Alterations (Clothing that Fits Just Right)

Everyone has their little fashion addictions ... Mine would have to be Alterations!  What you wear and how you wear it makes a big impact on how people perceive you.  If you wear clothes that don't fit, people will think you are sloppy and your life is a mess.  Every so often I find something off the rack and it fits like a glove, usually those things become my favorite and I wear it till it wears out.  That is kind of what getting alterations is like, having clothes that fit you just right.. it is one of the best feelings EVER.  

Over the past seven years, I have been going to the same seamstress and have developed a good working relationship/friendship with a wonderfully talented person, Tanja!  Tanja does good work and is easy to communicate with.  She owns Tailored to Perfection in Salt Lake City,
801-808-1401.

There is a whole art form to alterations that I have learned over the years.

# 1.  Finding a good seamstress who you work well with.

                I went to several different steamstresses before I found Tanja and it has made all the difference.  We talk easy and she knows how I like things.

# 2.  Talk prices. 

               The seamstress will charge you by item, task and there are always little things you don't realize you will get charged for.  These things add up so talk them out before you commission the work.  I always forget to do this and in my last visit commissioned a jacket to be fixed that ended up costing way more than I realized...   =' ing one sad and poor little customer.

# 3.  Fitting.

               When you go into the fitting the seamstress should tell you what can and cannot be done.  My lady has been great at telling me no even when I have my heart set on something.  That being said she usually will tell me what she can realistically do. 
               What you will do is go into the dressing room put the item to be altered on (make sure you wear shoes) and then come out and tell your seamstress what you like and don't like about the item.

Note:  If you are getting pants, skirts or a dress altered make sure you are wearing shoes that will help you measure the correct length.  There is nothing worse than wearing flats for an alteration and then realizing that you cannot wear those pants with heals because you altered them too short.

# 4.  The Finished Product
                 I prefer to have the seamstress there when I try the finished product on.  If anything does not fit right, then I can send it back.  No matter how well they pin your clothes there are times when things come out a little differently then you expected.  If you are going to spend the money make sure it fits the way you want it to.

Here are a few pictures of clothes I have brought in lately to be altered.

A.  Navy Blue Pencil skirt from Express that I wear to work:

The waist and hips of the skirt were slightly too big.

B.  Cute pencil skirt I found at Nordstrom:

 

 

As you can see this is a cute skirt but it is too big in the waist and hips.

Tanya in the process of pinning the skirt up.

C.  Fun Orange Pencil Skirt, my aunt bought me at a consignment shop in Palm Springs :
Loved this color but it's way too big...

I had her take in the waist and the sides of the skirt so it would fit snugly.

Tanya uses straight pins and white clothing chock to mark where she is going to take things in.

Good Luck Finding a Good Seamstress and let the Cutting Begin!

Tanja and I at a fitting.  She has just pinned my skirt up in the sides and back.