Tailoring: Our Verdict

Tailoring & A Petite Wardrobe:
What We Think

---

If you’re a Petite woman who has never delved into tailoring and alterations for your wardrobe, you’re not alone. It had never really occurred to me either. That is until my ‘tall friend’ who has her clothes altered frequently (tall girl struggles) suggested it to me last summer.

I’d made a couple of assumptions about tailoring that turned out to be not strictly true. Firstly, that it would be expensive. Tailoring was a word I associated with expensive suits and red carpets, not someone wanting the perfect jeans and a nice top combo for a bottomless brunch on Saturday.

Secondly, I own exactly zero designer clothes. Most of the items in my wardrobe probably cost somewhere between £30-£40 and so I assumed that altering my relatively cheap clothes would be a waste of time and money.

But last year I bought a beautiful strappy dress for my first ever Glastonbury, that I really loved. The floral pattern was gorgeous and and it was tight and flowing in all the right places with a split up the right leg. But as ever, with my short girl problems, there were some issues.

Firstly, without heels, it skimmed the floor more than I cared for, especially as the floor it was intended to be dragged across was Glastonbury in all its glory, whatever the weather God’s decided to throw at us. The split up the side that had looked great on the model, also landed just below my underwear which was not the look I was after. I briefly considered returning the dress but I already loved it too much and that’s when ‘tall friend’ suggested I go and get it altered at the place she uses, just down the road from where I work. So I decided to go for it.

I took my dress in and handed it over to the love lady behind the counter and we had a chat about the results I was wanted. She had me put the dress on in the changing room in the back and she did some pinning as we chatted. Once we were both happy, I took the dress off and handed the dress to her.

She told me it would cost around £20 and she would call me once it was ready. Two day’s later and indeed a receipt for £20, my dress with its now modest-ish slit and new ankle length, just became perfect (in my opinion).

I actually I got a bit of a buzz from it. It felt good to have a dress I loved, fit exactly how I wanted. And I got a lot of compliments too. But the best part was that I enjoyed wearing it. I didn’t have to worry about the split revealing too much if I wasn’t careful and I wasn’t constantly having to hold up my dress to avoid the cesspit that Glastonbury inevitably becomes by day 3.

After a good first experience it got me thinking about all the other niggles I had with the clothes in my wardrobe and the anxiety these niggles can cause that I may not have even be completely consciously aware of. Whether it’s a top that reveals too much cleavage that I’m constantly adjusting, a blazer that I have to roll the sleeves up on that keep falling down every 2 minutes, or jeans that never fit just above the ankle the way I wish they would, instead of ruffling at the foot. These niggles can actually be fixed. And knowing that feels good. Though mostly I knew at the time that I shouldn’t have purchased them in the first place, but that is my life and the struggles of being a Petite woman.

Second hand shopping also became something I was more eager to delve into when previously I would avoid it like the plague. Finding petite clothes is a mission anyway but now I know that if I do find something beautiful that isn’t 100% perfect, the option to alter it is there, and that benefits my wardrobe, local businesses and the environment.

The best thing is that it can be very affordable too. Though be sure you know the costs up front before the work is done. Multiple alterations can add up especially if any are particularly complex.

So while I don’t advise regularly buying clothes that don’t fit right to be altered, making tweaks to clothes that you love gives you options, and there is no denying that if you want to look and feel amazing then a sure-fire way to do this is by wearing clothes that fit you well. I am an advocate for ensuring you know what size you really are when buying clothes to get a great fit and I’ve said it before - the reason that the model looks so great in those clothes isn’t because she is perfect, it’s because those clothes were made for her.

So no, you don’t need to be rich and have a wardrobe full of designer pieces to use tailoring as a tool to enhance your wardrobe. It is for anyone and might be a good alternative to buying something new. Here is a quick guide if you’re thinking of giving tailoring a try!

Tailoring & Alterations: Things To Know

What Items can be Altered?
The answer to that is, everything. You don’t want to be spending too much time or money trying to resuscitate an item that is clearly not long for this world – in this case let it go. But if a garment has a fair amount of life still in it, even if it didn’t cost very much, then it’s fair game.


How Much Does It Cost?
Alterations can be relatively cheap for small tweaks. If you’re looking to shorten a skirt or pair of jeans you can do this for around £10. Taking in or letting out the waist is pricier and starts at £15-£25 but it is still cheaper and better for the environment than buying something new, and priceless if it’s something you love. If you have multiple alterations or more advanced tailoring needs, this is where you need to weigh up the costs against the benefits. It’s best to chat directly with your tailor to get an idea of the full costs to allow you to decide what is worth getting done. This also gives you an opportunity to see if they can do you a deal! 

If you’re feeling fancy, you can commission entire pieces to be made just for you. Prices range depending on what you’re after but all good tailors will be able to give you a price list as a guide.

How Do I Choose A Tailor?
Ask your friends, family and colleagues for recommendations and check reviews of anyone you are considering. Always check their price list to make sure it fits within your budget and always get a quote before you hand the garment over so you don’t get any nasty surprises.

 
What Should I Expect?
All quality tailors will chat with you in detail about the look you’re after and it’s important be clear on want you want so that you get the results you are hoping for. They will likely want you to try on the item so that they can pin where they need to make adjustments, but this shouldn’t take very long at all and you can often put it on over what you’re already wearing. The should also be a changing room available to give you some privacy.

What If Something Goes Wrong?
There’s no guarantee you will always get the perfect results you are after. Perhaps more length than expected has been removed or it just doesn’t look like you expected. Talk it through with your tailor and see what they can do. As with anything, if you don’t like the service you get, go elsewhere. If you have a good experience, tell everyone who will listen, leave a review, tell your friends and support local businesses.

You May Also Like…