent alterations tailors as of 2026; reweaving prices come from specialist reweavers. Always ask for a written quote. Our suit alteration cost guide has the full price list.
An example bill
Take an inherited navy two-button suit that fits in the shoulders but is loose at the waist, with a split lining, a missing button and sleeves and trousers a little long. A new lining (about $120 to $300), labor to replace a full set of 11 buttons on the jacket and trousers (about $22 to $55), taking in the jacket (about $35 to $90), shortening the sleeves (about $25 to $60), taking in the trouser waist (about $20 to $50) and a new hem (about $15 to $40) add up to an estimated $240 to $600 at typical 2026 rates, plus the buttons and a clean. Each moth hole adds about $60 to $400.
Can a tailor reline a vintage suit jacket?
Yes, and it is one of the most common restoration jobs. The tailor unpicks the old lining, uses its pieces as a pattern, and cuts a new one, usually in cupro (often sold as Bemberg) or viscose, which breathe far better than polyester. The new lining is sewn in by hand or machine along the front facings, the hem and the armholes. Relining the body only costs less than relining the sleeves as well. Our guide to suit linings compares the materials.
Ask the tailor to keep anything you want to save: the maker's label, a name tape, an inside ticket pocket or a monogram can all be unpicked and sewn into the new lining. On an inherited suit, these small details are often what makes it feel like the original.
Replacing buttons on an old suit
Buttons go missing, crack or get replaced over the years with odd ones. A full set for a two-button jacket is two front buttons plus three or four on each cuff, and trousers have their own. Most tailors stock horn, corozo and plastic buttons in standard sizes, or you can buy a set and bring it in. If only one button is missing and you cannot match it, a tailor can move a cuff button to the front and replace the whole cuff set instead. Our guide to suit buttons covers sizes and materials.
Can moth holes and worn spots be repaired?
Small moth holes usually can, by invisible reweaving. A specialist takes threads from inside the seams or hem and weaves them across the hole, or sets in a small patch from a hidden area and weaves its edges into the surrounding fabric. Most tailors send this work out. As of 2026, expect about $60 to $400 per hole and two to four weeks. Our guide to moth holes and invisible reweaving explains the methods and prices in detail.
Wide wear is different. A seat or inner thigh worn thin and shiny can be reinforced with a patch of fabric sewn inside, which stops it splitting, but the outer surface stays worn. Shine from decades of hot pressing can be reduced by careful steaming, but rarely removed.
Can a vintage suit be resized or recut?
Resizing within the seams is routine. Taking in a jacket or trousers is straightforward, and letting them out works as far as the inlay allows. Changes to the design of the suit are a different matter: lapels, shoulders, button stance and trouser rise were cut into the pattern, and altering them means taking the suit apart. The table shows what tends to work. For the general limits, see what a tailor can alter.
| Change | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Take in the waist and sides | Easy | Fabric is removed through existing seams |
| Let out the jacket or trousers | Depends on the inlay | Old fold lines may show on worn fabric |
| Shorten the sleeves | Easy with non-working buttons | Harder with working buttonholes |
| Taper the trouser legs | Easy | Through the inside and outside leg seams |
| Slim oversized shoulder pads | Possible but costly | The lining and often the sleeve head must be opened |
| Narrow the lapels | Rarely worth it | Changes the collar, gorge and balance of the front |
| Double-breasted to single-breasted | Rarely successful | Wide lapels, low buttoning and square front corners look wrong on a single-breasted jacket |
| Change the trouser rise | Not possible | The rise is set by the cut |
| Remove trouser pleats | Not worth it | Possible in theory, but rarely looks right |
Simple and low risk
Air, brush, clean and press
Always the first step
Replace buttons
A quick change that freshens the whole suit
Hem and adjust the trousers
Waist, seat and length
Take in the jacket
Side seams, back seam and darts
Reline the jacket
Body, or body and sleeves
Reweave holes
Priced per hole by a specialist
Let out the jacket or trousers
Only within the inlay
Slim the shoulder pads
Sleeve head and lining opened
Narrow the lapels
Rarely clean
Convert double-breasted to single-breasted
Rarely worth it
Costly and risky
Should you update a vintage suit's style?
Usually not. Each era's suits were designed as a whole. Wide lapels sit with broad shoulders and full trousers; narrow lapels sit with a slim, short jacket. A 1940s suit with full-cut, high-rise pleated trousers, a 1960s suit with narrow lapels and a 1980s suit with deep shoulder pads each look right with their proportions intact and odd when one feature is cut down to modern taste.
The better approach is to fit the suit to your body and leave the design alone. Take in the waist, set the sleeve and trouser lengths, replace tired buttons and wear it with confidence. If the suit is too far from what you want to wear, keep it as it is, rather than spending heavily to turn it into something it was never meant to be.
How do you clean an old suit before taking it to the tailor?
Start with cleaning, for two reasons. A tailor will not want a suit that may carry moths into the workroom, and a clean often reveals small holes and marks you would otherwise miss, so the quote covers everything.
