Last month I worked with a cute petite woman. She had an amazing body, but wasn't showing it off properly due to ill fitting clothes. Within a few short minutes we had a large pile of clothes that needed alterations. My first month working as an image consultant I learned the secret to loving my clothes....a TAILOR! I had never thought to use a tailor for anything but taking up the hem of my pants, and soon my tailor began opening up a new way of dressing for me.
Here is a little clothing history for you. Up until WW2 women made their own clothes. They bought dress patterns and knew how to alter the clothing to fit their bodies. During the war many woman had to go to work to support their families and no longer had time to make their own clothes, so Ready-to-Wear clothing was born. But even then, women still had sowing skills and knew to how to make the clothing purchased from a store fit their bodies. Over the years sowing became less of a necessary skill and more of a hobby. Women have forgotten that the clothing in stores was created for a model body (usually beginning with a 5'7, size 6 form and then translated into different sizes).
So you know what this means? It was never meant to fit you perfectly! You no longer need to spend hours searching for that perfect pair of black pants (or jeans!) Find a pair that fit the biggest part of your body and then alter down. Here are some other tips I have learned to help you when visiting the tailor.
-Petite women, listen up!! If you always need to alter the hem of your pants, you should also always alter the hem of your skirts and dresses. You are most likely wearing these at the least flattering part of your leg (between mid calf and the ankle) Pull them up and your legs will instantly look longer and thinner!
-There is nothing more unprofessional than a jacket with sleeves that are too long. Jacket length is a common hem that most women overlook. Men have always seen a tailor to make sure their jacket sleeves are at the perfect length, women follow the lead of your man on this one.
-Curvy women: Buy your pants to fit your butt/hips then have a tailor take in the waist.
-Do not buy a jacket or blouse that is too big in the shoulders, this is an alteration that is too costly to fix and usually doesn't retain the correct shape afterward.
-This is a fun one: Jeans are getting thinner in the legs these days. Save your favorite pair of jeans from the donation bin buy having your tailor take in the width of the legs. (I made my husband do this when he hated a pair of bootleg jeans he got from Christmas and now he wears them all the time)
-Ask around for recommendations before trying out a new tailor. Look for someone that will offer their advice rather than relying on you to tell them what to do, they are the expert!
When you begin to transfer your closet to your Fall wardrobe, try on your clothes and make a pile of clothes to take to the tailor. They will be like new again! If you need help learning right fit from wrong fit, schedule your wardrobe appointment with me today!
Shelbi@shelbikeith.com
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