Plus sizes in the Bridal industry Posted 4/27/15

I Worked in the Bridal Industry and Couldn’t Believe the Size Discrimination I Witnessed There

by xoJane ( ) Sunday, April 26th 2015 at 1:23 pm 

by Autumn Krause
I loved working at a bridal salon in Beverly Hills. I remember, on my first day, reverentially running my fingers over the skirt of an Elie Saab and gasping at a one-of-a-kind Valentino gown.
As a fashion enthusiast, it was my personal paradise. I loved trying on couture dresses that I would never otherwise touch or even see.

Before this, the most expensive clothing item I’d ever worn was a pair of $80 Guess Jeans.

I was immediately seduced by this new world, so much so that it took hindsight to realize what a crazy place it was. Not until recently did I reflect on how wealth, fame, and physical beauty were used as a currency, with one’s value rising with the combination of the three.
The salon was definitely skewed toward that trifecta, as reflective of its geographical position in Beverly Hills. It typically wasn’t bothersome—the salon was there to make money and that was the best way to do it.

A lot of the brides were traditionally beautiful and thin. I was obsessed with this bride’s style and loved working with her. Isn’t that short hair PERFECT?

But one thing that perplexed me was the way plus-sized women were excluded from the experiences offered to their skinnier counterparts. It didn’t make sense to me because they were a lucrative demographic.
To be fair, my salon wasn’t specifically to blame—it was merely reflective of the bridal industry’s attitude toward full-figured women. It basically equated this. Skinny=yay!/Not Skinny=there isn’t much here for you. Through my time there, I noticed, over and over again, the ways the bridal industry fails brides who are larger than a size 16.
Sample Sizes
Designer bridal salons carry one sample of each gown and it is clipped to each specific bride’s dimensions. I was an expert at wielding our industrial-strength woodworking clamps around the zippers of the gowns, molding them to my customer’s body.
The sample sizes were 8-12. But keep in mind. That’s 8-12 in bridal sizes which then translates to streetwear sizes of 6-10. That means plus-sized women couldn’t try on gowns the same way, if at all. I remember once telling a woman,
“So we will need to open up this bust cup through a special order. These seams on the side will come over about three inches.”
I went on, trying to explain to this woman how the B-cup, size 10 bridal gown would look in her proportions. I did my best, trying to help her visualize something that did not yet exist.
Our salon featured about 300 gowns and, out of all of them, there were about 12 in a size 16 or larger. Trunk shows (where a designer sends a curated selection of their upcoming gowns or bestsellers) were even worse. Once, as I unpacked gown after gown for a show, I noticed that most of the sizes were 2-6.

You knew a gown was tiny when it didn’t fit the mannequin.

Some of them were even runway samples, which basically means they were tailored for a professional model (i.e.,: a marvel of nature who is 5’9 and has a 24 or 25 inch waist).
Sometimes brides ordered a gown without trying it on because they loved the way it looked even though they couldn’t put it on. It’s a crazy thing to expect of any bride. Those appointments stand out in my mind. We would sit down together and slowly work through what would suit her figure, personality and style.
Other times, I would hold the dresses up in front of the brides, trying to approximate a sense of how it would look, the same way you would hold up a paper dress on a paper doll. I hated it when the bride’s mother or friend would obsess with finding a flattering gown, often at the cost of the bride’s personal taste. I felt like I failed when a bride settled on a gown solely because she looked skinny in it.
Wrong Perspective on Styling
Consultants tried to skip appointments with heavier brides, simply because there wasn’t much to show them. However, I always admired these women who came to our salon, determined to find a gown despite the challenges. I appreciated them because they were intelligent, vibrant women who were grounded in themselves and their relationships. I have to say it—usually they were nicer than the other brides. And they had great taste.
I actually preferred these appointments. I loved the brides and I learned so much about fashion and body types. For example, most salons will automatically grab the nearest ball gown or A-line for these brides in an attempt to cover them up in tent-like gowns. That, in my opinion, is the completely wrong way to approach plus size brides.
Proportion should determine silhouette, not size. I had a gorgeous green-eyed bride with the blackest hair I had ever seen. She was a size 20 and her figure was beautifully balanced. When she tried on a mermaid gown (which was only possible because the seam was split all the way down the back from a previous customer), and turned to the mirror, she gasped.
“I didn’t know I could wear this!” she said. The gown had ruched organza through the torso and hips and exploded into a profusion of ruffles at the bottom. I slipped a silk flower into her long, wavy hair and she looked like a vintage princess from Spain. I was as awed as she was. And I can promise you this—every eye on that salon was on her, not the other cookie-cutter thin brides around her.
If a bride wasn’t proportional (and super skinny brides were just as often disproportional as others), I marveled at the ways fashion compensated. With the appropriate use of structured bodices, crinoline, and tailoring, any woman could look absolutely exquisite. And that’s the strange thing about fashion. It can be exclusive and inaccessible for many yet, when used correctly, it redefines the figure, playing up strengths and downplaying perceived weaknesses.
Limited Size Charts and Extra Fees
While I loved styling these brides and celebrating with them when they found the one, I dreaded ringing them up. From that point on, I couldn’t hide the fact that the bridal industry is downright cruel to anyone who is a size 18 or up.
First of all, any bride who fell in a size 18 or up would be slapped with a surcharge. This could add anywhere from 10% to 15% to the bride’s order. 15% of a $7500 gown is a whopping $1,125! In what universe is that OK? Yes, it does take extra fabric to make larger sizes, but $1,125 can buy you a plane ticket to Europe.

Even the belts were sometimes too small to fit a bride’s waist. They could be extended. For a fee.

Other times, certain size charts didn’t extend past a size 20. I remember explaining to a bride that the gown she loved wasn’t cut in her size.

This size chart didn’t go past 20.

