Custom Clothing – The Steps: Made Clothing – The Ins And Outs Of Custom

At university in 1976, I filmed an episode of Mastermind.

I made a fair number of outfits, right after coming to the US.

All these clothes fit beautifully, were well made and lasted for years. Besides, I found a dressmaker locally and had plenty of things made, By the way I had a stash of beautiful fabric, as a postdoc, To be honest I no longer had time. Liberty fabrics in London. She is an experienced pattern cutter and her website indicates that she has a large custom clothing clientele. There is my experience… I started out by going online to find a personal shopper. We worked together for a couple of years upgrading my wardrobe with ‘readytowear’ items and taking care to fit well. As a result, while trying on dozens of pairs, s an example… In late 2012, my seamstress/personal shopper and I spent 34 hours at the mall shopping for pants.

Ponte pants that needed alterations at the waistband, crotch, and narrowing the leg.

She charges a set amount for the creation of the pattern with 50percentage paid upfront and the remainder due upon completion.

My seamstress started out by creating a basic custom pants pattern in an inexpensive cotton fabric. Anyways, even in cheap cotton, it was obvious that the pattern fit better than anything else I owned at the time! Eventually, the pattern required 23 fittings in its cotton avatar, that took 2 3″ weeks, and was tweaked until it was perfect. That said, my seamstress hereafter transferred the pattern to paper. Actually I decided that I needed at least one and maybe two versatile pairs lined dress pants for work, after a wardrobe review. We discussed everything from the position of the waistband to the width of the leg, color, fabric weight, and all facts of the final finished garment. By the way, the next step was to choose the fabric. We went fabric shopping at Black Sons in Los Angeles, that carries a variety of good quality wool suiting in a large range of colors and patterns.

We bought a tropical wool in navy blue and a grey and whitish herringbone pattern wool. Actually the two pants pairs we opted to eventually make would have different leg widths. Total cost for my first pair of custom pants was $ 329 dot 45. To be honest I thought that others identical things, as these questions came up for me. Essentially, the following section includes that are more expensive than pants and tops, as a general guideline. Los Angeles,California, area, that is likely more expensive than many other areas in the United States. Just keep reading! Costs will vary relying on the seamstress, the fabric selected, and the position in which you live. On top of that, suits take longer than dresses, so pants and tops.

She also does a bunch of alterations.

For my tailor, fall/winter is top-notch season, as she has plenty of deadline driven wedding work in the spring/summer which tends to take precedence.

It depends on the garment, the tailor’s workload, and what they work on. I believe it’s best to consult with the seamstress and go fabric shopping with her, yes she does. Discussing the fabricwith thetailor can created from it. We bought a wool/silk blend for a houndstooth checkpencilskirt. Anyway, we needed extra yardage to match the checks at the seams. We also picked up a gorgeous cherry dark red wool remnant for another skirton sale for half price!

I’d say in case you make your clothing and have wisdom to share with those who might seek for to understand how to sew, that will also be helpful.

They said the other two dresses were basically losses.

The dresses fit perfectly in the top but none fit in the skirt and the hem was sagging in all. She made one copy that I tried on halfway to completion and I asked her to make two others in different fabrics. In all I spent about $ 800- $ 900 for the three dresses including the repairs to one. Southern California will love any recommendations you have. TV show. About ten years ago I bought a J Crew dress on ebay that everyone compliments me on when I wear it.

Sorry to hear about your negative experience with custom clothing.

Yelp reviews can also be useful, as Maharani mentioned.

San Diego. Fact, I gonna be sure to share my experiences on the blog, So in case I do end up getting clothing custom made. Although, perhaps Maharani should be willing to share the name/website for her seamstress for those who are also in the Los Angeles area. Maharani! That drive is will be great to find someone in the valley. Also, there’re people on yelp that are described as seamstresses who offer custom work. Then again, you read the comments and the commenters say that So there’s no custom work, only tailoring. Sorry for posting so many times but it’s a subject that I’m sort of obsessed about.

Now look, the reason I am interested in finding a seamstress is that I do have a perfect dress.

Know what, I could wear this dress for some of my life, if I could copy this dress in different fabrics.

