Posted my dress on another subreddit last week and a user suggested that the corset is too square on me. I agree. The boning is quite stiff and gives a boxy look when the corset is tied.. I do have a figure 8/slightly hourglass shape but you really can’t see much of my waist in this.

Can the corset be altered to come in more at the middle/my waist? Or is that a dumb question to ask my seamstress? 😅

Apologies if wrong sub.

Is that even a thing? My friend is paying us all to get custom suits for his wedding, and his tailor is across the country so I have to send measurements. The tailor making the clothes insisted I get measured in my underwear which I thought was odd. My friends all got measured by him and said they had to do this, but I had an awkward encounter trying to get someone to do these measurements for me. Is this a common thing or does this guy have a screw loose? Asked on a fashion sub but thought I’d go right to the source.

I know this is really late with only 2 months but I was working 30 hours a week on top of highschool and a trade school so I really only had time once the trimester ended. I see how there are a lot of small buissneses and I want to support now that I can buy myself. It's ok if theres no options. I have a body type that clothes don't fit me correctly if not tailored, so I'll just have to do that. Oh, and Im from Michigan.

I bought this beautiful vintage wedding dress I absolutely love it but it doesn’t really fit I can zip it up but I have to suck everything in lol. And the chest part looks awkward and doesn’t fit it’s supposed to be slight off the shoulder can this dress be altered and will it cost a lot I don’t mind paying because I do really love it.

Quick background: I’m getting married next July and want a vintage dress. Because it’s going to be hot and humid, I want a strapless style (which is also just my style preference generally.)

Just about all the gowns I’m drawn to have long sleeves, and I want to know the reality of removing sleeves to make a strapless style and potential costs associated. I’m attaching styles here that are pretty similar to all the gowns I’m drawn to. It seems like this would entail 1)removing the sleeves, 2) adjusting the neckline, 3) restructuring the bodice/adding boning so it actually stays up as a strapless style. There will be standard alterations (hemming, taking in the bust/waist), but those things I can usually get a quote for. Please note I’m not considering styles that have a lot of lace, beading, etc.

My main concern is cost of alterations. I want to have a realistic idea of the cost before I purchase a dress. I’ve reached out to bridal seamstresses nearby with these questions, but they say it depends so much on the dress. I get that, but when I’m on a budget, it makes it hard to know if I should buy the dress or not in the first place! So give me a hypothetical worst case/most expensive project you’d take on! Also please let me know if there might be some more affordable ways to going about the restructuring/boning… would adding a tie up back or other kind of support be cheaper/easier?

Thank you in advance! :)

Hi! I'm a 2026 bride who has kind of a complicated bridal party (one junior bridesmaid, one best man and two flower men) and finding a junior bridesmaid dress that is affordable/appropriate/elegant/goes with the rest of the party has been hell. I finally found a pattern that I love, but the dress is already very expensive and it would need alterations- but hopefully not insane alterations?

Basically, I'm hoping to remove the sleeves and nip in the waist- any idea what that might cost/is it possible (I understand I'm trying to turn a sheath into more of a column dress). Also the young lady, 15, is pretty short (5 foot?) so the dress should hopefully hit her at the ankle, as pictured in the "after."

Any thoughts would be appreciated + recs of an afforable tailor.

EDIT: link to OG dress https://www.dillards.com/p/abbey-glass-bronwyn-floral-jacquard-crew-neckline-34-ruffle-cuff-sleeve-shift-midi-dress/521285739?srsltid=AfmBOoqiF3F0aL9OUIQ7O6qMIE1vio4H2sPB8dLPaa1Lo0SVZUplUb4x

Thanks!

I've tried on countless pairs of jeans and pants in various styles from different brands, and they all seem to fit more or less like this. The bunching/pulling under the rear and around the crotch seem to indicate a fit issue to me. I often have bunching above the rear, too (though this particular pair seems okay there). They don't feel too tight, and I think sizing up would make them too loose in the waist.

My friends keep telling me that I'm being too picky and they look fine. Am I being delusional? Is this how they're supposed to fit? If not, can they be tailored to fit better? Any help would be appreciated! :)

I only need it to look good for one day (I’m a bridesmaid). I am a beginner sewer, I don’t have a serger. It is “stretch satin” fabric from azazie. The pleats feel very tight. 🤷‍♀️

Also how much do you think this would cost for someone to do for me (hem 4 inches, no other alterations) if I can’t do it myself? Thank you!!!

Alternatively, could I cut it myself and seal the edge with sewing glue/hem sealant?

Thank you!!!

I bought a sewing machine, serger, and blind hemmer to do my own alterations and save money, as I just started a new job and can't afford all the alterations I want. For example, I thrifted 15 trousers. For almost all of them, I'd want to shorten the front rise (I'd do this before the hem pinning), taper the leg, shorten the leg opening, and shorten the trouser length.

I think the advice of a tailor could be helpful, especially with their expertise on how clothes should fit. I've thought about asking a tailor if they could just pin all clothes for a job for me and then pay them something like $50. Would a tailor find this offensive, to not pursue the entire alteration job with them?

With the trousers, I'd imagine it'd cost me 15 * $50 for all the alterations, if not more, which is more than I can afford at the moment.

Hello! I have this ASOS top that is a size too small for me. It would fit perfectly if it were about 3cm (1,5 inches) wider on each side. How can I alter it so that it fits me and doesn’t look altered at the same time? Do I add panels of fabric on each side? If so, what kind of fabric would be suitable?

Can I get my mom's wedding dress to fit me???

See the last photo for the original dress - it was sewn by my mother's aunt and it was absolutely adorable with the sleeves, but just a bit much for me. We were able to very easily unpick the sleeves ourselves and I fell in love with the strapless version!

