Fall Tailoring and the Underestimated Skill Involved - YouLookFab Forum

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Fall Tailoring and the Underestimated Skill Involved

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Went to see Wonder Woman this morning with a pile of items for alteration for fall. They included:

- tomato red Gap blazer (sleeves to be shortened - fully lined with buttoned cuffs)
- magenta Jacob blazer (sleeves to be shortened - fully lined with buttoned cuffs)
- thrifted flared jeans (to be shortened)
- VC houndstooth blouse (sleeves to be shorted - reattaching black buttoned cuffs)

For all this, she is charging (including tax) $117. Very good value IMO. Anyone else getting fall tailoring done?

While there a gentleman came in with a suit he had just purchased from a very inexpensive men's store. The jacket did not fit correctly and he wanted it taken in in the back. This was at 10:00 a.m. He then told her he needed it for a 4:30 wedding he was going to. Seriously? - is what I was thinking.

Now Wonder Woman is from Vietnam and her accent is quite pronounced, making it difficult at times to understand her. She tried to explain to him that she would be charging an extra fee for the rush and the complexity of the job in a short amount of time. He became quite agitated and asked why it was so expensive. She then tried to explain that with the jacket being fully lined, she needed to take the centre seam apart in the back of the jacket in both the lining and the jacket layer and then taper it from the upper back down to get the fit, as the jacket was quite baggy on him. He kept saying "what?", "what?", "what?" because he didn't understand. You could tell she was getting embarrassed and asked him to turn around so she could try and show him in the mirror what she meant. He then let out a flurry of racial slurs (which I will not repeat) that left me shocked and Wonder Woman with tears in her eyes. I couldn't keep my mouth shut (I will NOT tolerate any sort of racism) and told him he could not speak to people that way. He said she was trying to rip him off and that all he wanted was the waist taken in. Wonder Woman finally said "fine - I'll do it your way" and left it at that. When he left and I was paying for my alterations she said the jacket will look terrible because it will lose its shape and be disproportionate and that he will then complain about the terrible job she has done and she does not want people to think her work is sub-par. I felt very badly for her - I do not understand some people. I really don't.

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from fashionista

Traci

Veteran

Kim

Veteran

I don't usually take my stuff in cause I'm a pretty good seamstress and I'll do my own alterations. That being said I don't do them for ANYONE else, cause altering ready made clothing is a PAIN compared to making something from scratch. There's always something that needs to be fixed, redone, taken apart, etc. People do not appreciate that aspect of it, and don't usually understand the complexities of working with already sewn clothing.

I'd pay well for someone who is competent, quick and does a good job. Tell WonderWoman we think she's Fab!

jayne

Veteran

too sad. really. No win situation.

Isabel

Veteran

YES !!! Every season there is always something to tailor for me. I have a pair of ponte black jeans that are too long and two pair of tropical wool pants that need to be altered to fit.

That is an incredible deal BTW !!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

ACK!!!!!

That is awful. Shannon, good for you for speaking up, but poor WonderWoman. That is so unfair. People do not understand what is involved, I guess....but how can someone imagine that is not a complicated job?

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

This man has no class at all. And I thought Canadians weren't like that!

Looking forward to seeing your newly tailored pieces in action.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Denise - I guess it goes to show there are idiots everywhere.

Anonymous

Holy smokes, I feel so bad for your seamstress now. No one deserves to be treated that way. I'm so glad you stood up.

I take in items as I buy them but I'm trying to do the tailoring myself these days. I often need simple things like closing pockets on pants, lowering hemlines, reinforcing buttons. My tailor charges a lot, I can only afford him on the pricier items or more complex repairs.

Mellllls

Veteran

i love that you call your tailor wonderwoman. but am saddened by the way the other customer treated her. i wish she had refused his business. he doesn't deserve her expertise, especially in the time constraint he demands.

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

What an unpleasant interaction! Glad you stood up for your tailor. Any moron who bought a suit in the morning to wear to a wedding in the afternoon deserves to look like crap, not to mention sounding like a very unpleasant individual in general. I too wish she'd just told him that it was not doable either in the time available or for the budget he wanted to stay within.

