Can leather jackets be altered?

Sleeves can be shortened (usually from the shoulder on styles with zipped cuffs), bodies can be taken in, zips replaced and linings renewed. Done well, altered leather looks factory-original.

Leather remembers. Every stitch leaves a permanent hole, so unlike cloth, leather work can rarely be let back out. That makes the pinning and measuring stage critical — and it's why leather belongs with specialists rather than a general repair counter.

If you're choosing between sizes, buy the one that fits your shoulders — shoulders are the hardest thing to alter in any jacket, and leather is no exception. Almost everything else can be brought in to fit.