This is good to know. I lost about 30 lbs myself and my suit I bought for interviews is HUGE on me (heck it was big on me when I got the job) and I've never gotten it altered.

One of these days.

35 pounds is not that much weight. If someone drops a large number of sizes you do need to take apart suit pants and sort of reconstruct the back by moving the belt loops, taking much of the waistband apart etc. Most mens suit pants have about a 4 inch range figured into them. Unless they had already been taken in considerably at purchase there should be enough room to take them in 3-4 inches without a major issue.

If someone were to need a major size adjustment at some point your basically making a new pair of pants. But that is a more extreme case. If his is extreme or not probably depends on his build and how many inches around his waist he lost. On the surface it doesn't sound like his weight loss was that extreme.

I would find a decent reputable local tailors shop and ask them to take a look at the pants and what it would take to take them in. Don't take them to a generic alterations shop, some don't understand menswear so they don't do the alterations right.

"...Doing your own repairs and minor alterations could save you a lot of money..."

I thought the point of his complaint was that they offered free alterations and he was denied this service. I'm not seeing how learning how to sew would save him "a lot of money" if the service was supposed to be free in the first place.

I think it'd cost someone more to learn how to properly sew (and potentially risk damaging good clothes in the process) than it would to just have the alterations done.

Plus, it's no longer cool to staple your pants.

Re-altering a previously altered item is a far cry from alterations for life. It appears in order to take advantage of this perk, you must have your purchase altered in some way when you first buy it. I don't know if the OP was mislead verbally when he purchased the suits, but the is no implication of life time size adjustments. He's probably the victim of listening to a salesman instead of reading the fine print himself.

The website does state: 24-hour tailoring is available upon request for those last-minute emergencies.

You may want to try a different location. I went through exactly the same thing and they had no problems altering a couple suits for free. I've been to many MW stores, and certain of them can be scammy, others are good. The one in Alexandria, VA at Potomac Yard springs to mind as the most scammy one I've been to. Nothing but bad experiences there.

Call corporate. Stop whining to Consumerist and *do* something about it. You have a guarantee - exercise it. If nothing else, just go to a different MW.

Hopefully you'll find a MW that will assist you. But if not, in the future just find a local dry cleaner that offers tailoring. They'll probably charge you only $10-$15 per pair of pants. $50 is absurd.

I do know afew cookies from the jar/package as a kid did not mean 35.

Unless they were thin mints.

I actually just went to a MW in Meriden, CT to get a suit for an upcoming interview. I got some of the best customer service I've ever had. Friendly people, water while I waited for the tailor (about a 2 minute wait), sliding me ahead in the pick-up date because I needed the suit sooner.

I think this is more just that MW being bad at being a MW

there's no shame in learning how to wield a needle and thread. Doing your own repairs and minor alterations could save you a lot of money,

Yes, absolutely, he should know how to reattach a button and tighten up a loose seam. Altering a pair of suit pants is a bit more difficult, and could lead to potentially expensive mistakes.

@Catebb: Free alterations for life is exactly how the Men's Wearhouse I went to advertised it.

The statement on their website doesn't seem to indicate a time or visit limit and I specifically asked about weight loss since I'm working on losing a bit of weight myself and the folks I talked to clearly stated that they'd make any alterations needed for as long as I owned the suit (that was one of the reasons I bought it from them).

I hope this is just a case of one bad store and not something to be wary of with all MWs.

I can't agree with the suggestion that he alter his own pants. It isn't an easy process, and he could easily damage them if he has no prior knowledge.

Men's Warehouse should have altered them without complaint.

Good job on the weight loss, Travis! Shame you had to suffer as a result.

As others have said, call CORP! One of the reasons I got my suits at Men's Warehouse was because of the lifetime alterations claim too, I'd love to see the resolution to this story.

I've had poor experiences with Men's Warehouse too. It's been a few years and I'm murky on the details, but I was charged more than I was quoted for some alterations.

I sent an e-mail to corporate and got a run-around. The first guy suggested I contact the store manager. I worote back saying #1 it was the store manager I was dealing with and #2 - that's your job.

It wasn't worth the $50 or so I was chasing to follow up any further, but they lost a customer over it and I tell anyone who will listen about it.