It is almost like custom. Of course that’s the reason why it’s easy for me to buy designer consignment and items off of EBAY and spend as long as she sewed many versions of identical dress. On top of this, all different kinds of people types rave about this dress. Maharani will chime in with the name of her seamstress, as that the huge issue. In general about commenting multiple times. Hopefully the name you found on Yelp will work out… I get what you said about being picky about fit, as I am identical way. It sounds as if you were not, and in that case is a detail you’d better ask any prospective tailor.

Were you present when the final fitting/hems were done? It is a critical step and could’ve saved the dresses. Europe and have learned that the secret of dressing well is having core wardrobe items either custom made or altered. Thanks for giving us the name of your seamstress. Hopefully, there going to be readers in her area who can benefit from her services! Needless to say, my husband gets all his shirts custom made and he is very happy with them. My background in sewing has made me quality conscious. He had trouble finding shirts to fit him off the rack, he’s tall with long arms. It seems that more men have garments custom made than women. That’s right! Still haven’t made anything I should actually wear.

There can be a steep learning curve according to what you like. Especially as I found some fabric in a problem to find color/fabric that I’m afraid to ruin. Finding the right fabrics was the most difficult part, and these days, finding enough time. FrugalFashionista that it’s probably best learned from a master. It may take a small amount of work to find them but having clothes that really fit and enhance your figure is worth the investment. This is the case. Plenty of larger cities have a custom tailor shop or two that also provide custom clothing for women there’s one about 5 blocks from my house. Maharani’s post for some amount of time and it’s full of good information. She found really talented seamstresses who were also pattern makers and could do custom work.

Midwestern city and found a wonderful seamstress who also did custom work and she was fantastic!

This was especially critical since neither friend knew anything about sewing or fabrics.

Friend had a costume maker from a local theater make her nontraditional wedding dress so pretty. Midwestern city and she added custom fabrication of clothes to her business model on the basis of customer demand. Certainly, folks, look, there’re tailors and seamstresses out there who can make custom clothing for women or do significant alterations. Glad you liked this post, Dottie! Therefore, googled san diego custom women’s clothing and found a few options in my area. They will likely do other kinds of garments types as well if asked, most seem to focus more on professional and formal wear. It may be a decent introduction to the process of getting clothing custom made, they don’t offer as many options as a ‘brick and mortar’ custom seamstress.

By the way I will be sure to write about it, if I decide to give it a go. They seem to have things very dialed in for ‘lowcost’ custom clothing and offer in general. Actually, it never hurts to ask if they also do other kinds of custom types work or my be open to doing so. Leah. Generally, please we need to know if your lead works out. Only one similar experience I have is with having tailors/seamstresses to alter pants hems and jacket shoulders/waist. I’m sure you heard about this. Dottie in that the cost per wear would’ve been higher with a custom made piece.

Maharani. Kim. Should be willing to give private lessons. Nonetheless, you will soon learn that everyone has another opinion about how to do things, look, there’re lots of online tutorials for sewing through sites like Craftsy. Normally, this seems like a winwin situation, as I’m sure many retired teachers will enjoy the opportunity to a little of extra money. My grandmother sewed and made a lot for sharing these ideas. However, the explained what really is better sewing machine out there and showed how to fit sleeves and put on zippers.

Did you know that the home ec teachers showed how you make patterns, add seam allowances, cut the fabric and the they showed how to press each seam.

My mother has always made something in the premises but she didn’t have a method and her clothes weren’t super well made.

The results were really professional looking! Quite a few women have no clue how to discern good quality from poor quality these days. Sounds like you learned plenty of valuable information. You know better what to look for in regards to quality when shopping, since you learned how to sew. Considering the above said. Look, there’re a bunch of great tutorials for various sewing techniques to really get a professional looking garment. It is for those interested in learning to sew I really recommend the Colette Patterns blog. Sarai has also just done a detailed series on wardrobe planning for sewists that your readers they have been donated long, long time ago in the past. Fast forward two decades. We recently got rid of both as they had become very dated. Thanks for sharing your story. Some info can be found easily on the web. Sounds like you’ve gotten a great cost per wear out of it. You should take this seriously. My husband had a suit and a sportcoat custommade in Hong Kong years ago.