“You can lose the weight,” her friend immediately interjected. “Just do whatever it takes. This is important.”
I also had a bride who absolutely loved a certain gown but it wasn’t stocked in her size. She ordered two of the same gown. Two.
“Do you feel OK doing this?” I asked her. She nodded and said,
“I know what I want but I can’t find it my size. This is the only way.”
Our seamstress pieced it together into one. It turned out beautifully but it was ridiculous that she had to resort to this, spending double.
Oftentimes, if we called the designer, they would recut a pattern for a bride but it came at an even larger cost. I wondered why the size charts were so limited, especially when they already ran small. Did the designers have a certain image for their gowns? Did they only want skinny girls wearing them? These questions plagued me and once, when a designer came in for a trunk show, I asked him.
“Its fashion, darling.” he replied flippantly. “Just fashion.”
Alterations
The attitude pervading alterations was “She will lose weight.” This was applied to every single bride, no matter her size.
It wasn’t the seamstresses’ faults—in fact, they were loving women who prided themselves on their craft. After seeing brides lose weight time and time again, they delayed alterations so they wouldn’t have to take in the gown twice. So much so that it became a rule: Your gown wasn’t taken in until two weeks prior to your wedding date.
This was fine except it basically assumed that, if you were a good bride, you would actively cut down for your wedding. It boggled my mind. After all, these brides’ partners proposed to them as they were and, theoretically, loved them the way they were.
Despite this, the whole alterations department was structured around the idea of weight loss and it was often perpetrated by the brides themselves. I heard them say these phrases over and over again:
“I have a personal trainer for the wedding.”
“I’m cutting out all carbs.”
“I have time. I can still drop 10 pounds.”
“Take my gown in more. I’m going to lose weight so make it smaller then I am right now.”
ADVICE
If you are a full-figured woman, please know that there are lots of amazing options out there for you and you will look stunning on your wedding day. Here are some things that I hope will be helpful:
1) Go for structured gowns.
Gowns with boning in the bodice will define your gorgeous shape. Thin dresses without internal structure will cling to the form and show every little curve.
2) Don’t automatically get an A-line or ball gown.
Request an experienced consultant who will understand your particular figure. Mermaids can be insanely flattering on plus-sized brides, especially if there is fullness at the bottom to balance the dramatic silhouette. If you do go for an A-line, consider one with a slight dropped waist or slimmer skirt. The idea isn’t to cover you up. It’s to showcase your best assets—and everyone has them!
3) Consider ruching.
Ruching is flattering on everyone. But ruching isn’t one size fits all. Make sure your gown has well-balanced ruching that isn’t too wide. Also, if it draws to one side, go for it! The asymmetry is insanely flattering.
4) Look for silhouettes that define your waist.
Anything that pulls in at your natural waist or lower is flattering. Belts with beaded appliques in the center also draw the eye inward.
(Also: avoid too many pleats in the skirt, gowns with abrupt, horizontal seams. You want a gown that flows beautifully from top to bottom (if there is a straight seam right at the hips or knees, it can widen) shiny fabrics, and overly huge skirts.
5) Finally, MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY.
At the end of the day, don’t get too caught up with rules and the do’s and don’ts. You know yourself. You know your style and your body. Do what feels right to you. The most beautiful brides I’ve seen were comfortable and confident.
Check Out These Designers
Vera Wang — Vera Wang’s gowns are extremely thick and structured in the bodice, more so then many other designers. Her look is great if you like something that borderlines artsy couture.
Maggie Sottero -This designer’s pieces have great mass appeal and a romantic aesthetic. The gowns feature amazing boning and internal corsets to give the perfect amount of definition.

Maggie Sottero is known for her fit.

Wtoo Curves Collection — I personally love how Wtoo’s gowns balance trends and timelessness. The Curves collection is no exception and features stunning gowns for plus sizes.

Allure Women — Allure has an entire line dedicated to full-figured women. I love how the gowns range in silhouette from natural-waist A-lines to beautifully fitted mermaids.
Alfred Angelo — Alfred Angelo does a great job at accommodating all figures at amazing price points. Plus, they definitely get a shout out for having no extra size fees! Other designers should take note.
One to Watch:
Jenny Packham — This designer has always created very thin dresses for thin, small-chested brides. However, Jenny Packham has recently included plus-size brides in her runway debut.

by xoJane

ww.styleite.com/news/i-worked-in-the-bridal-industry-and-couldnt-believe-the-size-discrimination-i-witnessed-there/

Like-minded soul

I read this and felt instantly connected to a like-minded soul!  Enjoy.  ----Katherine

 

5 entrepreneurial lessons from my life as a dressmaker

Erin McKean, Contributing Writer
Sep 16, 2014, 12:35pm CDT

Image provided by Getty Images (Photojope)

Reverb founder Erin McKean is also a prolific sewing blogger. The two have more in common than you might think.

Part of the mythology of the startup entrepreneur is an adolescence spent tinkering. Taking apart small electronics in the garage, building a computer from a kit, assembling a trebuchet in the backyard and scaring the neighbors. Taking things apart and putting them back together again symbolizes the inquisitive, creative, disruptive entrepreneurial mindset, with an additional dose of “I can do it better” arrogance.
Because the world of startup founders is so overwhelmingly male, when we look at an early history of “making” as proof of entrepreneurial destiny, we tend to focus on boys and their toys.
In fact, any sufficiently nerdy activity, if pursued with enough single-minded focus, can prepare you for founding a startup.

See Also

• ​5 principles to thinking like an entrepreneur (even if you work for a large company)
• What Uber's success can teach entrepreneurs
• Do the French need to update their definition of profit?

For me, that sufficiently nerdy activity is sewing. Along with being a tech startup founder, I’m also a longtime sewing blogger and published author of articles about sewing and books about fashion. A lot of what sewing has taught me applies equally well to entrepreneurship.