Also, my best friend got terrible service (very rude to his wife-to-be) from the same location renting tuxes for his wedding. This would be the Florence Road location in Northern Kentucky.

Christ, I make a lot of my own clothes and practically all my curtains and slipcovers, and I would not tackle recutting and reshaping a pair of suit pants for a man. And you tell this guy to pick up a needle and thread like it's nothing. Morons.

Depending on the persons body and frame 35 pounds can make a huge difference. That would require major cutting of the garment. This is a skill that can be barely handled by a master tailor. I am sorry to say but you are wrong on this one. It is time to buy a new suit and be happy with your weight loss. Even if they attempted this adjustment the chances are better than not that they would not be able to get it right. Think what taking a couple inches out of your favorite jeans would look like. It would be a return to the parachute pants of the 90's. I never like to side with stores but on this one they are correct.

When you write that letter to corporate, be sure to include the receipt from the tailoring shop you went to, which probably only charged you $10-12.

why would somebody who wasn't into this sort of thing, want to learn how to alter pants? stupid.

and I'm pretty sure 35 pounds isn't a few. I'd imagine nobody is going to take in those suits for cheap or free.

I'd buy new suits (kohls usually has decent ones for 100 bucks even marshals has name brand ones for very cheap).

btw people, and this guy stating that 35 pounds isn't a lot is just stupid unless this guy was 335 pounds it is a lot.

The limitation on the free alterations has to do with the type of alteration previously ordered. If he had asked for a cuff adjustment and had one done previously, that's a relatively simple order, as is an inseam adjustment or fastener change. The new adjustment is something that had not been previously requested, and is therefore not covered under perfect fit.
Losing a few pounds here and there can result in an inch or two of waist reduction that a good tailor can take in. But don't be fooled. 35 pounds is a lot of weight to lose! There's no way that the tailor can take in that much fabric without having to remove some material. He is no longer moving a fastener to tighten up the waist, but instead having to reduce the overall amount of material. Hnece, the "cutting." Men's suits can be altered in all manner of inventive ways, but the general rule of thumb is that alterations can only accommodate so much change. At some point you need new pants or jackets.
Here's another way to think about it: The alteration you requested essentially forces the tailor to remove every seam, cut off a 1/2 in ch at every edge (I assumed your legs probably slimmed down as well), then put the entire piece back together perfectly. That, sir, is no longer a custom alteration, but instead a customed tailored suit.

Therefore, I blame the consumer here, for not knowing about the terms of the deal (must have previously paid for the alteration requested), and for not knowing he simply needs new clothes (you'd probably look like crap in pants that had been altered that heavily anyway.) Learn more about how to wear a suit and keep it maintained before you cry foul play to the internet.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I don't know a single place that considers cutting the waist to be a mere alteration. Every working male I know who regularly wears suits has far more pants than jackets, one of the reasons for which is that your weight will flux over time, and waistbands are NOT an alteration. OP should go buy a new set of pants, get an alteration in the shoulder and waist of his jacket, and be proud that his weight loss demands a new wardrobe.

You can take your clothes elsewhere, but noone will give you a nicer price than $50 for such a ridiculous alteration.

I was in the same situation a few years ago. I had a suit which I had bought when I was about 30 pounds heavier, and they said simple alterations wouldn't be enough. However the difference is they didn't refuse to do them. They said that they'd re-cut the suit to size, but warned me it would look "off", since re-cut suits never look right (the proportions go all off, the lapels are too big, etc). They even did a few folds and pins to show me what it'd look like.

I actually appreciate them telling me that the re-cutting isn't the best route to take, and bought another suit from them.

The one difference between me and the OP though is they offered to do the re-cut for free if I wanted it.

he's basically in need of new pants. 35 pounds could easily equate with a difference of 2 pant sizes. A bit more than just pulling in a seam here and there.

I'm still laughing at the "advice" for him to learn how to use a needle and thread. That might come in handy AFTER he gets his pants refitted. lol

@Theresa Profio: Although you may be an adept seamstress, most people are not. Suggesting that Random Joe try to alter a suit themselves is like suggesting Random Joe to try to re-paint their car. Most likely it will end in disaster.

The point is that Men's Wearhouse advertised a service without restrictions and then made up a restriction and imposed it.