My main worry my be around not trusting myself enough to know what I will like and wear, as for spending $ 350 on a garment.

I worry about clothes, dO spend that kind of money on handbags and shoes.

i know that custom made clothing is certainly not for everyone. For me, $ 350 for a really well made piece of clothing is worth it. On the subject of cost, everyone is differentI happen to like classic clothes and keep them for years. I’m guessing the way garments are made is what has shifted, my body is much really similar. That is interesting right? You are very fortunate, Meli! You see, one reason why I like to shop at Nordstrom’s is as long as they have tailoring on site.

It CAN be a problem to find an ideal tailor!

Nordstrom and their on site tailoring.

To be honest I depend upon tailoring to get the right fit, loads of people can easily fit clothes off the rack. Maharani! Now pay attention please. My husband had a similar experience with suits in Hong Kong years ago. A well-known fact that is. Asia, and it’s not surprising that a lot of better tailors in the are from Vietnam and many other Asian countries. It sounds like you mostly had an ideal experience with custom tailoring. Now let me tell you something. Actually the name came from The Professional Association of Custom Clotheirs but I guess they call themselves The Association of Sewing and Design Professionals now. Now please pay attention. I live in a fairly large metropolitan areand I thought there must be someone closer, not amount of professional construction and stuff -you a lot for sharing these wonderful resources, Lisa!

Actually I am an easy fit off the rack, like Meli.

All of my clothing was custom made until I was in the 7th grade.

By age 13, I didn’t like wearing custom made clothing since I didn’t fit in sartorially with my classmates. Girls will often wear identical outfits, and it gave a feeling of belonging, I went to public school and we weren’t required to wear an uniform. Notice that this uniform approach was replaced by a hippie look where we all began to strive for individuality, when I was an older teen. It’s a well since I am easy to fit, as an adult I’ve chosen to buy off the rack.

My sewing days came to an end for lack of time, when I became a mom and worked full scale. Thanks for sharing your custom clothing story and evolution with us. Options were MUCH wider, when I came to the US in 1981. One problem here’s that since people no longer sew, the fabric options in stores have declined. Now regarding the aforementioned fact… Dottie that I know it’s better to have one amazing pair of pants or the 5 cheap that don’t flatter. Like so many others who commented off the rack works very well for me wrt pants but I do still get items tweaked at the tailor as I like a slight fitted top or -sometimes have the bottoms done to fit abit closer through these areas). Notice, thanks for sharing your story and some great resources. How fortunate that you found the fit model measurements for many brands.

While growing up loads of my clothes were custom made for me by my grandmother.

Therefore I will describe to her what the other girls at school were wearing that I wanted to copy, and we shopped for patterns, and fabric and she made what ever I wanted, including details that gave me my own style, and a perfect fit, as a teenager we will sit down together and look at Seventeen magazine.

She made my Homecoming and Prom dresses and all of my hippy clothes in the late 1960s and 70s. In college I learned to sew my own hippy clothes -long skirts and tops created from that fabric from India we all loved to wear back so. You can find more information about it on this site. My skill is limited and I don’t love to sew, years later when I was in my 30s I sewed simple outfits for myself. i do love custom made clothing. You should take it into account. Sounds like you were very fortunate as a young girl with your grandmother.

You still have some useful knowledge that quite a few of us don’t have and I’m sure you are better able to discern good quality clothing.

How great that she been able to recreate looks for you from Seventeen magazine!

Even if you don’t love it, it’s also wonderful that you learned how to sew. So, new Zealand on my honeymoon. As someone who enjoys shopping I’m successful at finding clothing that fits. Unless I look for something I can’t find I wouldn’t spend the money and time with a tailor since I can usually find it readytowear. Custom clothing is an excellent option for those who hate to shop or for people who have more money than time. I might be willing to throw my hat into the custom clothing ring, I’m now getting frustrated at NOT being able to find a decent point. I’ve always enjoyed shopping and didn’t mind taking the time to find things I liked that fit me well, like you.