Thrifting is a great way to find unique wardrobe pieces at an affordable price. It is also a more sustainable and eco-friendly way to shop for clothes! You can get your thrifted items tailored to you for a perfect fit! Altering thrifted garments will give you that customized look without breaking the bank! These tips below will help you find quality and versatile thrifted garments!
Sizing
It is generally best to size up when purchasing a garment because tailors can alter garments to make them smaller. If a garment is too small, making it bigger can be impossible because there is less fabric to work with. For example, jeans are nearly impossible to let out without reconstructing them. This is also applicable to dresses and skirts, if a dress needs to be made 3 sizes bigger, a panel would have to be added. The same is true for pant lengths, if you find pants that are several inches too short, there is not much a tailor can do to make them longer.
At the same time, if a garment is several sizes too big, it can also be difficult to tailor. If you purchase a dress in a size 12 but you are a size 4, the dress would need to be reconstructed. Shop a size up just to be safe! By going up a size, a tailor can see your silhouette in the garment as a baseline for alterations. If you are out thrifting and find jeans or dress pants that are too long, a tailor can easily hem them or even taper them to get the desired fit!
Blemishes
Sometimes, thrifted garments come with a little more than we bargained for. Perhaps you found a beautiful summer dress that you quickly snatched up, only to discover a stain on it after purchasing. Tad More Tailoring offers dry cleaning services that could remove the staining or discoloration from your thrifted items. If you find a hole in a thrifted garment, you could bring it in to your local tailor to repair it. Broken zippers and missing buttons can also be fixed easily by a seamstress.
Quality
While you thrift, search for high quality and durable fabrics that will stand the test of time. Examples include linen, wool, rayon, silk, and cotton. The goal is to find quality pieces that won’t fade or lose their shape with washing, drying, or ironing. Versatility is another important aspect to consider during your search. Costs to preserve a garment, such as repairs and dry cleaning, should be spent on clothing items that will be worn frequently with other wardrobe pieces. Well-made items with quality fabrics will be much easier to alter and they will last longer!