The Fit is Everything to Look Your Best!

Today's concept that "one size fits most" has conditioned us over time until we're not familiar with what a good fit looks like and this causes us to settle for less. For manufacturers to make garments that are cost effective, they have had to create sizes and fit us to them. That's right, we've been taught to find the nearest fit to our bodies and settle while styles have become increasing unstructured making a great fit unnecessary.

This is fine for clothes to knock around in, but getting a great fit can be the difference between looking stunning or looking "not right".  Problem is - we're terribly unfamiliar with what a great fit looks like these days.

And almost nobody fits one size perfectly.  

When dressing up - fit is everything! That dress or tux may be incredibly gorgeous and expensive, but if it doesn't fit right you're not going to look your best. A great fit should enhance your best points and not emphasize your less-than-perfect. Somebody standing right next to you may have spent much less but look they like a million with a great fit! That's not to say that you can wear an ugly garment and look great if it fits right, but it sure does help.

Keys to looking great:

Select a style that will be great on you (not your friend, the model or the mannequin). The style should emphasize your great features and diminish your less-than-perfect attributes. Know your body and coloring - and be honest. Just because you love it doesn't mean that it will love you.
Make sure you select the right initial size.  With width must be wide enough for your widest point and the length must be long enough. You can have it shortened or made more narrow but cannot add width or length to the wrong size. It should never pull anywhere. Pick the right basic size first then . . .
Have it altered to fit perfectly by a qualified professional. Altering can be the difference between so-so and stunning!

After a state final last fall I overheard one mother saying "The Judges just don't like this dress!" Standing back I could clearly see the problem. The dress was gorgeous and a wonderful color on her child! But it wasn't working well on her. The basque (V) waistline was far too low causing it to come down under and below her rounded "baby bell". It's perfectly normal for a child her age to have the classic egg-shaped tummy, but the heavily stoned vibrantly colored gown was acting like a neon sign screaming "round tummy here!". She needed to have the bodice shortened, which could have made it very flattering.

A too-long bodice like that is a very common problem. So is a gaping neckline. An ill-fitting bustline is frequently seen on girls who are pre-teen and young teens in between size ranges - no longer in a child's sizes but not yet developed enough for a Jr. Miss. This can usually be corrected; some times it's just a matter of changing or adding a dart.

Don't fall in love with the outfit and assume that it's going to make you look terrific. We have to look in the mirror with fresh eyes, really see ourselves and accept that almost any garment should be adjusted to look and fit much better. If something doesn't look quite right, it likely needs to be adjusted.  While formal wear should have a formal fit that is close, it should never pull or be uncomfortable. This may not be necessary for every day wear, but it is critical when we simply must look our best!

The final key:

Just like anything else, the quality of the professional directly effects the quality of the outcome. Alterations are a specialty. The lady down the street may sew, but is she a trained, qualified alterations specialist?

Have it altered by a professional specializing in the type of work you need; one who really knows what they are doing. Training is everything. Just like doctors practice their specialty, so do seamstresses and alterationists. For dresses and gowns, that's a bridal or pageant specialist. For suits and tuxedos, it's a tailor.

Be courteous but firm. If it is an independent seamstress, ask to see samples of their work or at least a photo album of work they have completed. If the person you are talking with isn't able to do the adjustments, politely move on.

Where do you find quality? One resource is the website of the Professional Association of Custom Clothiers (PACC). This is a professional organization dedicated to expanding skill and knowledge.  Their website is: www.paccprofessionals.org

Another great choice is to contact an independent fabric store that carries exceptional fabrics. They likely have excellent referrals for you. While it is possible you might find a good referral from a local chain store, be aware that many wannabes advertise in these venues too.

Many finely skilled specialists work in places such as Mens Warehouse, Joseph Banks and other up-scale suiters. You may find someone in these places with outstanding skills willing to take your work privately.

And finally, allow plenty of time for the alterations. Quality specialists are booked far in advance; don't expect them to drop everything and squeeze you in right away. You will want to be sure that you have ample time to try it on, check the results and have things changed if it is not yet fitting quite right.