This is a guest post by Well Heeled Blog, a 20-something professional with a nerdy interest in personal finance. In her blog, she writes about topics at the intersection of life & money, with frequent detours into food, shoes, and Argentine tango.
Note: Daisy loves clothes. How you are dressed is very important, and a big part of that is how the clothing fits on you. It’s better to invest in clothing that is worth tailoring, rather than cheap alternatives. See some other posts about clothes here:
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Don’t Buy Cheap Clothing: A Case For Spending a Little More (But Buying Less)
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Build a Better Wardrobe – How I Plan to Do It, and You Should Too
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A Calculation Of Just How Happy Clothes Can Make You (In Terms of Money!)
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Save Some Money on Expensive Brands
I have been spending money left and right lately, not only because I’ve purchased a few new pieces of clothing, but also because I have been altering a large portion of my existing wardrobe.
Alterations are now a permanent part of my budget
Back in 2010 I got a few pieces of clothing tailored. But then I fell back into my faking-a-fit or this-is-just-a-little-baggy shtick. Then I got engaged and CB found a suit. We found a very good tailor – she did an amazing job on his suit that fit well off the rack, but looks SO MUCH BETTER once it was contoured to his lines. I couldn’t believe what just a little nip and tuck could do. And so, I went down the rabbit hole.
Between January and now, I have also lost 10 pounds. Clothes that were too snug got perfectly right. Clothes that were right before, however, became way too loose. I started making weekly pilgrimages to the tailor. First it was a black sheath that was a little too baggy and the sleeves a little too long. After I got it back, I look Mad Men ready. Then the suit jacket and dress that fit me perfectly at the shoulders but gave me too much room around the sides. And a velvet blazer with a roomy waist, a lace dress that needs to be taken in, a silk blouse with an annoying gap at the bust… and the numbers add up! In the last month, I must have spent almost $300 on alterations. Here’s the thing, though, once I see how much better clothes LOOK when they are properly tailored, it’s difficult to go back to the days of accepting a mediocre fit.
Why alterations & tailoring make such a big difference
Most men expect to have their clothes tailored, especially when it comes to formal clothes. But many women (and I count myself among them) would rather buy two OK-fitting dresses at $80 each instead of forgoing one dress and spending the extra $80 on an alterations job on the remaining dress. Then I found a really great post from Kelly from Alterations Needed that talked about the lesson from What Not To Wear expert Clinton Kelly: get. everything. tailored. At the grand reveal of What Not to Wear episodes, the makeover subject always looks amazing in their new wardrobe. For the longest time, I didn’t realize that they would have ALL of their pieces tailored. Wow!
Making room in your budget for alterations is especially important when you are a “special” size – i.e. if you are petite, plus-sized, if you are one size on top and another on the bottom, if you are long-waisted for your height, if you are short-waisted, etc. Basically, unless you are a fit model, give alterations a try! When clothes fit and flatter, you don’t really think about “that dress hits the woman at the right spot on the knee” or “his blazer isn’t baggy at all!” You just think “that person is so well put-together.” And that is the magic of tailoring – it shifts the focus away from ill-fitting garments and instead emphasizes the wearer, who looks stylish, confident, polished.
The upside to all this tailoring, aside from looking better? Knowing that in all likelihood that I would need alterations on most pieces of clothes, I am also learning to look at new purchases with a critical eye and a new calculation. Am I willing to spend 20%-60% of its purchase price on alterations? If not, I put it back on the shelf.
Do you tailor your clothes?
This is an interesting take on the subject of clothes budgeting. Doing occasional alterations on clothing is another great way to control your spending. It’s likely that there aren’t many people who looked at it from this angle.
I still have a pile of dress pants that need to be hemmed from about a year before I got pregnant. That’s gonna be put off a while.
I’ve never been to a tailor. I don’t even know how to find one! For something simple, like hemming a pant leg, I can do that myself. For everything else, if it doesn’t fit off the rack, I don’t buy it. But the last time I wore a suit was my wedding three years ago, and who expects to get a polo altered?
The thing is, as much as your clothes fit, with tailoring, it fits even better. My husband’s suit fit really well off the rack, but once it’s tailored it looked wow. But nope, he doesn’t get his polos tailored! I found our tailor via Yelp reviews, and she has proved to be very good. Unfortunately… she is not cheap.
I generally don’t tailor my clothes, except for some formal wear or clothes that no longer fit correctly. I think it depends on your position but also on how you want to be perceived. I can definitely see value in having some customized pieces in your wardrobe.
Daisy, there’s a new guest post every day. I didn’t realize you were doing a guest post series.
I definitely need to alter more of my clothes. They always look better, and they make something older look much more fresh.
I was just going to write about this! I’ve recently begun having some of my dressier clothes tailored (I wear jeans and button down shirts to work, so don’t need much there), and I think it makes a huge difference. The nice thing about this is that if you can find something in a size that isn’t quite right, but is on sale, you can make it work. That’s one way to save money.