Preparing an old suit
- 1
Air it
Hang the suit outside in the shade, or by an open window, for a few days. Airing removes most mothball and storage smells. Keep it out of direct sun, which fades color.
- 2
Brush it thoroughly
Brush the whole suit with a natural-bristle clothes brush, paying most attention to the seams, pocket flaps, the underside of the collar and the trouser turn-ups. Brushing destroys moth eggs and dislodges larvae.
- 3
Look for live moths
Check for silken webbing, small cigar-shaped cases, fine pellets in the seams or small, pale caterpillars. If you find any, keep the suit away from your other clothes.
- 4
Kill any moths
Seal an infested suit in a plastic bag and freeze it at 0°F (-18°C) or colder for at least one week, then let it return to room temperature in the bag before you open it. Dry cleaning also kills eggs and larvae.
- 5
Clean the jacket and trousers together
Have both pieces dry cleaned at the same time, so they age and fade at the same rate. Never machine wash a wool suit: it shrinks and felts. See how often to dry clean a suit for how to brief your cleaner.
Restore, refresh or retire? Weighing cost against value
Restoration rarely saves money compared with buying a new suit. A full restoration of a suit that needs reweaving can cost as much as a good ready-made suit. What it buys you is something you cannot buy new: a particular fabric, hand construction, or a suit that belonged to someone who mattered to you. Decide which of those you are paying for, then set a budget before the tailor starts.
Restore fully
Good fit, sound fabric
- Shoulders and chest fit you
- Canvassed front, firm fabric
- Clean, reline, rebutton, alter and reweave
- An estimated $240 to $600, plus reweaving
Refresh only
Wear it as it is
- Fit is close enough for occasional wear
- Clean, press and replace buttons
- Hem the trousers if needed
- Labor for buttons and a hem: about $40 to $95
Keep, don't alter
Poor fit or fragile fabric
- Shoulders clearly wrong for you
- Wide wear, many holes or a fused front that bubbles
- Clean it and store it well
- Keep it for its meaning, or pass it on
If you keep a suit without wearing it, store it properly so the damage stops where it is. Our guide to storing suits long-term covers hangers, bags and moth protection.
What should you ask the tailor?
Questions for a restoration quote
- Do the shoulders and chest fit well enough to make this worthwhile?
- How much inlay is there in the jacket and trouser seams?
- Is the front canvassed or fused, and will it take pressing and alteration?
- Which jobs would you do first, and which would you skip?
- Do you reweave in-house, or send it to a specialist? Who is it?
- Can you keep the original label and inside details when you reline it?
- Can I have a written quote that prices each job separately?
A tailor who answers plainly and tells you what not to do is the one to trust with an heirloom. For help finding one, read how to choose a tailor.
Questions people ask
Can an old suit be altered to fit me?
An old suit can usually be altered to fit if the shoulders and chest already fit you. A tailor can take in the jacket and trousers, shorten the sleeves and hem the trousers easily, and let out seams as far as the inlay allows. Shoulders cannot be widened and are costly to narrow, so they decide whether the suit can ever fit well.
How much does it cost to restore an old suit?
A thorough restoration of an old suit, with a new lining, new buttons and the usual alterations, costs an estimated $240 to $600 in the US as of 2026, based on typical alteration prices, plus the buttons and cleaning. Invisible reweaving adds about $60 to $400 per moth hole. Ask for a written quote that prices each job separately.
How do you get the mothball smell out of an old suit?
To remove a mothball smell from a suit, hang it outside in the shade or by an open window for several days, brush it well, then have it dry cleaned. Do not cover the smell with perfume or fabric spray, which only masks it. Stubborn odors may need a second clean after more airing.
Can a double-breasted suit be made single-breasted?
A tailor can convert a double-breasted jacket to single-breasted, but the result is rarely good. The lapels stay wide, the buttons sit low and the square front corners look wrong on a single-breasted jacket. It is usually better to wear the double-breasted suit as designed or choose another jacket.
Is a vintage suit better quality than a new one?
A vintage suit is not automatically better quality than a new one, but many older suits were canvassed and cut from heavy, hard-wearing wool. Check the construction with the pinch test, look for hand stitching and inspect the fabric for wear. A well-made old suit can outlast a cheap new one; a cheap old suit is still a cheap suit.
Can you wear an inherited suit to a wedding or funeral?
An inherited suit is a fine choice for a wedding or funeral if it fits, is clean and suits the dress code. A dark suit in navy or charcoal works for most of these occasions. Have the tailor adjust the fit and replace any tired buttons first, and wear it with a crisp, simple shirt and tie.
How long does it take to restore a suit?
Restoring a suit usually takes one to two weeks for cleaning, relining and alterations. If moth holes need invisible reweaving, allow two to four weeks more, because reweaving is slow hand work done by specialists. Ask for dates in writing if you need the suit for an event.
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