It's true, alterations are a lot harder than most people think, and generally harder than making the whole thing from scratch. I worked for a dry cleaners for a while when I was younger, and people used to ask for the most head-scratchingly ridiculous things in alterations. I had to wonder if they've ever thought about how clothes are made or even looked at their own clothes with any attention to detail.

JulieJohn

Veteran

Shannon you are my hero.

Jonesy

Veteran

I'm very glad you spoke up but I really wish she would have refused to serve him and told him to get the %^&# out of her shop! I am so steamed on her behalf!!

Gaylene

Veteran

Shannon, I just had to log in to tell you that, if you were closer, I'd pin a gold medal on you! I'm so glad that you told that man that you would not tolerate his racial slurs. If more people had your gumption, these idiots might slowly get the message that their behavior is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated by others who overhear their words.

It might be a sign of my increasing age, but I'm getting so tired of people excusing their appalling behavior with rationalizations like "I was in a hurry" or "I got angry" or whatever excuse that they can fish up from the dregs of their minds. I feel awful that your tailor had to undergo that experience, but I'm positive that your decision to intercede helped mitigate some of the unpleasantness.

Thank you, Shannon, for doing what we all should do when we witness that kind of behavior.

Krista

Veteran

I'm hoping someone at the wedding spills a huge glass of red wine on his suit........

Good for you for standing up to this guy, Shannon! I hope Wonder Woman is okay.

Deborah

Veteran

What disgusting behaviour! I am so glad you spoke up Shannon. Its a shame WW didn't refuse the job. I hope she's not alone on the shop when he returns, he sounds like a sad, unhappy man .... But you never know, he may just offer an apology upon his return?

And her work we know from you is excellent and I cannot. Elieve how reasonable her prices is.

qfbrenda

Veteran

Wow. I think she should have shown him the door. What a jerk.

And no, most people haven't look at their clothes closely or thought about how they are made. They used to teach sewing in school. I took it in high school and I'm almost 40. Do they teach it anymore? I think most people have no concept of the work that goes into sewing or altering clothes since they've never done it themselves.

cciele

Veteran

Shannon, thank you SO MUCH for speaking up. Your Wonderwoman sounds like a gem and doesn't deserve such treatment -- and from someone who is going to leave his clothes to her scissors anyhow! If this were a restaurant, someone'd be spitting in his food :b

As far as alterations go -- I had some trousers altered by my daughter

Jjsloane

Veteran

Ashamed that someone would act that way (him) and proud someone would stick up for the oppressed (you). I would certainly consider if I were expecting something done so quickly (despite the complexity) to pay a premium and not haggle.

April

Veteran

Good for you, Shannon! I'm sure Wonder Woman deeply appreciated your support.

Prudence

What rudeness! I'm so glad you stood up to him!

In regards to tailoring, I've started doing my own. I'm no wonder woman, but I've started with items I bought thrift so it's not heartbreaking (or bank breaking) if I make a beginner mistake. Even light beginner alterations make such a huge difference! Altering is the ONLY way to go!

catgirl

Veteran

Sick. I hate people like that. Remember that judge who sued the dry cleaner in DC for a million dollars because he wasn't "satisfied" with his pants? GRRRR.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

That man's behavior was disgusting and it is wonderful you spoke up. I wish she had refused his jacket, but it I would have to be able to put myself in her shoes both personally and culturally to understand why she might not have been equipped to do this. I am furious that the man might come back and then complain about her though. You, on the other hand, Shannon, are a good egg!

MNsara

Veteran

I'm so glad you stood up for Wonder Woman! I also wish she would have refused his business -- especially *knowing* it wouldn't turn out well with him anyway.

I hope she got prepayment for his job!!

fashionista

Veteran

Some people are just awful.

You are a fighter in the sense you chose to speak for the woman. I love you dear....

fashionista

Veteran

cciele....thats hilarious....spitting on the food. I would do exactly that if people were to treat me the same way.