1. Ignore What Other People Think

When I started sewing back in junior high school, in the depths of the fashion sinkhole known as the 1980s, sewing was deeply uncool. Sewing was what you were forced to do in Home Economics class. In fact, wearing clothes “made by loving hands at home” and therefore being made fun of by other kids is even a sturdy trope of children’s literature.
When you start down the startup path, there is no shortage of people who are willing to tell that what you’re doing will never work, that there are too many other, better options out there, and oh, by the way, you look stupid. Early training in ignoring that kind of feedback is extremely valuable.
Being confident in your ideas – whether you’re working on a new application or a new dress — is essential in realizing your vision. (It’s as important to ignore wrong positive comments as it is to ignore wrong negative comments!)

2. Tweak Until You Get It Right

Often people imagine that sewing a dress is just a matter of finding a pattern, adding some fabric, and emerging from a pop-soundtrack montage a few hours later to twirl in front of the mirror in your perfect garment.
The actual process involves something that’s closer to product development than the ballgown scene in Cinderella. There’s a prototype, which I usually make in ugly (or at least humorous) fabric. I tweak that for fit and other important qualities, such as making sure the pockets are deep enough to hold all my stuff (up to and including an iPad mini). Then I make multiple subsequent versions, each one iterating on some key feature (honestly, usually pockets), until I feel comfortable sewing it up in the (usually expensive) fabric that was my original goal.
In sewing, just as in product design, it’s the folks who expect perfect versions on the first go-round who are the most discouraged when things don’t go to plan. The more comfortable you are with let’s-try-it-and-see, the better things go in the long run.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Let It Go

People who sew have a special word for those projects that are so frustrating, so unrewarding, or so just plain WRONG. We call them “wadders,” as in “just wad them up in the back of the closet and try to forget them.”
It’s tempting to think that you can rescue something that you know in your heart is a wadder with just a little more time, with a little more work, a few more alterations … The truth is, you can’t. Nothing you can do will make something in an itchy fabric completely comfortable. No amount of coaching will help a team member who has radically different goals than the rest of the organization. A product that only gets a tepid “meh” response, no matter how many different audiences you put it in front of, is not a product that will respond dramatically to tweaking.
It can be hard to admit that something you’ve put so much time and effort (and often love) into is destined for the ragbag. But every minute you spend on a wadder is a minute you aren’t sewing something new and rewarding.

4. You Do You

In a startup, it’s always tempting to look around at what everyone else is doing. “Wow,” you think, “startup X is doing great things … maybe we should be trying that too?” Suddenly, pivoting to “Yo for Dogs” seems like a viable idea.
In sewing, there are plenty of people who will teach you how to make a version of whatever’s the hot new fashion, however ill-advised. Leather jeggings? There’s a pattern for that. In the same way that the most successful startup founders aren’t in it to cash in on a me-too idea, the most accomplished seamstresses aren’t merely trying to get a designer wardrobe on the cheap. The highest calling in either endeavor is to create something completely new, something the world wouldn’t have seen if not for your idea. Sometimes that’s a Tetris dress, and sometimes that’s a new take on the dictionary, and sometimes that’s a discovery reader. Sewing gave me the confidence to keep going with my own ideas, instead of producing knockoff versions of other people’s.

5. The Joy of Making

When you get right down to it, sewing is hard work (there’s a reason most fast fashion is produced in sweatshops, in places where people are happy to earn pennies for repetitive, backbreaking labor). Depending on the materials you use and the equipment you invest in, sewing may not save you much money (especially if you factor in the opportunity cost of money-making activities you could have done in the same time). The main reason that people sew, in these days of $2 T-shirts, is because they enjoy it.
Likewise, startups are not (mythology to the contrary) instant tickets to riches and renown. Most startup founders, if they calculated their hourly salaries, would crumple up the paper and throw it away — and then get back to work.
There’s a lot to be said for the psychic paycheck that comes from the joy of making — of taking an idea and bringing it into existence, whether it’s a dress that is exactly what you want, or whether it’s an API that lets other people build what THEY want.
I hope that somewhere out there is another teen bent over a hand-me-down sewing machine, cranking out the nth iteration of her own idea, learning all the skills of inventiveness, persistence, problem-solving, and joyful creation that my years bent over my own sewing machine have taught me. I hope that when she launches her own startup, she’ll let me invest!

Erin McKean is the founder of Reverb , a news discovery app for the iPhone and iPad, and the online dictionary Wordnik.com. Previously, she was the editor in chief of American dictionaries for Oxford University Press. A lexicographer by training, she is also the author of several books, including "Weird and Wonderful Words" and "The Secret Lives of Dresses."

At a Wedding, You Are What You Wear By JOYCE WADLER of the New York Times

 I thought this was funny, but poignant.  All Mothers of the Groom will relate!  Enjoy!--Katherine

I’m going to a wedding this summer, which means once again I am dealing with the sleeve problem. You ladies of a certain age know what I am talking about. There comes a time in your life, even if you have a personal trainer and are taking your meals in the gym, when the muscles and skin on your inner upper arms give up. It’s as if they’re saying: “Oh, the hell with it. Where’s the bar?” They’re just hanging off the bone, exhausted.

I’m feeling pretty buff these days. I’ve lost 20 pounds (I don’t think I’ve mentioned that for two columns), I’ve been training for a bike trip and I still cannot find a dress for an afternoon wedding. The cutest dresses are sleeveless, and I don’t feel I can wear them unless I get a pair of five-pound weights and do repetitions three times a day. I envision my shopping list: 1) sleeveless cocktail dress; 2) weights. This doesn’t seem right.

I don’t like the sleeveless dresses with the little bolero jackets either. The chutzpah of this is appalling: We’re going to sell you something you can wear only if you cover it up. That will be $700. I do understand how these dresses are supposed to work, though. You wear the jacket at the ceremony, then you go to the reception and have a few snorts and toss if off because you have ceased to care.

