Every girl has experienced seeing that beautiful dress on the rack, picking it up, loving the feel of the item in her hands, envisioning how it looks on – hot!, actually trying it on – hot!, BUT… if only… it was just a little tighter here or a little bit shorter there..
Don’t be deterred! Chances are, if you’re not getting an item custom made specially for you, there will always be ones that just won’t fit exactly the way you want it to. Fortunately, alterations done by a professional seamstress is inexpensive and cost effective. The money you save on buying a less expensive item can be spent on professional tailoring which will help make your items look amazing to fit on your body!
How do I find a seamstress?
Any reputable alteration house can take care of simple alterations, like shortening hemlines, width alterations or adding bra straps to a strapless dress. Ask your favourite clothing boutique to recommend a seamstress they work with or ask your dry cleaner. Most dry cleaners will do alterations in house or give you referrals to local seamstresses. If you happen to visit us at Metropolis at Metrotown or Richmond Centre, you can also try the alteration houses located inside the mall. They are convenient and reliable places to drop off your items once you purchase them.
This dress fits everywhere except in the bust area!
Many ladies find the fit of the bust area for strapless dresses to be of particular concern. In our “Why You Should Avoid Those Small Sizes” article, we recommended that you buy for the width of your hips and waist (if they happen to be larger than your bust) and then adjust your bust area accordingly with silicone bra or lingerie tape. If you want a more permanent fix, professional alterations will be the best alternative.
For the dress below, we asked a professional seamstress how she would go about altering the dress to fit for a smaller bust. The zipper would be replaced and the fabric in the bust area (in white) will be trimmed down to decrease bust width for a tighter fit. This type of alteration start at about $10 depending on the level of difficulty involved. If the zipper lies along areas of the dress that includes intricate details or panels, this could cost more because it will take more time to detach and reattach those parts.
This pant leg is too long, I don’t think its the right pant for me.
Wrong! Unless the pant has many variations for the in-seam, (length of the pant measured from inside crotch to bottom seam) the item does not need to fit exactly to the length of your legs. With the exception of companies who specialize in jeans or pants, pant sizes usually only differ in the width and not in the length of the item. Pant lengths are usually manufactured for an average height and its expected that the customer will adjust the length to their own liking because it’s always cheaper and easier to adjust the length versus the width. If you’re above or below average height, then you most likely need to consider alterations.
In most cases, you don’t have to pass on a pair of pants that need length alterations unless removing the original hem significantly changes the integrity of the item. (ex. Bell bottoms, intricate details along the hem) But having said that, even original hems can be sewn back onto an item once it has been altered! (See pictures below).
So we say, Enjoy getting that almost perfect item and don’t be afraid to spend a little on alterations to make it look fabulous on YOU!
Below we have included various pant hems styles that can be achieved with alterations and price estimates of what you would be looking at.
