Jeans are the one piece of clothing most people wear almost every day, and the one piece they almost never think to get altered. They buy a pair that fits reasonably well in the waist and hips, accept that the length is slightly off, and wear them as they are.
A pair of jeans that fits properly is a different thing. The right hem length, a tapered leg, a waist that does not gap at the back — these are achievable with a visit to Arlington Way. We tailor jeans at Angelz, a short walk from Angel tube. Hemming starts at £8.99.
Hemming is the most common thing people bring jeans in for. Most jeans are sold at a standard length that suits a specific height range. If you are shorter or taller than that range, the hem is wrong.
We hem jeans for £8.99 for both legs. The hem is pinned with the shoes you plan to wear with them — trainers, boots, and heels all change the ideal break point significantly. Bring the right footwear and the length will be right first time.
One thing worth knowing: most jeans have an original hem with a specific stitch, a turn, and sometimes a chain-stitch finish that gives the hem a particular look. A standard hem replacement loses that. We can shorten jeans using a method that preserves the original hem — the hem is raised from the top of the leg rather than cut from the bottom, so the original hem stays intact. Mention this if it matters to you and we will confirm whether it works for the specific pair.
Jeans bought for fit at the waist and hips often have too much fabric in the lower leg. Tapering — taking in the leg from below the knee or from the thigh — brings the jean into a slimmer shape without touching the seat or thigh where the fit is already right.
Tapering is £14.99. We check the seam structure of the jeans before tapering — some jeans have flat-felled seams that need a specific approach to preserve the seam finish. The result should look like the jeans came that way, not like an alteration was made.
Jeans with a specific wash, fading pattern, or whiskering across the thigh need care during tapering to make sure the seam work does not cut through the faded areas in a way that looks wrong. We check this before cutting.
A common fit issue: jeans that sit well in the hips but gap at the waist at the back. This is not a sizing problem — it is a proportion issue. Many people carry more volume in the hips and thighs than the waist, and standard sizing does not account for that distribution.
Waist adjustment is £14.99. We take in the waistband at the centre back seam, which is the cleanest way to close a gap without affecting the fit elsewhere. The belt loops are re-positioned if needed. The result is a flat, close waistband that sits correctly without pulling or bunching.
The crotch is where jeans fail most often. The inner thigh seam takes friction with every step and eventually wears through — first thinning, then splitting. By the time the split is visible, the fabric around it is usually too thin to hold a standard seam repair.
We repair crotch seams on one side for £14.99 and both sides for £19.99. We assess the fabric condition around the repair area before starting. If the fabric is still sound enough to hold a seam, the repair is straightforward. If the fabric has thinned significantly, we discuss patching alongside the seam repair, which addresses the underlying problem rather than just closing the split temporarily.
Fashion Revolution — the global movement that campaigns for honest, sustainable fashion practices — makes the point that most clothing is discarded long before the end of its useful life. Jeans in particular are often thrown away for crotch wear that a straightforward repair would have fixed. Replacing jeans that fit well is always more expensive than repairing them.
Jeans pockets take constant use. Keys and phones wear through the pocket lining faster than any other area. We restitch loose pocket seams for £8.50, replace pocket linings partially for £12.99, and replace them fully for £19.99.
Front pockets on jeans are typically smaller than suit trouser pockets — the pocket bag is attached to the waistband and the side seam. The replacement pocket lining is cut to the original shape and reattached at both points. The exterior of the jeans is not affected.
Jeans zip replacement is £14.99. The jeans button — the tack button at the top of the fly — is £9.95. These are small jobs but important ones. A jeans zip that catches or gapes makes the jeans unwearable in a practical sense. The same goes for a tack button that has come apart or bent.
Our zip replacement service in Angel covers jeans zips alongside all other garment types. If you need both a zip and a button replaced at the same time, bring the jeans in and we will handle both in a single visit.
Come in wearing the jeans if you can — particularly if you want them hemmed. We can pin the hem while they are on, which gives the most accurate result. If you cannot wear them in, bring the pair of shoes you plan to wear with them so we can measure the hem length against the right footwear.
For tapering and waist adjustment, we sometimes ask you to put the jeans on in the shop so we can pin accurately. It takes a few minutes and makes a significant difference to the result.
We tailor a full range of garments beyond jeans. Our suit tailoring service in Angel covers suit jackets and formal trousers. For the complete list of what our tailoring team handles, visit our tailoring page for Angel.
We are at 18 Arlington Way, Angel, EC1R 1UY — two minutes on foot from Angel tube on the Northern Line. Customers come in from across Islington, Clerkenwell, Pentonville, Finsbury, and King’s Cross.
Walk in and drop off. No booking needed. Most jeans alterations are ready within two to three working days.
Can you hem jeans while keeping the original hem?
Yes. We can shorten jeans by raising the hem from the top of the leg rather than cutting from the bottom. The original hem stays intact. Mention it when you come in and we will confirm whether it works for your specific pair.
How slim can you taper jeans?
There is a practical limit to how much a leg can be tapered before the seam allowance runs out or the shape of the jeans looks wrong. We assess this when you bring them in and advise on what is achievable for the specific cut and size.
Can you fix jeans that have split at the inner thigh?
Yes. We repair inner thigh seam splits as a standard job. The earlier you bring them in — before the fabric has thinned significantly around the split — the cleaner the repair.
Do you tailor other types of trousers, not just jeans?
Yes. Chinos, cords, formal trousers, and casual trousers are all handled. Jeans have specific considerations around seam construction and wash preservation, but the same range of alterations applies to most trouser types.
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