Are you procrastinating on any alterations? - YouLookFab Forum

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Are you procrastinating on any alterations?

April

Veteran

We are in a major "get it done already" mode at our house, which includes my dealing with alterations. Yesterday Mr. A took my beloved Chanel glove to our seamstress. One button had popped off (my fault for being careless) and mind you, that was on April 2. At least it was April 2, 2024.

So she has it now yay!

Of course, then I remembered that my Eliana dress in its new size is now too long so I must get that in as well. It's always something, right?

Also scheduled a haircut (been two years - SERIOUS procrastination there).

Over to you - what can I motivate you to do at last?

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35 replies

Latest reply was from Style Fan

Emily03

(website)

Member

I totally understand the 'get it done already' mode! It's great that you're tackling those alterations and even scheduling a haircut after two years! You're motivating me to finally fix that broken zipper on my favorite jacket.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

LOVE THOSE GLOVES

Good job, April and Mr. April!

You'll feel most refreshed post haircut too.

Things are in order on my side. For now ....

Joy

Veteran

The haircut rings a bell. Mine is complicated. It must be washed first with non-foaming shampoo or cream rinse which means no one wants to touch it.
I am guilty of putting off alterations too. A pleated skirt is too long for me. I am still shrinking. My procrastination steams from the seamtress having a winter fall on the ice and hitting her head. She was not working for awhile.

Roberta

Veteran

I put these things off because it annoys me no end to pay $20 for something I could do in 20 minutes if I had a sewing machine. Then I spend half an hour thinking about whether I should get a sewing machine and whether it would be worth the money over time. This is why 6 months went by before I got my green Boden pants hemmed.

MsMary

Veteran

Good job, April! I have a trench coat and a moto jacket that both need their sleeves shortened! I will try to get them to the tailor today!

April

Veteran

Go YLF!

As the reverse of my watch says "You can do it."

April

Veteran

Go YLF!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Gorgeous gloves, April! Well worth the time and expense to mend them. A signature item!

I'm not procrastinating with any wardrobe tasks and feel very proud that I caught up on my ironing yesterday. But don't talk to me about the weeding and pruning.

Laurie

Veteran

It's such a huge sense of accomplishment to finally get things mended or tailored that have been on the to-do list forever (much less haircuts). Since finding my sweet little tailor (85 yrs old, going strong) 10 years ago, I keep pretty well up to date. I know I'll have to find someone new sooner than later, so I don't put off the tailoring.

I feel a huge accomplishment when I take items to donate at Goodwill, the local animal shelter, or other charities. Gettting rid of STUFF is the best feeling!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I have two — actually possibly three — pairs of trousers that need waist alterations. Two of them I have been wearing anyway, with the waist cinched in, or low on my hips, but in truth they would hang better if I just got that alteration done — I think it will also require a bit of taking in at the hip as well as the waist on one pair.

I was waiting to see if I got rid of some of my extra weight, which hasn’t really happened. These pants are not really summer attire, so now I’m thinking perhaps I should wait until fall, just in case my healthy efforts bear a little fruit (eh, I lost one pound while on my trip, during which I was eating plenty of treats but also walking and hiking a LOT). It seems my body wants to stay at this point, which I don’t love, but it may be my new normal since at this point I am not willing to undertake drastic measures just to achieve a smaller size.

cat2

Veteran

I have belts that need to go to the cobbler to have additional holes drilled so I can cinch them tighter. I also have 2 pairs of pants to be hemmed that I kept long at the time I bought them. Remember heels? And a big box of shoes that need to be stretched. There’s always something!

Sal

Veteran

I have had a few alterations made this year. The first three I paid for, the last one involved me and some scissors.

1) New dress - adjusted at bodice to make the cleavage easier to wear
2) Old dress - conversion from puff sleeves to short sleeves (yet to wear this way but love it).
3) Jeans - taken into improve the waist fit.
4) Sweater - hacked off the sleeves to make it a vest. I now only wear it under blazers but I have always loved the colour.

I have been one of the pro puff sleeve on the forum but I have tired of them a bit.

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BrieN

Veteran

I feel seen. Yes, I am procrastinating terribly on 4 alterations. It is HOT here and I think that's part of why I am losing momentum. I'm either covered in sunscreen to go to the store to buy plants and mulch or going to work out at my club. I am not just out doing other errands much.

3 of the alterations are pretty straightforward - and I have made my decisions on what I want. 1 is trickier. It's a dress with a long tiered skirt and it needs to be taken up a few inches -like 3". But I am unsure if I can do that all at one level of the tiers. I think it might be 2 inches at the middle tier and 1 inch at the bottom but im not sure. It's a lot of skirt so hard to just pin up myself but at the same time I often don't make the best choice when I try to work it out with the tailor. and so I procrastinate...

Thank you for the space to journal all this ;).

Aquamarine

Veteran

Well I am feeling pretty good. Today I went to my tailor and picked up a new top (shortened from a dress that I accidentally shrunk), *and* I dropped off another dress (maxi) that I wasn’t liking much at the longer length. So the tailor will shorten it.

