Jakken sys ikke inn. Tvert imot økes livvidden.

Sys is the s-passive form of the verb å sy (to sew).

• å sy = to sew
• syr = sews / is sewing (active)
• sys = is sewn (passive)

So:

• Skredderen syr jakken inn = The tailor takes in the jacket.
• Jakken sys inn = The jacket is taken in.

Norwegian often uses this -s passive instead of a separate word like English is + past participle.

A very close alternative would be:

• Jakken blir sydd inn

That also means The jacket is being taken in / will be taken in, but sys is shorter and very natural in this kind of context.

The passive is used because the focus is on what happens to the jacket, not on who does it.

• Skredderen syr ikke jakken inn = The tailor does not take in the jacket.
  
  • focus: the tailor
• Jakken sys ikke inn = The jacket is not taken in.
  
  • focus: the jacket

This is very common in instructions, tailoring, descriptions of procedures, and formal writing.

Inn is a particle that changes the meaning of sy.

• å sy = to sew
• å sy inn = to take in a garment by sewing it so it becomes narrower/tighter

So sys ikke inn does not just mean is not sewn inward literally. It means the jacket is not altered to be smaller.

This kind of verb + particle combination is very common in Norwegian:

• skrive ut = print out
• ta av = take off
• sette på = switch on / put on

In a normal main clause, ikke usually comes after the finite verb.

Here the finite verb is sys, so:

• Jakken sys ikke inn

This word order is standard Norwegian main-clause word order.

Compare:

• Han kommer ikke. = He is not coming.
• Boka leses ikke. = The book is not read.
• Jakken sys ikke inn.

If this were a subordinate clause, the position of ikke would usually be different:

• ... at jakken ikke sys inn = ... that the jacket is not taken in

Tvert imot means on the contrary or quite the opposite.

It is used to strongly contrast what was just said with the opposite idea.

So here:

• Jakken sys ikke inn. Tvert imot økes livvidden.

means something like:

• The jacket is not taken in. On the contrary, the waist is made larger.

It signals that not only is the jacket not being made smaller, but the opposite adjustment is happening.

Økes is again an s-passive form.

• å øke = to increase
• øker = increases (active)
• økes = is increased (passive)

So:

• Skredderen øker livvidden = The tailor increases the waist width.
• Livvidden økes = The waist width is increased.

Just like sys, this passive form keeps the focus on the thing being changed rather than the person doing it.

Livvidden is a compound noun:

• liv = waist / bodice area in clothing language
  
  • not life here
• vidde = width
• livvidde = waist width / waist measurement
• livvidden = the waist width / the waist measurement

In clothing contexts, it refers to the measurement around the waist area, or more generally the width of that part of the garment.

So økes livvidden means the waist area is made wider.

Because jakken is the definite singular form of jakke.

• en jakke = a jacket
• jakken = the jacket

Norwegian usually adds the definite ending directly to the noun:

• en bil → bilen
• en stol → stolen
• en jakke → jakken

So Jakken sys ikke inn literally starts with The jacket...

Both are possible, but they feel a little different.

• Livvidden økes = The waist width is increased.
• Økes livvidden = The waist width is increased.

The version with the verb first can sound more formal, written, or slightly stylistic, especially in technical or descriptive contexts. It can also help connect more tightly with Tvert imot.

So in your sentence:

• Tvert imot økes livvidden.

the structure emphasizes the contrast: instead of taking it in, the waist measurement is increased.

A learner should still know that Livvidden økes would also be fully grammatical.

Yes. Norwegian has two common ways to make the passive here:

1. -s passive

   • Jakken sys ikke inn.
   • Livvidden økes.

2. bli + past participle

   • Jakken blir ikke sydd inn.
   • Livvidden blir økt.

Both are correct. The -s passive is often more compact and is especially common in formal language, written descriptions, instructions, and technical contexts.

Historically related, yes, but in this sentence it does not mean life.

In clothing language, liv can refer to the upper body section of a garment or the waist/bodice area. So in livvidde, it belongs to that clothing-related meaning.

This is a good reminder that familiar-looking words can have specialized meanings in compounds. A native English speaker might first think of life-width, but that is not what is happening here at all.