So you’ve found the perfect prom dress, but it just doesn’t fit quite right. Don’t despair – it’s rather uncommon to find a dress that will fit you perfectly right off the bat without requiring any alternations. However, in order to look your best on prom night, you’ll need to make sure the dress fits you just right.
What Exactly is the Perfect Fit?
Very few women will fit perfectly into a specific size without a few alterations to the dress. While you and your best friend may each wear a size six, you may find that the same dress will look completely different on each of you. Follow these tips for determining if a prom dress will fit perfectly after alteration:
A Size Larger – It’s much easier to take fabric out of a dress than to add it in to a finished garment. If you find that you fall in between two sizes, it’s a lot easier to purchase the larger size and have it taken in to suit your unique proportions.
Length – If you’re shorter than 5’ 9”, you’ll probably need to have your perfect prom dress hemmed. A word of advice – make sure you wear the shoes you’ll be wearing on prom night so that your dress isn’t hemmed too short. If you’re measured in your bare feet, the seamstress won’t be able to accurately alter your dress, leaving you to either trip on a too-long hemline or tug on a too short skirt all night.
Fabric – Some fabrics are much easier to alter than others. Taffeta and silk can be difficult to work with, so keep this in mind if you choose a dress that needs alterations.
Where to Have the Alterations Done
Finding a seamstress can be one of the biggest hurdles for most women – unless you’ve used the services of a seamstress in the past, you may not have any idea where to start looking. Recommendations are a great place to start, so ask your friends and family members where they’ve had good experiences. Many will have used the same alteration shop for years. However, a backlog of work can extend the alteration time, so you’ll need to call ahead to be sure the seamstress has some availability.
You may also find that one of your friend’s mothers or grandmothers can easily handle the alterations and for much less than a traditional alteration shop. Even your own mother or grandmother may be able to finish the alterations as well, depending on how complicated the changes are. If so, spend some time working alongside them – it’s a great way to spend some quality time with relatives and pick up a new skill at the same time.
Bridal shops are great place to get alterations done. Most stores will be able to complete all the measurements there as well, and some will provide the alterations within just a day or two. In order to make sure the dress fits perfectly, you need to be measured at the bust, waist and hem, so don’t be surprised when the seamstress pulls out her tape measure to get started.
Whatever you decide to do, be sure you have enough time to get the alterations completed. Some seamstresses can have a heavy backload and many will take weeks to complete a job. Also, be sure the seamstress you choose is familiar with the fabric that your dress is made of. Your prom only comes once or twice, and you want to be sure you’ll look absolutely stunning in your beautiful dress.