My only choice, if I insist on sleeves, seems to be to go to the mother-of-the-bride favela on the outskirts of the bridal department and get a long-sleeved garment in navy blue or — shoot me if I ever do this — lavender. I’m not sure what to call the style of these dresses, but if you’ve ever seen those things people put over their toasters, you have a general idea. They might as well have the words “Boring Matron, Has Not Had Sex in Eight Years” emblazoned in sequins.

The plus side, I guess, is that at least I am not the mother of the groom, or, as she is referred to on wedding sites, the MOG. I have had friends go through this, and it is a whole other kind of hell because they need to get outfit approval from the bride’s family. Here is how the wedding planning site The Knot puts it: “Per general etiquette, the MOB is to buy her wedding day frock first and then notify the MOG in a friendly, nonthreatening format.”

I used to think being a bridesmaid was bad, but that is nothing compared to the abasement of being the mother of a groom. Here’s how her shopping experience works:

She sees a dress she loves, she takes a picture, and she sends it to the mother of the bride. The mother of the bride looks at the dress, realizes it’s way more sophisticated than the rag she’s picked out for herself, and texts the mother of the groom:

Gorgeous, but that burnt sienna conflicts with the blackened orange cocktail napkins we’ll be using for the after-party. Don’t hate me, but could you possibly try to find something else? I only ask because I know one day you will want to see your grandchildren.

No detail of the MOG’s outfit is too small. You might think that in a $75,000 wedding in which the bride is decked out in 40 yards of tulle, bearing down on the guests like an 18th-century battleship in full sail, no one will notice the shoes the groom’s mother is wearing, particularly because by the time the bride and her mother are through with her, she will be wearing a navy suit cut like a shoe box. (Navy is not merely the suggested color for a mother-of-the-groom outfit, in some Southern states it is law.)

The MOG may not always hear directly from the MOB on smaller matters of dress, but, just as in the Gestapo, there is a chain of command. The mother of the bride will talk to the bride, who will talk to the groom, who will call his mother. The MOG, who by now is such a nervous wreck that she’s dissolving 1.5-milligram tablets of Klonopin in her morning coffee, will sense something is up because her son will be making this call from a business trip in Dubai.

Hey, Ma, I got a call from the woman who will decide how often we visit when you are in the old-people’s home, and she said you haven’t said a word about your shoes. The wedding is only six months away. No big deal, but could you text her the picture the minute you get off the phone? Otherwise, we’ll be spending every Thanksgiving with her parents.

I went through something like this myself when I was a maid of honor in the late ’60s. The style for weddings then was aggressively anti-establishment; the bridal party was not bound by deadly tradition. My friend the bride, who was following a strict health-food regimen of eight to 10 diet pills a day to maintain a Twiggy-like figure, was going to be wearing a white crochet minidress that fell a good six inches below her behind. I had been scouring Greenwich Village shops for several weeks trying to find something that went with it. This was difficult because, really, nothing went with it.

I had my doubts about the marriage. The groom was bisexual; he was also high-strung, although after weeks of trying to find the right thing to wear, who among the bridal party was not? Anyway, I finally found an understated gray and white dress that couldn’t upstage a nun and got the bride’s approval. Then I got an innocuous pair of white high-heel sandals to go with the dress. Then I got a call from the groom.

“You bought WHITE SHOES!” he screamed. “You’re RUINING my wedding! ONLY THE BRIDE WEARS WHITE!”

He was not such a stickler for tradition on the honeymoon, where he and his wife engaged in a three-way with a fellow whose interest, according to what the bride told me, was focused entirely on the groom. This was also what it looked like in the Polaroids.

It will not surprise you to learn that this marriage did not last. I like to think it had nothing to do with my shoes.

Say "YES" to the dress???? Read this and find out if that dress is right for your alterations budget.

