A good coat is one of the more expensive things in a wardrobe. It is also one of the most visible. A coat that does not fit properly — sleeves too long, body too large, or just slightly off in its proportions — announces itself every time it is worn.
Coat alterations fix that. We alter coats at Angelz on Arlington Way, a short walk from Angel tube. Sleeve and body shortening start at £45.00. No appointment needed.
Sleeves that run too long on a coat are the most common alteration request we receive for outerwear. The sleeve should finish at or slightly above the wrist bone — enough to show the cuff of whatever is worn underneath, without the coat sleeve covering the hand.
Coat sleeve shortening is £45.00. Coat sleeves are more involved than jacket sleeves — they are heavier, longer, and in many cases interlined or lined separately from the coat body. The sleeve head is opened, the lining adjusted, the sleeve cut and finished, and the whole sleeve reset at the shoulder. On a lined coat, the lining at the sleeve hem is also adjusted so it sits correctly inside.
We take in as much or as little as needed. A half centimetre makes a visible difference on a coat sleeve. So does four centimetres. We pin accurately before cutting.
Some coats can be lengthened at the sleeve — let down to add length. This is only possible when the existing hem has enough fabric turned inside to release. Sleeve lengthening is £45.00 where the construction allows.
We check the seam allowance inside the sleeve before confirming whether lengthening is feasible. Factory-finished coats often have a generous allowance inside the sleeve hem; bespoke or older coats may have very little. If there is nothing to release, lengthening is not possible without adding fabric.
A coat that is too long for the person wearing it looks disproportionate and often gets caught underfoot or on chair legs. Body shortening — reducing the overall length of the coat — is £45.00.
The hem is opened, the coat body reduced to the correct length, and the hem finished. The lining hem is adjusted at the same time. On coats with a vent — a split at the back hem — the vent needs to be reset at the new length so it functions and sits correctly.
Some coats have a topstitched hem that is part of the design. Matching the topstitch after shortening requires the right thread weight and stitch length. We check this before starting and match as closely as possible.
Where the coat construction allows, the body can also be let down to add length. This is £45.00 and depends entirely on how much seam allowance is available at the hem inside the coat. We assess this at drop-off.
Coat pockets take significant daily use — keys, gloves, phones — and the lining wears through at the corners and mouth of the pocket over time. Full pocket lining replacement on a coat is £30.00. Partial repair is £25.00.
Coat pockets are larger and more heavily constructed than jacket pockets, which accounts for the higher replacement cost. The pocket bag is cut to the correct size, attached at the pocket welt and the side seam, and the whole pocket is pressed flat so it hangs correctly inside the coat. The exterior of the coat is not affected.
The Museum of London’s textile and fashion collection documents how Londoners have maintained, repaired, and altered outerwear across centuries of city life — a reminder that coat repair is not a modern consideration but a long-standing practical skill. We apply the same care to every coat that comes through the shop.
Coat buttons that are missing or loose look immediately wrong on a coat worn to work or to occasions where appearance matters. Coat button replacement is £5.00 per button. Tightening a loose button before it goes is £3.50.
Coat buttons are generally larger and heavier than jacket buttons, and they carry more weight when the coat is fastened. We attach replacement buttons with a shank reinforcement — a thread loop between the button and the fabric — so the button sits correctly when the coat is worn and the buttonhole does not pull or pucker.
If you have a spare coat button — often stitched inside the lining or on the care label — bring it along. If not, we match from our stock. A very close match in size, colour, and material is achievable for most standard coat buttons.
A coat lining that has torn, worn through, or separated from the coat body is uncomfortable and affects how the coat sits. Full coat relining is £85.00. Sleeve relining — replacing the lining in the sleeves only — is £39.00.
Coat relining is more involved than jacket relining due to the size of the garment and the length of lining fabric required. It is worth doing when the coat shell is in good condition — a well-made wool overcoat or a quality raincoat that fits perfectly and has simply outlasted its lining. We assess the coat before recommending a full or partial reline.
We work on wool overcoats, long coats, three-quarter coats, short coats, raincoats, and structured outerwear of most types. Puffer coats with down or synthetic fill are assessed individually — the fill affects how the coat can be cut and seamed, and not all alterations are feasible on heavily filled pieces.
Leather coats are handled under our leather care and repair service rather than standard alterations — the method of attachment and finishing differs significantly from fabric coats. Bring a leather coat in and we will advise on the right approach before quoting.
For shorter jackets and blazers, our jacket alterations service in Angel covers sleeve shortening, tapering, and body shortening from £34.99. The process is very similar but priced separately due to the difference in scale and construction.
A coat altered to fit properly is a coat that gets worn. One that does not fit tends to sit in the wardrobe regardless of its quality.
The calculation is the same as with any quality garment — if the coat is well made, fits well in the right places, and the alteration cost is proportionate to the value and longevity of the coat, it is worth doing. A sleeve shortened by two centimetres on a coat that cost several hundred pounds and has fifteen years of wear left in it is an obvious investment. The same work on a coat bought cheaply with obvious signs of poor construction is a different matter.
If you are not sure whether an alteration makes sense for a specific coat, bring it in. We assess honestly before quoting.
We carry out the full range of clothing alterations alongside coat work. Our jacket alterations service in Angel covers blazers, suit jackets, and casual jackets. The full overview is on our clothing alterations page for Angel. If the coat also needs cleaning, our coat dry cleaning service in Angel covers that separately — bring both requirements up when you come in and we will coordinate the work.
We are at 18 Arlington Way, Angel, EC1R 1UY — two minutes on foot from Angel tube on the Northern Line. Customers come in from Islington, Clerkenwell, Pentonville, Finsbury, and King’s Cross throughout the week.
Walk in and drop off. No appointment needed. Most coat alterations are ready within four to six working days. More involved work — relining alongside shortening — may take a little longer.
Can you shorten a coat with a checked or patterned hem?
Yes, though pattern-matching at the hem needs careful assessment before cutting. We check how the pattern runs and whether it can be matched at the new hem length before starting.
My coat fits well in the body but the sleeves are very long. Is that fixable?
Yes. Sleeve shortening independent of any body work is a straightforward alteration. Come in wearing the coat over whatever you typically wear under it and we will pin the correct sleeve length.
Can you alter a vintage or inherited coat?
Yes. Older coats are assessed in the same way as new ones. The fabric condition and construction affect what is achievable, but most well-made older coats remain fully alterable.
Do you alter coats and clean them at the same time?
Yes. If a coat needs both cleaning and alteration, we coordinate the work. The standard approach is to clean first, then alter — the alteration is done to the finished coat. Mention both requirements at drop-off.
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