TAILORED TO FIT

By: Michelle Wamego

With the new school year right around the corner many of you may be thinking of the back to school wardrobe shopping task that needs to be done. With that comes many a need for some hemming of pants, jeans, and skirts, as well as a few minor alterations to make garments fit around the waist properly. It can be quite an investment in a back to school wardrobe, and let’s face it, not always appealing to layout so much cash for growing people! Think about asking your tailor or alterations specialist to make alterations temporary so that it can be adjusted as the child grows over the school year. If you do basic hemming yourself take deep hems in the fall, and longer (almost basting length) machine stitches so they can easily be removed and the hem let out by late winter or spring.

Now, what better time than when attending the kiddo’s closet of clothes, you examine yours too! Do you find that you can buy off the rack clothes that fit moderately okay, and you accept this as wearable? And you can do this, but with just a little nip here, taper there, and a perfect length hem you can look stunning! Your garments will look like they were tailor made for you (in essence that is what you just had them altered for- YOU!) Even an old dress or coat that you haven’t worn for a while can have new life breathed back into it by some simple alterations. So when shopping for new clothes buy to fit the largest dimension of your body (bust/chest, waist, hips) because the rest can be taken in; it’s not always on option to make things bigger, unless there was enough fabric left in the inside seam allowances. And begin to incorporate into your clothing budget some set aside for alterations. It may seem like an extra investment at first but when you are happier in the way you look in what you wear, you will wear it more often thus getting more wear for your investment.

Are you in need of some hemming and alterations services? Well, if you didn’t happen to know, we offer them right here at Clary Sage College. Our Fashion Design department can hem your clothes, shorten sleeves, take in side seams, and waistbands, and can offer you consulting on many other alterations or re-vamping of old garments! You can reach us at 918-298-8200 to set up an initial fitting time (usually on Thursdays).