 
April 22, 2013
It's getting warmer and greener outside, and people are coming out of their winter doldrums, which means formal events are soon to follow. Oh yes folks, wedding/prom season is upon us once again. So here we are again with the latest installment of How to Spot Quality: The Bride/Prom Queen Edition.
One of the most common phrases we hear in the studio is "these alterations are costing almost as much as the dress!" Well if you got your dress for a bargain, there is often a reason... and many times that reason is what stands between you and a custom fitted garment. In order for clothing to be made cheaply, it must be made quickly, and on a massive scale.
This is not to say you need to spend a grand on a perfectly made-for-you dress every time you need to attend a formal event. There are, however, many immediate indicators for how expensive your alterations will be, and you can decide from there whether you really want the dress. Think of it as an emotional as well as a monetary investment, not unlike purchasing a new car. You want to check out all the features and quirks of the vehicle before you buy; you wouldn't just walk off the lot with the first flashy red sports car you see just because you look really good next it. You would want to know things like the MPG, how expensive the tires are to replace, and whether any parts are currently on recall, so you don't find yourself at the mechanic in two months giving over your vacation money to fix all those little unseen problems.
This same logic can be put toward a dress, and there are a few key things to keep in mind when considering your purchase (or your bridesmaids' purchase.)
CHIFFON
We all love the drape and flow of chiffon, but let me tell you it is a pain to hem, and it can quickly get expensive. The most prominent issue with chiffon is when it does something called "jump" after it has been hemmed. This often occurs overnight or in the hours between hemming and pickup, in cases when several inches have been trimmed off. With the weight of those trimmed inches off, the fabric can bounce back up or sag down in a different way than it was when the hem was marked, making an uneven hem. And then when the hem has been evened out after it has jumped, jumping can even occur again if the garment has not had enough time to hang undisturbed and properly get used to gravity at its new weight.
This is common because almost all floor length dresses made in a factory are purposely made several inches longer than even the tallest person would need, partially to ensure the dress will be floor length for anyone, but mostly because it is a lot faster and easier to indiscriminately cut hems without having to worry about whether they are straight or even. Which brings us to...
HEMS
How many hems are in your dress? Unless you are looking at an unlined sheath dress, you have at least two hems. If you have a chiffon overlay, tulle between your shell and lining, and/or multiple layers on your shell, those are all separate hems. If your dress hem is more than 75" around, that usually costs a little more. Chiffon hems can cost a little more as well, due to the issues described above. Just because it is one dress does not mean your seamstress is only taking it up once. Count your hems, and multiply your estimate by that many. And the opposite of hems are...
SEAMS
Do all your seams line up? Seriously, take a close look, because it is quite possible that they don't. Another common victim of factory-made garments are seams, especially at the points where several seams meet. If you have a patterned dress the likelihood that the seams will not match up increases tenfold. There is also a keen possibility that the side seams and/or waist seam are not even or in the same place on either side. If your seams do not match up in a way that flatters your body (and everyone is different; know what works on you and makes you feel beautiful) my recommendation is that you RUN AWAY. If the pattern doesn't match and it bothers you, there is nothing that will salvage that dress after you notice it. Run away!! You could almost get a custom garment with the amount of taking apart and remeasuring and putting back together differently that is required to fix an uneven seam on a formal garment, because it usually has so many...
LAYERS
How many layers are in your dress? your shell is one layer, but then you may have an overlay, and lining, maybe some interfacing, and likely some boning in the bodice. All of that has to be taken in evenly, and if there is boning that has to be removed and then stitched back in. Modern bodices have a good deal of structure to give the silhouette we all think of when we think "bridal" or "prom," and in order to have structure you need several layers to create the stiff skeleton and then put the softer decoration on top. And if that decoration includes...
JEWELS/BEADING
Now we're really cooking. I love sparkles as much as the next person, maybe even more. But if you find yourself falling in love with a beaded bodice, do absolutely everything in your power to ensure that you purchase one that fits. Taking in a jeweled or beaded bodice requires hand-stabilizing each bead along the new seam line, individually crushing the beads inside the new seam allowance, and often (though not always) taking in the entire seam by hand. Hand stitching is a specific and extremely time consuming (not to mention more physically demanding) art, so the more hand stitching is required, the higher the alteration price. Speaking of taking bodices in...
ZIPPER
Where is your zipper? Is it on the side or the back? If it is on the side and the bodice needs taking in, save yourself some grief and move on. It is impossible to take in a bodice with a side seam zipper without removing and repositioning the zipper, much to your wallet's chagrin.
Alright ladies (and gentlemen) when you are out shopping for a formal dress and you are looking for the perfect fit with the perfect price tag, please take this advice to heart. While it may be easy to buy a gorgeous dress off of the clearance rack, it is not always so easy (or cheap) to alter. If it's the dress of your dreams, we are happy to alter it for you, but if you don't want to be the next victim of "my-dress-cost-less-than-these-alterations!" syndrome, be prepared to pick up your garment and investigate it! Remember: chiffon, seams, hem, layers, jewels, and zippers! Good luck!!

Pinterest.com is a site I regularly browse for inspiration and ideas.  So when a new client brought me her jean shorts to alter, I was totally aware of the look she wanted having seen the idea on Pinterest.  Here is how it turned out !   We added lace to the right front and left side above the pocket.  She was thrilled with the results.  
 Bring me your ideas, and let me execute them for you.  A project like this is lots of fun!

June 2012

June 2012

Alterations are the largest sector of what makes up Katherine's Design and Alterations.  That being said, when I get a creative design project from a client, it confirms the reason the business was started in the first place, that is, as an outlet for creativity and joy.  
     This spring, a client brought me her mother's wedding gown to create an heirloom piece for her twin sons' baptism.  The expense of baptismal gowns prompted us to think of making a blanket for each son using parts from the original wedding gown.  The photo above is the finished product.  I was able to cut off all the lace from the gown and the veil to use on a white bridal satin left over from another job and backed it with a white flannel.  Using the lace I bordered each blanket with the veil lace and had only three inches to spare!  Whew!  I then used the lace that was on the organza sleeves and on the center front of the bodice to add on a diagonal, and used one of the satin ribbon ties on each blanket.  In order to differentiate one blanket from the other, I embroidered the child's name and baptismal date on the back flannel corner.  
    I received a phone call from the grandmother of the twins last week expressing her great satisfaction and joy at seeing the two blankets.  She said she received many compliments from her friends and relatives at what a wonderful idea to have the blankets made and the beautiful craftsmanship.  (her words, not mine)  

Embroidery on back side

  You would be amazed at the amount of time it took to design and construct them.  I thought it might take 1 1/2 to 2 hours each, but it ended up more like 4 hours each!  Definitely a labor of love for the art.  I hope you enjoy seeing them and that it prompts you to re-purpose something YOU have in your wardrobe!

Portland--a mecca for fashion fabric enthusiasts!

October 2011


I just got home from Portland, OR where I was attending the annual Association of Sewing and Design Professionals conference. While I was there, I took a class in advanced draping techniques that was so fast-paced I wasn't sure I could keep up. It was great fun to see how the couture designers achieve the looks they produce with all the twists and turns off the cloth. I look forward to our Wisconsin chapter meeting where I will demonstrate what I learned to those members who did not get to the conference. You all know, you learn more when you teach than when you learn it initially, right? We also took a bus tour of the major fabric stores in Portland. What a mecca for fashion fabric enthusiasts! We all thought we had died and gone to heaven. The quality and variety of fabric at price points we thought HAD to have been a mistake sent us into heightened elation.
Another class I took was called "Sew Much Style" by Nancy Nix-Rice. Nancy is a professional colorist and wardrobe consultant who was teaching us to "see" how color in your clothing affects how others perceive you. I was fortunate to get an appointment with Nancy the next day to do a full color analysis so when I did my fabric shopping, I would make choices that flattered my coloring. It was interesting to find I had several pieces along on the trip that, when combined with some new jewelry and some really cool, thin shoulder pads, several acquaintances remarked at how nice I looked! I was amazed that such small changes could make such a profound difference! I get so enthused at learning so many new things that I can put to use on my client work...so give me a call...let's see what we can design for YOU!