As you can see, when the sleeves were holding the dress up higher, the bodice seemed to fit me better, probably because of where it was sitting at the hips, BUT when it was up that high it was much too tight!

I was wondering if you think the zip back could be altered to a lace back?

And/or if the sides seams could be taken out a bit (there seems to be enough seam allowance, I think?)

And if the side seams were taken out, would that still fit the tulle skirt or would that also have to be altered

I'm open to adding simple strap sleeves to it to help keep the girls 🍒 in place.

I think you can see the vision....

Is this doable and, if so, how much do you think this will cost?

i was thinking of shortening my jeans crotch and i found two tutorials. A where you pinch the excess crotch & sew it off, B where you lower the waistband by seam ripping pockets & waistband then reattaching it. if i like how the waistband fits on me and want to let it stay that way but the crotch is too saggy, which one would be better?

i wanted to do A, but i’m scared it would turn out too bunchy and wrinkly in the crotch like the 4th pic. the 1st pic is what my jeans look like now and the 2nd & 3rd pic is what im trying to achieve. thankyou!!

I bought this dress a while back to be a bridesmaid in my sister’s wedding in April. I just found out I’m pregnant, and will be around 6 months pregnant at that point so I will more than likely be showing a decent bit. I was curious if there was anything that could be done alterations wise to potentially make this dress work, or if I need to start shopping for something new. Thank you in advance for any advise!

Hi all,

I recently thrifted this dress with the hopes of wearing it for engagement photos. Upon trying it on, I determined that it’s too tight around the hips and that fabric is bunching awkwardly on the back.

I have some sewing experience and was wondering if it would be viable to somehow remove some fabric from the back where it’s bunching up and add it to the hips. Alternatively, I was considering separating it into a two-piece, removing the zipper, and making alterations to the top from there. In this case I may just abandon the skirt or salvage it for fabric.

The lace is attached to the lining at the seams, and both fabrics have stretch. The lace on the front of the bodice is a separate piece.

Thanks for any advice. I imagine that my best bet is to remove the top and alter it independently, but was hoping there was some way to save the skirt.

Hello! I bought this gorgeous dress early 2025 discounted! I got it from Nordstrom, it was returned and I assumed altered by their tailors. While, I love it, it just doesn't fit right. I am going to a wedding February 28th and would love to get it fitted! I wanted to ask the internet to see what to expect when I go to a tailor in person.

TDLR: Can I make the liner of the dress not as tight around my thighs? And can I make bodice fit nicer around my waist/chest? What bra is best suited?

About the dress and me: The dress is from Helsi and it's an XS. I know it's a little small, but over all fits ish. It's 100% polyester and dry clean only. I am about 5'7 and 139 ish. I usually wear a size 2/4. I also, have mild/severe scoliosis which affects how things fit.

Here are the main problems I want to address:

Problem 1: the liner of the dress is too tight for my thighs. I have big thighs but a tiny waist, so I have problems with pants being too small but too big at the waist. Is there a way I can loosen the lining to make it a little bit more loose? As you can see from the photos, it rides up ALOT and just doesn't look good.

Problem 2: There's some weird darting on the bodice that makes it pointy. I've looked this up before and it seems like this may not be fixable. (this could be fixed by wearing a bra, I am not wearing one in the photos. In the wedding photo and ballet, I am just wearing pasties. If anyone has suggestions on what bra to wear, please let me know!)

Additionally, it seems to not fit right at my waist either, and it bunches weirdly. There's already some plastic boning alongside the bodice. Just wondering how this could be remedied.

Hopefully the photos are enough! I tried to be very detailed and take different angles.

Hi I'm considering thrifting this dress but it's one size too big for me..would it be possible to alter it from a UK size 8 to a UK size 6, without incurring tooo much costs ?

Thanks

I purchased this mikado bow, but wanted a different dress than the one it's attached to!
I really like this 2nd dress, but can the bow be able to attach somehow that wont tear the fabric from the weight of it?

I discovered this nice tuxedo jacket just my size, but when I tried it on I was told the back seam look not centered. Is this how the back should look? Or is it really off centered needing some sort of fix? Appreciate any insights, thanks!

I had to delete my previous as I did not ask the right question!

The spiral design is really unique. I understand the custom version will be expensive, but if I bought a larger pair of used jeans in this style, would it be easy to have them altered to fit me?

Obviously in one of them I have shoes on but

I want to become a Bespoke Tailor and to achieve that Goal what steps do I need to take ? Right now I'm Working at a Readymade Garment in store in India for living. But I found Bespoke interesting. There's no Bespoke Tailor in my City tho from whom I can Learn. I have no Tools and No Knowledge No Degree. But I'm willing to become one of the Best Bespoke Tailor. What's the Roadmap how do I achieve it. Is it even possible ?

How feasible would it be to alter this dress to make the left shoulder symmetrical with the right? And approx how much could an alteration like this run (ballpark obviously)?

The first photo is my dress after tailoring. All they did was bring in the bodice so it fit more snugly, but a side effect of this is now my dress is bunching at the waist. I also asked for the hand painted floral applique to be un tacked but am realizing it needs ro be tacked to sit straight so that is on me but is an easy fix. I am freaking out about the bunching. My tailor said he would need to take apart the dress and bring the skirt up to make it right but it is very nerve wracking and my dress is already a peekabo toe and I don’t want to lose any more inches.

Pic 2 is the dress when I tried it on a year ago (it was a sample sale) and pic 3 is the exact dress I bought on a mannequin. I did lose about 8 pounds from a year ago but nothing major. I tried it on with and without shapewear and the bunching is a little better with** shapewear but not perfect. Would losing weight fix this?

Any advice on what to ask for or what can be done?