The other thing is that it’s hard to put a price on what makes you feel great. The other day I went to a conference and because I had spent time picking out some of my best fitting clothes, I felt a lot more confident and was able to talk more freely with other attendees. This will hopefully lead to a lot of other opportunities and who knows where that will lead!
Are you concerned about maintaining your weight loss and how that will affect these newly-tailored clothes?
My tailor said that I have a wiggle room of 5 pounds (most people have 10) before clothes would start not fitting “right.” I’m short and small-boned so pounds show up easily on me.
You are right, getting most of my clothes tailored means that I have to be very committed to maintaining my weight, which I am. Plus, the clothes serve as a motivation!
There isn’t much in this world that beats a tailored suit… That being said I only have one and it is for job interviews. I have to replace it every few years (to keep up with the style trends).
As far as alterations, learning to do simple ones is no problem. I can sew one buttons and do simple hems. Anything more complex than that, I take it to an alterations place. Sometimes my mother in law or my mom will do it, but I hate bothering them over it.
you’re engaged?!!?
I just got married. 🙂
Even for guys, tailoring is a must. That is, unless they like looking as though their moms dress them or they don’t take pride in their appearance 😈 Seriously, though, when you reach a certain age, it’s time to learn how to dress like a grownup and appropriately for various situations (dress shirts/slacks/suits/shoes are part of that maturation process).
I look at clothes as an investment–I opt for better quality so they not only last longer, but hold up better over that time. Slacks–always purchased unfinished and taken to be custom sized. Same for suits or blazers.
As for the cost, if you’re smart and take advantage of outlets and after-season sales quality can cost about the same as it would to buy a cheap alternative and its replacement, plus it will last longer than the 2 combined.
I agree I factor in tailoring is a buy a new suit or dress pants. Nothing fits me perfectly so I need to have some work done.
I also just learned the beauty of tailoring. I also feel that after I’ve spent the additional money to have the piece tailored I take better care of it and it ends up lasting longer. Who knew?
Exactly. I am much more careful with my clothes now than when I started.
I’m going to be looking into this shortly I think. Well hopefully shortly. I’ve been trying to lose weight but I do like my clothes so if they can be taken, that will help out from not having to buy new ones! I need to get some pants hemmed as well. I’m short so the ends always end up looking so terrible after they drag on the ground for a bit 🙁
I can’t say I’ve done this recently but I have done it in the past. You’re right, tailoring can make all the difference. I have a summer dress I might tailor so that it looks like a dress and not a swimsuit cover up!
Very interesting. I wear suits all the time but have never had one tailored. I know my size and just buy the suit separates at the store. They seem to always fit well, and I’m always a pretty consistent weight. I wouldn’t even know how to find a tailor.
Thank you for the shout-out!
I wear a uniform for my career choice so I don’t have to worry much about that. In terms of suits yes I get them tailored otherwise I’m a jeans an t-shirt guy or button down until summer where the shorts come out!
Good points about tailoring. I have never actually had this done, but I’ve heard many good things about how your clothes look afterwards. I think having quality over quantity rocks any day!
I just bought a suit for a friend’s wedding (my first) and had it tailored. I like your idea about how it keeps spending to a minimum.
Definitely agree though I am sort of forced to get all my pants tailored/hemmed because I’m so short!
I want to have a tailored suit, but those kinds of tailors who are offering you coffee’s while you wait for him to take measures. Every once in a while when I’m buying new suits I pay a visit to my tailor.
I’m an off size, but am fortunate enough to have free alterations available from our uniforms department – that will change if I quit, but until then I get almost all my clothes altered to fit better. It’s amazing how good you feel in proper fitting clothes.
One way to “save” on this cost is to buy clothes at Brooks Brothers. Okay, so maybe not save. That said, they will tailor a garment for the life of the item! So.. after having zero luck trying to buy fitted dress shirts, I sprung for the BB ones and I finally have some that fit!
I am petite and curvy! So I have to have everything tailored. I have a couple of dresses I haven’t gotten tailored because I did not have any money. But as soon as my first couple of paychecks come in, i will be going to the tailor.
I look at it as saving money, in a way. I’ve been shopping my closet lately for items I would wear more if they fit better. Instead of buying new pieces, I’ve taken a few of my “back of the closet” items to be altered and brought them back into rotation. Sometimes it’s as simple (and inexpensive) as shortening the hem/sleeves or a new neckline.
I totally agree about the necessity of alterations. Nearly all my clothes are altered. I don’t expect to pick up a piece of clothing and have it fit perfectly. The difference is; I do all my alterations myself. I have been altering for 9 years and it is a lot easier than people expect. I will try to put together some posts on my blog asiaandbam.blogspot.com showing people how to alter if they choose.
Nothing feels/looks better then clothes that fit well. Great article:)