This is why I only buy shirts and ties from Men's Wearhouse and get all my suits from Syms. They are cheaper, nicer(you have to hunt but you can usually find very nice suits), and there is a low, flat fee for alterations.

I have two horror stories from Men's Wearhouse.

The first one I went shopping for a suit. I found one I liked and I tried it on. Then a guy came over and started marking it with that chalk they use. I said, "I never said I was going to buy this suit." He replied, "You said you needed a suit." I replied, "I never said I needed this one, I only asked if I could try it on." I might have actually bought the suit if I didn't know that "the forced alteration" wasn't just a high pressure sales technique. So I left.

I didn't learn my lesson because after moving to a new state I bought three suits from Men's Warehouse. I get home and noticed that the cuffs on the pants were not sewn, but merely tacked on with thread. I went back to have them finished and was told, "That's the way we finish them." I had my mother-in-law sew proper cuffs and vowed never to go back again.

Queue Billy Crystal: 35 pounds, that's almost a Backstreet Boy! Depending upon your size, etc, that might make a significant amount of weight. And they do say "altered", nor "rebuilt". Get an estimate from a real tailor, and if they think it's just a minor alteration take it back to MW Corp. If the tailor thinks it's going to be more of a major operation - BUY A NEW PAIR! Trust me, a new properly fitting pair of pants is going to look better than something that's overly altered. And congratulations!

@kenblakely: Let me see, whining to Consumerist.com...maybe I can kindly inform you that if you tell people who face problems like this to stop whining. That they should deal with their own problems. Would there be anything interesting to read on Consumerist?

Duh!

$50 a pair to take the pants in? That's outrageous. Shop around at some local tailors and get another estimate. When I lost weight a few years back, I had all my pants and skirts taken in by a local Italian-born tailor. I think it ran me $10-15 apiece, and voila -- I had a new wardrobe.

Doing your own suit alterations is like giving yourself a haircut with the orange handled scissors. You can- but it won't be very pretty.

MW absolutely should do the alterations for free. 35 lbs isn't all that much on a man.

I'm amazed at how Men SWearhouse cannot understand that "taking care of the customer" equals repeat business.

@Woofer00: Finally! Someone with common sense. If you're like most guys you have the fat around your belly and loosing 35 lbs is huge. Sure you can bring the waist in but then you have all the material in the legs that has to be removed. At some point you need to realize that the pants no matter how well they're resized will never look as good as a new pair especially when they job they're doing is free.

I too had a horrible experience at MW. The salespeople are very pushy, and they use high pressure sales tactics. I remember being very uncomfortable with the way they came at me with wave after wave of shirts, accessories, ties, etc. to go with my simple suit purchase (which, by the way, was at least 2x the price of a similar suit from Syms). Needless to say, I did not buy from them, and would NEVER go back. They seem to thrive on suckers who don't know any better.

For those curious, I went from 220 to 185. I'm also pretty short at 5 feet 9 inches.

I guess one of my biggest gripes is that the guy treated me like a moron. He didn't explain to me what cutting was and why it had to be done. Rather he just said $50/per and that I lost too much weight.

@bohemian: @Woofer00: @ElizabethD:
Bohemian and Woofer have this correct. This is a re-cutting and not an alteration.

As someone with an "athletic" build, I face this dilemma a lot and its a recut. My chest is 44-46 and my waist is 34-36. The normal drop on pants is 5-6" and while an athletic cut is 8", they are harder to come by. So, if I need to buy a suit, I fit the jacket and then take the pants to a tailor (not a drycleaner) and get them recut. That means taking apart the seams and the waist band and resewing. Its more than just taking in the waist. 50 dollars may be a fair price depending on location. . . in DC, for example, this just cost me around 70 bucks from a local tailor.

If you can get them to do it for free, go for it, but I don't think they are pulling a fast one here.

@SacraBos: IF you have a good tailor and you have excess material (as is this case) they basically make you a pair of custom fit pants, BUT you are correct the less work, the less room for error.

@kenblakely:Indeed or you'll keep torturing us with your smarmy comments.

$100 for a suit from Kohl's? I hope on my next job interview you're my only competition. I won't even have to hand them my resume.

