Do you have your clothes tailored?

[Ms. Plain Jane]

Do any of you ladies have your clothes tailored?

There is no dress code at my current work place, so for the most part I wear jeans and sneakers. However, there will soon come a time when I'll need to start dressing professionally. I was just wondering how many of you have your clothes tailored. Also, do you have just any ole thang tailored, i.e., a button down from Old Navy, or do you only have tailored clothing that cost a pretty penny or are of better quality?

[JLove74]

getting something tailored from old navy is crazy, the alterations will cost more than the garment.

Most stores have free alterations on full price items (I know BR and J Crew do) and higher end stores have people on site to do the work. I get alterations especially with pants. If I see a particular pair that I like, I get them in tall and in my regular size (to wear with heels and flats) and have them hemmed accordingly.

[Ms. Plain Jane]

getting something tailored from old navy is crazy, the alterations will cost more than the garment.

Most stores have free alterations on full price items (I know BR and J Crew do) and higher end stores have people on site to do the work. I get alterations especially with pants. If I see a particular pair that I like, I get them in tall and in my regular size (to wear with heels and flats) and have them hemmed accordingly.

:lachen:Thank you for saving me the embarrassment. I've never had anything tailored, so that's good to know.

The second bolded is a great idea!

[comike]

I get pants and jackets for sure. And lately, I've been getting my jeans tailored (waist and length).

[SweetNic_JA]

I rarely have my clothing tailored. Every once in a blue black yellow moon I'll get a pair of slacks tailored. Otherwise most things fit okay. Sometimes I personally take down the hem on my slacks to make them longer. I've only had to do this like 4 times and it's pretty easy.

[Ms. Plain Jane]

Thank you for the responses, thus far!

[envybeauty]

I find it is better to spend the money on a higher quality item than to have a cheaper item tailored. Brooks Brothers has great quality and will tailor stuff for you. http://www.brooksbrothers.com/help/help_shopping.tem

A cheaper alternative is to find a good tailor in your neighborhood (even some dry cleaners have people who work on site).

I say have a few great shirts tailored. Even custom made. Some custom made shirts are not that much more than stuff you buy in the stores. I like custom made because I determine everything...cuff, button style, collar style, fabric, color, monogramming, etc.

[MissJ]

I've recently started doing this. My mom use to be a seamstress, so when I lived at home she use to tailor all our clothes. For the past several years, I've just been wearing them as is, trying to find just my size, or asking her to tailor them when I saw her. I've found this good seamstress in the men's department at Dillard's, and I'm planning on taking a lot of my clothes to her.

I have a suit where the pants were too long, so I bought some of that iron-on hem tape from Wal-Mart. It worked well until I took the pants to the cleaner's, and they came out. I had an interview on Friday, tried to replace the hem tape, and it didn't really work. I ended up putting scotch tape on the inside of the hem. :lol: Boop, boop, those pants are going to the tailor. :lachen:

[SleekandBouncy]

I do. Tailing is the difference between a well dressed woman and "that" woman.

I have anything that doesn't fit properly tailored. If it's super cheap and doesn't fit well then I don't buy it. If it's cheap, but excellent quality then I'll have it tailored. Several stores and dept stores, esp. the $$$ ones offer tailoring sometimes free (ask). I can sew fairly well so sometimes I do stuff myself, but usually I take it in.
I have to have a lot of my button ups taken in at the waist and the hem extended on some of my work pants (I'm average height, but my legs are like 70% of me).

Tailoring is very important, even before you purchase an item the fall, fit, and pull should get the utmost attention.

[LadyBlu]

Having my clothes tailored is a must for me since I have such crazy dimensions! A small waist, big booty, and athletic short legs can wreak havoc on a sista's wardrobe. Besides, I always feel better knowing that my clothes fit me just right. I found a little Asian lady that specializes in alterations only and she does a remarkable job.

However, like other posters said, higher end stores tend to carry clothes that fit better and are more "ready to wear" (Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, etc.). If you are going more economical, hit TJ Maxx and find a good tailor. No one will know the difference. I get more compliments on my tailored $59 Burlington Coat Factory suit than my Ready-to-Wear $250 suit from Ann Taylor.

Good fit=better perceived quality. Like Timm Gunn says...Make It Work!

[sylver2]

there is a tailor in my neighborhood tht every1 goes to at cleaners. i tke all my pants & dresses there. i buy $20 pair pants from H&M. get thm done for $10. look good..lol
now tht i gained weight im gettin that gap in the back of my jeans & pants. so gonna start getting waist taken in.

[DreamLife]

I'm 5'2 so I get pants tailored to wear with flats. I also get dresses shortened and jackets taken in.

[missjones]

No, but I need to.

I'm short and sometimes it's hard to find clothes that aren't too long. I have a few suit jackets that I really need to have fixed because the sleeves are too long. :ohwell:

[ClassyND]

It depends.

I get only a few things tailored because little things like hems and taking sleeves up - I can do myself.

Example: I have a pencil skirt from a nice store, but it's obviously shaped for a white woman with a flatter butt than mine as the high waist part isn't touching my back because of my butt. You know when you have a gap between your back and the fabric, but the front is fine? :lachen: I get clothes like that tailored.

[JFemme]

Yes..:yep:

[Ms. Plain Jane]

Thanks for weighing in!

[PatTodd]

I get anything tailored that needs it, regardless of the price. I go to a little old Italian lady at the local cleaners here. I am still a half size bigger on the bottom since my baby, so I buy the next size up in pants and have them taken in. My little lady is a miracle worker - I can never tell what she has done, only that after she works on them my clothes fit perfectly. I have started buying things a size larger on purpose so that my lady can make them fit perfectly :grin:!

[sky_blu]

So how much on average should I expect to pay for pants getting hemmed up? Im a shorty and I have a bunch of pants and jeans I need to get hemmed before I can wear or wear again.

[bLackButtaFly]

So how much on average should I expect to pay for pants getting hemmed up? Im a shorty and I have a bunch of pants and jeans I need to get hemmed before I can wear or wear again.

About 8 dollars, at the local tailor, and maybe a little more at a more expensive one. It's not that expensive. I take mine to the man that does my dry cleaning and always get great results. I'm an average height, but short legs, so I get a lot of my pants hemmed(I never have the time to do it myself). I also get alot of my dresses hemmed and taken in. I don't care how much I spent on them since I try to only buy quality items, so I don't mind paying extra, getting a great fit, and having something I can get good wear out of. Plus i love having the feeling of hving somethign fit just right on me.

[SleekandBouncy]

So how much on average should I expect to pay for pants getting hemmed up? Im a shorty and I have a bunch of pants and jeans I need to get hemmed before I can wear or wear again.

I have a lot of jeans hemmed and I always ask for original hem. It's about $12-15 dollars, otherwise it would be about $11 for pants (and jeans without original hem).