We all wish we had unlimited funds to buy high-end clothing, but for many, that is simply not a reality. I have good news!
Your clothes can still look like a million bucks with this one trick: Tailoring.
Focus on Fit
Clothes were not made to fit you perfectly right off the rack. We tend to get frustrated when they do not. Think about it. How could every designer possibly nail everyone’s unique shape? They can’t. They only way to do that is through tailoring (or custom-made clothing). When an article of clothing fits you perfectly, it makes you look more pulled together, it shows off the shape of your body appropriately, and it makes your clothing look custom-made, thus giving the illusion you paid more for it. Ill-fitting clothes make you and the piece of clothing look cheap, like something you got off the clearance rack. Now there is nothing wrong with shopping a clearance rack, but you need to be mindful of the overall quality of the fabric and the construction. Skimpy fabric screams cheap! Unlined items scream cheap! Dodgy stitching screams cheap!
How Much Does It Cost?
Men, for the most part, do not have any problem shelling out a little extra money to have their suits tailored. However, for women, they have the tendency to balk at having to have anything altered. And then body image can come into play. It can be a downer when nothing seems to fit. We start to blame our bodies. I will tell you that 80% of my wardrobe has been tailored.
Here are typical prices for alterations.
- Pants hemmed: $10-$20
- Hem skirt or dress: $15
- Jacket sleeve jemmed: $20-$30
- Pants waistband taken in or let out: $25-$30
- Take in body of jacket: $40-$50
- Take in body of dress shirt: $20
- Adjust shoulders on jacket: $30-$40
And keep your items freshly pressed. That’s an extra tip! So focus on fit and keeping your items freshly pressed and you will give the illusion that you are wearing designer or custom-made clothing.