@Bohemian 35 lbs is a lot of weight to lose. I for one lose 10 lbs and I go down at least one pant size, sometimes 2 pant sizes. Nothing will fit right for people with smaller body frames if they gain/lose some weight.

@Woofer00: you're right that the suit would need to undergo major tailoring, but you've missed the point of the post - Men's Warehouse has a lifetime fit guarantee, which specifically references the loss or gain of weight! Regardless of your opinion that "you'd probably look like crap in pants that had been altered that heavily", Men's Warehouse should honor their supposed promise.

@johnfrombrooklyn: My boss told me that my suit looked a size too big on me at my interview but that I looked like I knew my stuff.

Really, in all fields it's not that big a deal to look like the Godfather or something.

After losing 35 pounds, your pants aren't being "altered"...your pants are being damn near recut.

The point of the policy is that seams that were originally altered can be re-altered at no charge. This is not a matter of altering a seam, this is a matter of re-cutting the fabric completely.

Consumerist is getting worse and worse. It has degraded to nothing but a bitch-fest.

My fiance had the same problem when he lost 30 pounds after college. Thirty pounds IS a lot of weight - it corresponded to 4 inches off his chest and 4-6 off of his waist-line. We ended up just buying a new suit, understanding that MW was unwilling to basically hand-tailor a larger suit to a smaller size. However, they have taken in other suit pants that we've brought in which required smaller changes.

I think that the MW policy should be re-worded. They are perfectly willing to re-tailor pants up or down by a couple of inches, and they should make that clear. They should also make it clear that it does not apply to changes of more than two inches or so.

Depending on his original size and body type, 35 pounds can be a drastic change in appearance. For me, losing 10 may shed several inches off my waist, and if I were to lose 35, well, I'd pretty much have to buy an entirely new wardrobe.

I think it's very unfair for the OP to assume that Men's Warehouse will honour their "alteration lifetime guarantee." If for no other reason alone, the alterations will will be disproportionate and probably look hideous. For a pair of suit pants, he'd be better off simply buying a new pair.

If he manages to get MW to go forth with the alterations, he won't like the way he looks... I guarantee it!

I can't shorten it any more than that!!! It's TOO MUCH!! It's not natural!!! *angrily throws measuring tape*

@COELACANTH:

Well said.

If I lost 35 pounds, I would need medical assistance. If I gained 35 pounds, I would need my MW suit altered about 3 inches.

Don't get pants re-cut, they look terrible. I had a pair recut after losing about the same amount of weight it looks like I'm wearing a pair of colostomy bags.

I've lost about 35 pounds in the last year and it dropped me 4 sizes in women's pants. It's quite a bit. I don't know if I'd want pants altered that much instead of just staring over with new pants. I would think it would take pulling the pant apart and redoing it. I just bought new pants and I can see how much it might take to alter my pants after that much loss. My opinion, for what it's worth.

why buy a suit from Men's Warehouse????? It is like eating sushi at a $9.99 Chinese buffet restaurant, just doesn't make sense..

Interesting thread (no pun intended) since I bought a suit from MW years ago and am trying (no, really!) to lose the 70-something pounds I've put on since college.

I will give them this for service: When my brother got married, he decided to buy his tux instead of rent it. Wedding day comes and he's getting dressed. Suddenly he holds up a small plastic bag of buttons and asks "What are these for?" I say, "Those are the suspender buttons. Didn't you ask to have those sewn in when you bought it?" Nope. So he's on the phone to MW explaining the situation and insisting they bring him over a pair of clip-ons. (Maybe they should have said something about, "Do you want suspender buttons," but IMHO he should have tried the thing on sometime before the actual wedding day) To their credit, someone showed up with clip-ons and the rest of the day went off okay, but a good lesson about not assuming anything on big, important projects.

@Baristaman: It depends a lot on height. The taller you are, the more weight you can lose and before dropping a size.

I'm 6'3", and I have to lose 15-20 lbs to pull the belt in one notch.

@elrefai: Why buy an expensive suit if you just wear it to interviews, weddings and funerals.

You're selectively quoting from the guarantee. That paragraph says in full:

"We re-alter any seams that have already been altered once by our tailors - because you never know when you're going to gain or lose a few pounds!" (Link)

Seems like a reasonable policy to me -- and no, I don't work at MW, though I have bought suits there in the past.