What to look for in choosing a designer or alteration specialist

Choosing a Sewing and Design Professional

When you contact an Association of Sewing and Design Professionals member, he or she will ask you about your project, time line, and budget. Your sewing pro will probably ask to see you in person to talk about your project before quoting a price. Some sewing pros charge a consultation fee, which may later be applied toward the cost of your project.

At your first meeting, be sure to ask questions! Association members welcome your questions about the type of work they do, their education and training, and how long they've been in business. Ask to see photos or samples of their work, and ask for references. Many members also have websites where you can learn more about them and view photos of their work.

For custom garments, you'll want to bring your design ideas with you to the initial consultation. Photos, sketches, sample garments and fabric swatches are all helpful. Your sewing pro may also invite you to email links to websites with designs you like so he or she can take a look at them before you meet in person.

Design details, fabrics, trims, pattern development, fitting issues, and anticipated sewing time all affect the price of a custom garment. Your sewing pro will explain the options available to you and then quote pricing according to the choices you've made. Custom garments are usually more expensive than ready-to-wear, but there are no additional alterations charges to factor in. Your custom garment will be the style, color and fit that flatters you best.

For alterations, you'll need to bring or wear the undergarments and shoes you plan to wear with the garment being altered. Pricing will depend on the work needed to improve the fit and the way the garment was originally constructed. Specialty alterations on garments such as wedding gowns may require more than one fitting.

from the website of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals

                                                           July 2011

How to choose clothing that looks good on you!

7/16/2011

OK, when I go to a store, I am always looking for a bargain, but I get discouraged because bargain items are generally not found in my size. So then I look for ANYthing in my size. I might find 5 or 6 items, take them into the dressing room and 3 actually fit. How do I know if they look good on me?
How do YOU know what looks good on YOU? Do you take a friend you can trust who will be brutally honest with you? I have clients who purchase garments and then make an appointment with me because they know that I WILL be honest with them. That doesn't mean that they will always listen to what I say, but they WILL take my advice into account as they decide what to keep and what to return.
One client in particular really takes buying clothes seriously and does not want to make a mistake by buying something that does NOT look good on her, or cannot be altered to fit her well. She actually has had her husband take photos of her in her undergarments. She then traced around her body shape, hair and face, and took this tracing to her copy machine and made it a convenient size to fit in a small notebook for her purse. When she finds something she is interested in buying, she draws the outfit on her body and looks for balance, proportion and style. She then evaluates how it will fit in with the rest of this season's wardrobe, and makes an intelligent decision. Wow! The garments she brings to me have really been scrutinized and she has a BEAUTIFUL wardrobe of clothes.

Aladdin Costumes for Miss Leah's Dance Studio, Watertown, WI

Miss Leah's Dance Studio   April 2011

What fun to see my original costumes perform on-stage! The girls danced like the wind and the reviews from the girls and their parents on the fit, style, and value of the costumes were wonderful to hear. There were 8 girls, and no two were sized alike, so alas, I had to draft 8 different patterns! The most fun part was sourcing for the fabric. The harem pants were made from a royal blue with silver sparkles, and I used the same fabric in gold for the belts. The vest was a beautiful purple brocade with colorful butterflies woven into it. To top it all off, were some shimmering hair ties. I'd say they were lots of work, but most certainly one of my most fun projects this year! YAY for the fabulous job Miss Leah did in teaching these girls jazz and ballet!


                                               

The Beginning of a very busy season

April 2011
In the alterations and custom sewing business, we have two seasons....busy, with Bridal, Prom and Homecoming, and the not so busy....Alterations and repairs come in both of our seasons. So if you need your pants hemmed, or your husband tore a hole in his jeans sliding into home plate, we really welcome the change of pace this gives us when we are up to our eyeballs in alligators with prom dresses. Here at Katherine's we all love what we do and really, really love the variety it gives us. If we had to do bridesmaid dresses every day all year, we'd get stagnant. What sparks our creative thinking is when you bring in a special challenge...a garment with a difficult fabric, hunting pants with zippers and ties at the hem that need shortening, holes in a beautiful suit you just don't want to give up. These things all make us work for a beautiful solution to a seemingly difficult problem for you. For instance, a young lady brought us a gorgeous silk sleeveless top she purchased online. She was so excited when her package came, she quickly opened the box with a razor blade, essentially cutting slits in her top. We were able to hem the top so

Fun Custom outfit

One of the most fun things we do here at Katherine's Design is to take a client's ideas and put them first to paper and then into fabric. This photo shows just that. The client needed an outfit to wear to her son's wedding, but she had some unique fitting issues. So I took some photos of her and drew some designs based on some patterns she had purchased. The fabric is what made this garment just pop with interest. The side drape not only camoflaged a fit issue, but its movement made everything sparkle. The base for the top and the pant were made from a beautiful stretch silk charmeuse...it feels so soft! The sparkly top layer of the top was a sequinned silk chiffon. The client was going to wear this to her son's beach wedding, so it had to be easy to care for, cool and comfortable. I think we were able to accomplish all that, and she looked wonderful. This is what makes us happy...fabulous fabric, great clients and a happy ending!
                            March 2011

Why don't store-bought clothes fit?

November 2010
 

Are You Well Endowed?

If your bra cup size is anything more than a B, then ready-to-wear (RTW) clothing made of woven fabrics will not fit.

T-shirts, sweaters, and other garments made from knitted fabrics will stretch to cover the subject, but most women who are amply endowed like to wear clothes made of woven fabrics, and they like to wear clothes that are fitted to their figures. In earlier decades, women almost always wore very fitted clothing, like the costumes on the television show Mad Men. Nowadays, most of the clothes that we wear are looser by design, but for formal attire, like wedding gowns, a close and precise fit is essential.

