NAS Dresses Before/After Alterations -- (WIwillW) - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

NAS Dresses Before/After Alterations -- (WIwillW)

Vix

Veteran

As promised, a (hasty) follow up re getting 2 NAS dresses altered. Know the sale is about to end, so...pardon photo quality etc.

Photos 1-2: Indigo: $35 to change to V neck and lengthened hem to max (used Nordstrom card's alteration credit option). Shown with cobalt bag to try to demonstrate purple tone of dress. Short waist gives extra fabric in back, alas.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/cy...../3491629?o

Photos 3-5: Colorblock: Straps shortened (which alas made V neck less deep, upper sides taken in, hem max'd. Briefly tossed on existing leather jacket as I'd be wearing it layered more than plain.

ETA found link: http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/vi.....dstrom-exc

1
2
3
4
5

Shopping

35 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

rae

(website)

Veteran

WOW, you know your stuff! I would not have thought to ask to change the neckline. And the other changes are subtle, but really make the dresses sing!

AviaMariah

Veteran

I would not have thought to make those changes either. They both look good before but look great after. I especially am amazed at the difference in the color blocked dress.

Carole

Veteran

Wow! Amazing what a little alterations can do. You make me realize I don't know enough about how my things should fit. I thought the befores looked great!

Anonymous

Great tweaks that make these fit you fantastically. This is a perfect example of how it is worth looking into alterations.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Love this post! I've avoided dressing with the neckline in #1, and they're everywhere! It's good to know that this is an option.

I need to remember that some of these alterations, like hems and straps, I have the skills to do myself.

You look beautiful as always! Great choices!

Anonymous

Ah, a girl after my own heart. as I sew, I tweek stuff all the time when I occasionally buy. What a difference the fine tuning has made. The dresses look perfect now.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

So clever! You know your body and you know what you are doing!

Alas, I have the opposite need in necklines and it is tough to make a V into a crew!

The blue is gorgeous on you. And the colourblocked VC is so sophisticated looking and fun. That extra inch of length does make a difference on these.

Beautiful!

And by the way, I see only LOOOOOONG legs on you. I do not know where you get this short-legged idea about yourself. I think perhaps it is one of those ideas hatched from childhood comparisons that make no sense. Yes, I know. Those are low vamp heels, and that helps. But still.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Ah, the power of alterations! It always amazes me how simple tweaks in the fit can have such a big impact!
You were created for sheath dresses, they are SOOO beautiful on you!

Anonymous

That's so helpful and educational. I have had straps shortened, but I've never thought to change a neckline. Thanks for sharing!

Peri

Veteran

Wow! I would have thought the befores were great...loves the afters even more.

rachylou

Veteran

Huge difference. The alterations really kicked up a notch!

amiable

Veteran

Another one amazed at the changes the small alterations made.

And I never thought to alter a neckline! Now I must learn how!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Positive BRILLIANT Vix! These pics illustrate so clearly the importance of a great seamstress/tailor and how he/she can make an already great item absolutely PERFECT for you. You obviously have a great eye in recognizing items that can be altered to your specific taste. Absolutely beautiful dresses on you.

Sara L.

Veteran

They both look great on you! I would never have thought to change the neckline on a dress. I will have to remember that option in the future.

Sylvie

Veteran

Brilliant and subtle tweaks. Wow.

Ana

(website)

Veteran

I love the alterations you made, Vix! You look fantastic in those dresses.

Gaylene

Veteran

Vix, this post is a good reminder of the importance of alterations in making our clothes look good on our bodies. I am reminded of an article that said fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly insisted on tweaking the fit and design on even the most basic garments to make sure that they were exactly right.

Marley

Veteran

Vix - you look beautfiul in both of these dresses! The alterations are so subtle - yet so significant in the overall fit/look of your outfits! Thank you for posting!

Vix

Veteran

Hi all -- pardon brevity, more later. Thank you for all the lovely compliments; glad the changes were helpful to see.

I was so close to leaving the colorblock one as-is but knew I would always be irritated with myself if so. the cost to tweak was high (47) though as a Nordstrom cardholder it came out off my 100 credit, as did the purple one's fixes.

Having a lot of alterations done on many of my items is what pushed me into getting custom things made a few years ago -- oh how I envy the patience you sewers have!

Now I just have to remember they need to be part of my budget, esp when the item is spendier (as these are for me).

Anonymous

Great call on both. You are my altering idol now. I often have difficulty in articulating what I want out of the alteration but you, pfttt, not a worry. Awesome results.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I LOVE the longer lengths!!! That made a gorgeous difference to my eye. Well done!

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Ah the power of tailoring Fabulous changes.

Anonymous

WOW! Little changes can really make a difference. I never would have thought of changing the neckline to a V.

Deborah

Veteran

Inspiring Vix. I would never have thought to change the neckline. Noted for the future. Thanks.

Eliza

Veteran

Your decision to lengthen these and the side by sides are very informative. That amount of length made a huge visual difference that I would not have anticipated. YLF. That blue is particularly gorgeous. Enjoy!

Nadya

Veteran

Thanking for posting! Seeing before and after pics is so helpful to help train my eye for imagining what can be done with an item.

I'm impressed by the new v neckline - so smart and it wouldn't have occurred to me. And yea for the hems deep enough to let out! I'm only 5'6" and it's frustrating how hard it is to find a dress I consider long enough for work - for me the trick is finding one that stays long enough to be modest when I'm sitting.

Vix

Veteran

Hi again --

So *this* is what happens when I start a thread that hits when lots of US East Coaster folks are awake! Sorry I couldn't tend to it much.

If you haven't guessed, I'm a big fan of before + after shots and love seeing the magic that gets worked (Shannon and Sveta's transformations come to mind). And of course our seamstresses like DianeG are so often providing wonderful lessons about fit.

-- A big thanks to those who may now be thinking "hmmmm" about the possibilities of crew-to-V/scoop neck: Rae, AviaM, Beth Ann, Alicat, Amiable, SaraL, Tracina, Deborah, and Nadya [the old "low to high contrast band of fabric at bottom" trick can add length, but it's kind of a PITA to find the right fabric].

*Quick tip for back-zip dresses with unwanted high necklines: turn the dress around, unzip to bosom-ish zone, and tuck fabric under to help visualize a more open neckline/show alterations what you're thinking.*

-- And for appreciating the way those annoying, "is it really worth it?" small changes can have a fairly big impact, thanks to: Carole, Ceit, Diane, Suz, Sveta, Peri, Rachylou, Shannon, Sylvie, Ana, Gaylene, Marley, Zapotee, Angie, Caro, and Eliza.

Looking forward to seeing some more B&A projects on the forum -- and Suz, I bet we could help you come up with a way to have a tailor build up a neckline....

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

The dresses look wonderful to begin with but now they look just so. I mean just perfectly so. Thanks for the reminder about what a few tweaks can do.

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

I love how committed to great fit you are. Thanks for sharing.

12