Altering Uniforms

[LeftHanded]

I have been having issues with my jacket and the way it fits. I was wondering if altering it illegal. I am talking about doing things like shortining the sleeves. My friends mom is an excellent seamstress and could probably do an excellent job.

[Zilverzmurfen]

I have been having issues with my jacket and the way it fits. I was wondering if altering it illegal. I am talking about doing things like shortining the sleeves. My friends mom is an excellent seamstress and could probably do an excellent job.

Yes, it's legal.

[Phrogger]

Had my Uhlmann FIE jacket altered years ago (waist taken in) and it's still performing well. There was just too much material, and returning it for the next size down wasn't practical. I haven't had any problems with it since alteration.

[Warrior Princess]

Usually you can do whatever you want to alter the fit of your jacket, but you might need to make sure the tailor knows to maintain the integrity of the fabric (expecially if it's FIE). Your lame, however, must have a straight sides when lain our flat, and also a streight line from the bottom of the triangle (covering groin area) to the hip-bone (in foil). Your lame must also not go above the top of your hip bone when standing straight, on guarde, or in a lunge.

[CvilleFencer]

It is also a good idea to make sure the person doing the alterations knows to use sport strength or upholstery thread. I had alterations done one time and they used regular cotton thread which does not hold up well to prolonged moisture or stress. A few weeks later my kit literally began coming apart on the strip...

[LeftHanded]

What do you mean by your kit? have read a few posts by you and you use that word a lot.

[Zilverzmurfen]

What do you mean by your kit? have read a few posts by you and you use that word a lot.

Kit = Fencing "uniform", ie. jacket and breeches.

[jjefferies]

What do you mean by your kit? have read a few posts by you and you use that word a lot.

English (proper) expression. It's always fun to compare linguistic differences with the Brits. The language, particularly slang, evolves constantly. Americans normally use the term "strip" whereas the Brits with their French relationships will more commonly use "Piste". What's the old say, "two people divided by a common tongue" ?

At least we can more often understand one another, unless they're cockney or Scot. The Germans have it much worse.

[Rick Shellhouse]

Try knickers vs breeches to someone from the UK and watch them collapse laughing...



R

[ReVel or Die]

I find it is best, through talking to people from different countries or regions, to learn the 'alternative' terminology and build up your repetoire of lingual knowledge, to be able to converse with a good mutual understanding. I am 'shipwrecked' on my home isle of Britain at the moment, and, as a person with a pretty much RP/BBC English (that is what is often thought of as the 'standard' pronunciation/non-accented version of the English language. Think Shakespearian actors..Patrick Stewart, for example) I also love to learn the regional word variations of which there are many in England. Some are simply different words for the same thing, in the same way Americans say 'pants' wheras we in the UK say 'trousers'..but sometimes it is a whole different regional dialect and associated colloquilisations. An example is: in Yorkshire one could say 'don't do nowt for ownt an' of thi' does owt do it for thissen' which means 'don't do anything for nothing, and if you do do something, do it for yourself'.

I am sure those of you in other countries experience similar things.

Oh, and (just for fun, in reference to the 'kit' issue) there is an old British wartime song part of which goes:

Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile,
While you’ve a lucifer to light your fag,
Smile, boys, that’s the style.
What’s the use of worrying?
It never was worth while, so
Pack up your troubles in your old kit-bag,
And smile, smile, smile.

And..to retain relevance...on altering uniforms, I am the first person to alter things to make them fit. Just make sure the work is good quality and you'll be fine.

[penfold]

English (proper) expression. It's always fun to compare linguistic differences with the Brits. The language, particularly slang, evolves constantly. Americans normally use the term "strip" whereas the Brits with their French relationships will more commonly use "Piste". What's the old say, "two people divided by a common tongue" ?

At least we can more often understand one another, unless they're cockney or Scot. The Germans have it much worse.

I'm scots............ strip to me means getting undressed!!! so a strip is a piste eh

and breeches are definately breeches......... not pants or knickers...

K

[Asprin]

I'm scots............ strip to me means getting undressed!!! so a strip is a piste eh

and breeches are definately breeches......... not pants or knickers...

K

I can agree with your definitions.

[Angwilwileth]

I altered my jacket about 6 moths ago. Whoever said use sport or upholstery thread was right. I'm having problems with mine and will probably have to re-do the alteration sometime in the near future.