Alterations before an event – plan ahead

Why time is what decides

The alteration itself is rarely the problem. What creates stress is that a garment often needs more than one adjustment, and you rarely see everything in the first fitting. Trousers being hemmed may reveal the waist needs taking in too; a dress being taken in may need a second fitting before it sits right. Give yourself margin and each adjustment is calm and correct. Leave it to the last minute and you take whatever can be finished in time – and in busy seasons like the spring run-up to confirmations and national-day celebrations, tailors are especially booked up.

Plan backwards from the date

Start with the date of the event and work backwards. You will quickly see how early you actually need to begin.

1. Fix the event date as your anchor and count back from there.
2. Try the garment on early – not the week before, but while you still have room to change course.
3. Gather every alteration the garment needs into one order, instead of discovering them one by one.
4. Leave room for a second fitting, in case something needs fine-tuning after the first round.
5. Be extra early in peak season (spring and early summer), when many people are altering event outfits at once.

Fit it properly – how to avoid an extra round

The most common reason for an unnecessary extra round is a fitting done on the wrong assumptions. The length of a dress or trousers depends on the shoes you will actually wear, and the fit depends on what you have underneath.

1. Wear the shoes you will wear on the day – the heel height decides where the garment should end.
2. Use the same underwear or shapewear you plan to wear to the event.
3. Move: sit down, raise your arms, take a few steps – a garment has to sit when you use it, not just when you stand still.
4. Take photos from the front, side and back so you remember what to adjust.
5. Note everything in one list so the tailor gets the whole picture at once.

What you can decide yourself in advance

You can do much of the planning entirely yourself before you hand anything over. The more you have decided, the smoother the job.

• Separate what actually bothers you from what you can live with – not everything needs changing.
• Judge whether it is a simple hem or a more involved reshape, which takes longer.
• Check whether the garment has enough seam allowance to be let out – feel for the fabric folded into the seams.
• Bring reference photos, or a garment that fits the way you want, as a target to work to.

When to leave it to a tailor – in good time

An event outfit is exactly where you do not want to gamble on a rushed home hem the night before. A tailor needs time to do the job calmly, and more so in peak season when many people are altering outfits at once. Being early means a relaxed fitting, room to adjust, and a result that sits when the day comes. You order online, and you see the price before you order.

Frequently asked questions