Most women know their correct bra cup size, but did you know that clothes have a cup size, too? They have to. A bra has to fit your breast size, and fitted clothes have to fit correctly over that bra.

Most clothing sold today is drafted to fit a B cup. Most commercial sewing patterns are also drafted to fit a B cup. If you are a C,D, E, F, G, H or I cup, you are out of luck when it comes to RTW. There are important reasons for this shortcoming.

Drafting is the process of drawing the complicated shapes of the pieces of cloth that make up the clothes that we wear. Some garments only have 3-4 pieces of fabric in them, such as a tank top, which might have a front, back, and maybe a neck and armscye (armhole) binding. Other garments can have 40 or more pieces of fabric in them, such as a menswear-styled tailored jacket or a woman's wedding gown. When the shapes of these pieces are drafted, each of the individual pieces must be the right length, width, and shape to fit the various parts of the wearer's body; each of them must fit together precisely; and each of them must comprise the intended design of the garment after they are sewn together. That's complicated!

Drafting garments is a very technical process. There are generally two approaches to figuring out what size and shape to make the pieces that make up a garment.

One is draping. With this method, pieces of inexpensive fabric, usually muslin, are layed over a dressform that has the intended design lines, such as seam lines, neck lines, and so on marked on it with black tape so the draper can see the lines through the muslin. While paying very carefull attention to grainlines (the direction of the weave of the fabric), the draper uses her hands to "sculpt" the fabric into the intended design, pinning and cutting as needed. When the drape is completed, the right and left sides are trued, or adjusted, construction lines are marked, and seam allowances are added so that the garment can be cut and sewn. Draping works well, especially for some types of garments, but in the RTW industry the draping is nearly always done on a standardized dressform that is tall, thin, and has a B cup size. Sometimes draping is done on an actual figure, but in RTW, that figure is always about the same as a commercial dressform: no G cups to be found in industry.

The second method is flat drafting. There are hundreds of hand drafting systems around that use paper, pencil, rulers, compass and other tools much as an architect would draw a blueprint, using the basic principles of geometry. Nowadays, drafting is nearly always done by computer using Auto-CAD programs. After the first pattern drape or draft is completed, all the pattern pieces for a garment are enlarged in length and width to make larger garment sizes using a process called grading. The grading process assumes that everyone gets proportionally and regularly taller as they get bigger around (we wish), and it assumes that no one has any figure variations, in other words, that we look like standardized dressforms.


When fitting women's busts (the polite and professional term for "the girls"), this process gets even more complicated. Breasts vary tremendously in size, shape, and position on the torso. As anyone who has tried to follow those little measurement charts in lingerie catalogues to order a bra can tell you, there is much more to cup size than numbers.

Cup size is really a kind of short-hand way of describing the difference in circumferences around the torso from the chest above the bust, to the fullest part of the bust, to the torso just below the bust. Cup size also describes the volume of the breasts.

To explain this geometrically, the base of a breast is basically a circle. Imagine two circles drawn on your chest where your breasts are. The size of these circles varies tremendously with the size of the woman. For a tiny woman, that circle might have a diameter of 5 inches, while a large woman's breasts might be represented by a circle that is 10 inches in diameter. If you remove a segment, (think of taking a slice out of a pie) from this imaginary circle, and then you bring the cut edges together, you get a cone shape, which looks like a breast! If you take out a relatively smaller segment, the cone on its base will not be very high. If you take a larger slice, the resulting cone shape will sit up much higher. The larger segment or slice corresponds to a larger cup size. Both the size of the circle and the size of the segment vary with body and breast size, and they need to vary with garment size and cup size to fit each body.

Those pie shaped segments are like darts in fitted garments. Darts are those triangular or diamond shaped folds that are stitched down inside a garment to fit the bust, as well as other areas of a body. The size of these darts must correspond to the cup size of the wearer or the garment will not fit correctly. The position of the darts on a garment must also correspond to the position of the bust on the torso.

Even more complicated, many garments are not fitted only with darts, but with dart equivalents, such as gathers, pleats, tucks, shaped seams such as princess seams, yokes, and so on. The fit for the bust can be hidden in numerous design details.

Because RTW is mass marketed, profit is far more important than fit. That is why RTW doesn't even bother to tackle the cup size issue, and consumers just buy what they can find.

Alterations can help, but if you are well endowded, you need custom clothing that has been adjusted to fit your cup size, or you need to adjust patterns for cup size if you sew for yourself.

More later on how to judge good fit.

Today is National Ride Your Bike to Work day. As I listened to the news this morning, I was thinking that I should get my bike out and pump up the tires and go for a ride while the wonderful weather lasts. My husband pipes up and says, "I don't think you should do that." Puzzled, I asked what he meant. "Don't ride your bike to work today." Still not "getting it", he went on to say, "I don't think you would make it down the stairs"! My studio is on the lower level of our home! OK, so you had to be there. Another guest on one of the morning shows had written a book about the little things that make you smile. Like the smell of bacon cooking, or the first bloom of the spring. We have much to be thankful for, and many of them are just that...little things. The husband who makes me smile all day. My intern who "gets" it and can get through a complicated Vogue pattern with minimal supervision. The client who is truly thankful for a job well done and gives me a hug. I LOVE those moments! I think if we think on these little things we receive great joy and the rest of life fades a little and is not as overwhelming. Enjoy the day! Ride your bike today!