It’s like I will have two new items to wear.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Way to go April! I did a few alterations a while ago and was not really very happy with the results. I don't have anything urgent now, but would love to find a better alterations person.

April

Veteran

cat2, do you know anyone who might lend you an awl? I use my bookbinding awls (below) for belt holes.

Sal, bold move on the sweater!

Jaime, you're so right, a wonderful person is essential.

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Suntiger

No alterations needed, though I stepped on my skirt yesterday and tore it badly. If it was just 1 hole, I'd consider patching (skirt is a print), but there's several places including a long run in the fabric.
We have been getting lots of other long overdue stuff done at Casa Tigre though!

April

Veteran

Aj - post a picture when your zipper is done!

Angie, I would expect no less, even in temporary lodgings.

Joy, you get a pass for "acts of God."

Roberta, I hear you! I donated my sewing machine because it was such a complicated affair I could not ever figure out all the bells and whistles.

Mm - how'd you do?

Suz - we are in a heat wave and the thought of ironing makes me want to cry, well done you!

Laurie - isn't that the truth?

Janet - so frustrating. Menopause really makes it hard to lose any weight and when you do, it's never where you'd like to lose it.

BrieN - I say heat wave gives you a pass.

Aquamarine - nice work!

Dee

Veteran

It always feels wonderful when you finally get these alterations done, but I still constantly put these off until some magical moment when I finally get inspired to make it happen.

I had a pair of jeans with a raw hem that I didn’t care for, so after a year of owning them I finally just recently hemmed them myself but now I have 2 more denim items that I thrifted which need the waist taken in a bit and I should do it, but somehow, pulling out the clunky sewing machine and trying to thread that darn needle again is really what’s slowing the process down LOL.

April

Veteran

Dee - WHY do we keep doing this? Everyone knows how exhilarating it is to have items that are just right.

Zaeobi

(website)

Veteran

Don't talk to me about my neverending alterations pile *hides behind hands* lol I think it's because mentally my mind hasn't caught up with the fact that I've lost weight, so I'm still subconsciously worrying I'll put it back on & have to alter it all again...

Although I DID get a long-overdue haircut recently! Nothing too drastic - kept the length but reshaped the fringe & blunt ends.
@April do you also find your hair behaves much better after a good cut? Less time faffing to make it look decent.
@Joy I've started to just bring my shampoo & conditioner with me to hair appointments lol - much easier than trying to explain for the 100th time that curly hair needs to be cut dry at first

April

Veteran

Z - I hear you on the curly cut. Despite my haircut procrastination, I am devoted to my Deva stylist and would drive many miles to see her. I do find that my hair behaves better when it's properly shaped, though the shorter it gets cut, the more I look like Little Orphan Annie.

BlueJay

Veteran

Beautiful gloves, April! The leather looks like butter!

Oh yes! Lots of mending to do for my clothes and DD's clothes. I have finished a few things and I am proud of myself for that, but it seems that more gets added to the pile.

Summer of 2022, I bought pants to wear in the summer to work, but they need hemming. I should get on that as they're just sitting in the closet not being worn.

cat2

Veteran

April: Thanks for the awl suggestion. I have wonky hands and have given up any DIY that requires fine motor control: hand sewing was the first to get the boot. Isn’t aging fun? Oh, and I should report I was also procrastinating on a haircut, but got a hair elastic inextricably wound into my hair and ended up having to do a long bob to hide the damage from cutting it out. My hair looks like Irish Setter ears at this length.

Kathie

Veteran

I took care of some alterations a few months ago, but was behind on some light closet cleanout, delayed somewhat due to wanting to see what my needs were. Now that it's clear that I'll be in a traditional office 1-3 days/week, and spending lots of hours on video calls, no matter where my location, it was time. Last week I went through my closet; this week I'm getting 8-10 items to the right new homes.

April

Veteran

BJ - it's funny, when I wear those gloves around my son, he's constantly touching them because of the butter-softness. He was the same as a little boy about velvet - just could not stop stroking it.

K - that makes total sense! We are donating a ton of stuff right now so we can have a spic-and-span basement.

C2 - I must admit I haven't used my awl in a while because of the tremor in my dominant hand. But what I used to do is to use a rubber mallet to bang the awl (it has a ball-shaped handle rather than a narrow one) through the belt, or the strap of a crossbody, which are always way too long.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

Got a few thrifted and hand-me-down pants and skirts where the waist is just a little too loose. Leaning towards NOT getting them fixed, and just donating the. Because a waist costs like, $20 to bring in!

Joy

Veteran

My seamstress was not right in the head after her accident. I am causous and just taking her one thing to see how it goes. It does seem strange to spend as much for alterations as I paid for the garment.

April

Veteran

Joy - this happened to my internist! (Fortunately she stopped practicing.)

Carol - I hate paying more for the alterations too, though I have done it when I really really loved something.

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