My trip to the tailor…
May 29, 2010$210. That’s how much my tailoring bill is. For 10 items:
5 skirts, 3 pants, and 2 dresses.
I felt sick when she told me the total. Do you know how many ill-fitted dresses I can buy with $210??
Fortunately, we had pre-arranged that she would do all the fitting first, and then I could “pay as I go” and just have her complete a couple items at a time. Kind of like tailoring layaway…
My tailor’s name is Susie, and she is a fantastic tailor. I found her last year when I was looking for someone in Des Moines who did the “Euro Hem” on jeans (shortening designer jeans but keeping the original hem). She’s very accommodating, easy to work with, and accessible – in fact, she was the second tailor in Des Moines that I called. I left a message with the first one, who never called me back, so when I called Susie the next day and she answered the phone after a couple of rings, I had found my tailor.
She knows her fabrics, knows about current style and fashion, and is very honest about what works and what doesn’t. I didn’t feel pressured at all – in fact, we decided that a couple of the dresses I brought in just wouldn’t work (my Pretty Woman Brown Polka-dotted dress just had to remain in it’s current style).
So let me show you the before-and-after photos of the first three items I’ve paid for (you’ve seen two of the ‘befores’ before):
I will admit that when I bought the skirt for $3.39 last week, I loved the pattern and color, but knew it was too long, so I actually factored in $10 for hemming to my final cost. That’s progress, isn’t it?
OK, so here’s the second item I had shortened (remember Floral and Denim?). I’m not sure which I like better shorter – the dress or my hair!!
I find it interesting that I’ll pay $130 for a haircut and color, but I’m sickened by paying for quality clothes/alterations. And here’s my final one (for now) that I’m pretty sure you’re going to love:
So what do you think? Money well-spent?
The problem I’m having is that as a shopaholic, I value everything in quantity, not necessarily quality. Spending $25 to hem a dress that only cost me $6 is just hard for me to wrap my head around. I know, I know, it’s just not logical that quantity of sub-par items is more important to me than quality.
If you go back and read the About Me piece, remember that one of the key pieces that identifies my as a shopaholic is my lack of logic when it comes to shopping. I mention that label trumps logic, but I need to expand that to quantity trumps logic (remember my last post where I bought two of the exact same shirt?). And for some reason in my little shopaholic brain, having 6 dresses, whether or not they are flattering on me, is just more desirable than paying $30 for one nice dress.
I know. It’s just not logical. I mean, maybe perhaps if in the long run I was actually SAVING money by shopping at secondhand stores, then it would make a little sense. But I still spend the same amount of money on clothes, if I were to be completely honest. I just get a lot more for my money, and my brain tells me “more is better”……
The good news is that I’m slowly shifting my thought process in the right direction in that I really, really consider fit and style more nowadays. I’m not buying long dresses or skirts, unless I am factoring in the cost of getting it hemmed.
As I look at this dress, I’m trying to ask myself if I would have spent $30 on it if I saw it in a store? I think I would.
Now, I recently read in a fashion blog that the value of an article of clothing goes up with every compliment you receive. So what do you think – money well spent?
P.S. If you live in Des Moines, I highly recommend Alterations By Susie (www.alterationsbysusie.com) or (515) 971-2181. She’s professional, friendly and very accommodating to your needs. And who knows, maybe she’ll cut me a deal if I send her some referrals!!
After tailoring looks great, well worth the cost…
While the cost may be hurting you – its not hurting your look!!!! The shortened skirt and the 2nd dress in particular look great! (You’ve even made me want that skirt…)
Everything looks just amazing! I especially love the black and white polka dot dress! It now looks so fresh and modern. Love the haircut too!
Brenda:
Cute dresses and your shorter hair makes you look so sophisticated. I need to go up to GW after I can walk and drive again… still on the walker! Love the sleeveless polka dot dress and the blue one with the ruffled hem…she did a great job. could you e-mail me her name and #? I know of someone who needs a dress hemmed. L.
I LOVE the skirt. All them look a lot better and more stylish. It was money well spent.
Brenda –
That $210 is going to be your best investment ever! Just think of the possibilities, when you find something you adore, and it’s baggy, long, etc, Susie can give you a custom fit!
PS – Glad you found a great tailor, too!
I think all of your clothes look fantastic after tailoring. Plus, I think your cost per wear will be quite low now that you’ve made the clothes look more modern and wearable. Great job!
I have the same “quantity over quality” mentality. It’s made worse by the fact that I get bored with clothing very easily and have regretted almost every “expensive” item I have ever purchased. I think it comes from being very poor both while I was growing up and while putting myself through college. There were often times I could not go a week without repeating an outfit. I LOVE the tailoring you have had done!!
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