Busy Bridal Season

The machines here at Katherine's Design & Alterations are humming away all day (and sometimes deep into the night!). My intern, Elena, graduated from Mount Mary College this past Saturday, and is now working every day for me! It will be so nice to work with someone who really knows her stuff! Elena wants to specialize in the Bridal market, so this time of year is right up her alley. Hopefully she will help to shorten the turn-around time for our schedule and learn a lot with all the Bridal gowns and Bridesmaid dresses that are coming in.
Don't forget to keep us in mind for even the simplest repairs and alterations. We work hard to give you a perfect fit on your garments, but we can also repair holes, replace buttons, and make a favorite outfit last longer.

Prom Season, Bridal Season

Prom season has come and gone. I did 9 prom dresses this year, half that of last year. ... Maybe due to the economy? The dresses were very diverse, some being beaded columns, and others that looked like Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Most were much more tasteful than in previous years which was a nice change of pace. The one that caught my eye was a beautiful, silk charmeuse dress that was SO colorful that you couldn't stop looking at it! It was a dream to hem, and it was SO soft and silky against your skin, I imagine it was like wearing a breeze. I LOVE to see all the different styles, colors, and personalities.



Wedding season is now if full swing. thanks to David's Bridal, I don't see too many innovative Bridesmaid dresses, but the Bridal gowns are each unique in their design and construction. It is so satisfying to take a dress that needs work and fulfill the vision the bride has of herself for her wedding day! I learn something new from almost EVERY dress I work on! Brides, remember...I can always make a Christening/ Baptismal gown for your first baby from your wedding dress. What a wonderful memory you create when you put your gown to use in this way!

Style and Custom Fit Clothing

This is January 2010. When I was a kid I never dreamed I'd still be alive in 2010! Not only am I alive, but I'm enjoying my life more than ever! Last month I took an opportunity to attend a wonderful retreat on the Rock River near Rockford, IL. The retreat is held during our "catch up" season before we get so busy that we don't have a minute to spare for ourselves. Fourteen women, all members of the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals get together once a year with one stipulation--no client work! Some plan the weekend down to the minutest detail, and others just wing it, but each year I am amazed at the quantity and quality of work accomplished by these extremely talented women.
Last year at retreat, I wanted to use the wisdom of these fitting specialists to help me perfect a pattern for pants for myself. Being a large woman with many curves proved to be quite a challenge, and though it was not perfected, I got a great start. This year, I brought last years' pattern, and with the help of 3 wonderful friends, was able to get the pattern perfected from waist through the hip. So you can see, custom sewing for people is an art and can sometimes take quite a long time to get it right. I am anxiously awaiting the results of my first pair of beautifully fit pants!
STYLE
We humans are complex creatures. Most of us do not fit in one body shape and we each have different roles to fill in our lives which necessitates a combination of styles in our wardrobe. What is your style? Make a list for yourself: Ethnic, Elegant, Feminine, Simple, Homespun, Casual, Tailored, Timeless, Soft, Structured, Eclectic...add your own adjectives. We also have color preferences, and I was once told that the colors you are most attracted to are the ones that look best on you. Do you like the jewel tones, pastels, bright, warm, dull, cheery, cool or sophisticated colors? Of course, we must NEVER rule out a color because we are not drawn to it, but can use it as an accent piece. Finally, what are your favorite surface textures? Maybe you have never thought about surface texture. My first instinct is to touch the garments on a rack. I LOVE things that are very soft, flowey, that feel good on the skin. Silk, cotton, microfiber are on the top of my list. Other textures you might like are smooth, shiny, sparkly, crinkled, rough, bumpy, twill (as in jeans) or plain weave.
When you have clothing made for you, you have so many more options than one who purchases her garments from a retail store. You can choose your colors, textures and styles to suit your personal preferences and lifestyle as well as getting the perfect fit. Though it takes more thought and time to get a one-of-a-kind outfit, the end results can epitomize who you are and can last for many, many years!

Individual Fit

A good fitting garment creates the illusion that your body is symmetrical and well proportioned. You are not required to have a perfect body in order to get a good fit, but the clothes you wear should enhance the body you have. Remember, people usually see you from a distance of at least five feet. What they notice is your body outline and how your clothes hang, so you must learn to see yourself as others see you. You can do this by standing at least five feet away from a full length mirror. Now turn down the lights a bit. Look at general proportions, height and outline. One of the biggest "aha" moments comes when you understand that part of the process of getting a good fit is choosing the correct styles for you as an individual.
My favorite clothes are those that I grab first out of the closet, are comfortable, fit my lifestyle and I feel good in. Make sure you think about and take into consideration your fabric preferences, whether or not you want to dry-clean or launder your garments, what kind of upkeep your lifestyle requires, what kind of clothing you require at home and/or on the job, and what outside interests you have. All these things should be considered when making a purchase or are thinking of having a garment custom made.

Words of Wisdom

I just love this quote by Maya Angelou...enjoy!


"I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow. I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life. I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision. I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

— Maya Angelou

Fit Specialists

What should you look for in an alteration specialist? Everyone wants to look their best, especially in a newly purchased garment. You bought it for a reason, and you want to wear it right away, but it has some fit issues. It may be too long, too wide, or too tight. Your alterations specialist can handle the first two with ease (most of the time), but a garment that is too tight or too short is a whole new can of worms. When you have those fit issues, call your fit specialist for an appointment so he/she can tell you first of all IF the garment is alterable and what it will look like on your body when it is finished. If you feel comfortable with the way it was pin fit to your body and with the estimate and turn around time, let them do their magic on your garment. But remember, we are fit and alteration specialists, not magicians! When you pick up your garment, feel free to ask to try it on. Make sure to look at the work that was done. Look at the finishing of the seams, inspect the hem...kick the tires, so to speak. The garment should look like nothing had been done to it...it should look like the original. If you are pleased with the fit and the alteration, make sure to let your specialist know that. We mostly do this because we're good at it, but we also have to earn an income as well. When we know that you are pleased, we will bend over backwards to continue to do a good job on other things you bring to us AND will help to get you the appointment and turn around time that is convenient for you. Look good, feel good in custom fit clothes.
.............Katherine