I wanted to throw up - YouLookFab Forum

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I wanted to throw up

Maya

Veteran

...today when I went to get my Esprit dress and UO denim dress altered.

The UO dress is going to cost as much to alter as it did to buy. The Esprit dress is not that far behind, but I can live with it since I didn't buy it. In total I will be spending $100. For that much money, I could have bought two new dresses off the rack. The woman was so meticulous in pinning them and finding the best way to do the alteration that I felt bad ducking out though. I know it sounds stupid, but she really put a lot of care in and took a lot of trouble and I could tell she would do a good job. Contrast this with the other place I went to for a consultation, where they said they would just sew up the arm hole a bit and wouldn't even let me try it on for $20 less. Anyway, I am having pangs of doubt. These are just casual, everyday dresses. The Esprit dress I don't mind so much because as I said, I did not pay for it. But the UO one is not worth $108. It makes me feel kind of nauseous thinking about that. I had already removed the tags and thrown out the receipt anyway I guess, but I really feel like I went through so much trouble for nothing.

I'm officially on an alterations ban, unless it's a simple hem. Every time I think I can just have a simple fix done, it always ends up being more complicated and expensive than I anticipate.

General

24 replies

Latest reply was from judy

Queen Mum

Veteran

well, once the UO dress fits you like a glove it *will* be worth $108
that is a hard pill to swallow though, I agree.

marianna

Veteran

I know how you feel.

A while back I thrifted a pair of Gap microcheck pants. I neglected to notice that they were super wide leg... too too wide for my taste. So I took them in to get tapered and was charged $20 to turn them into straight legs. I know $20 isn't that much in comparison to your $100, but I almost choked when she quoted me $20, and I couldn't decline because she had already pinned and measured them. I didn't feel like spending $20 on alterations was worth it for a pair of thrifted pants. I would have rather just re-donated them. Oh well.

On the bright side: You will have perfectly fitting dresses. That is worth a million bucks.

Anonymous

I hope ths items are so great after the alterations that you feel it was worth the money.
Have you thought about looking at ads in the paper or someplace to find someone who sews out of their home. Maybe you can find someone with no overhead to pay and will do your jobs cheaper. The two of you could develope a working relationship that might go somwhere like Michelle and Tanja.

Lisa

Veteran

Well, my silver lining is... it will be like a couture item when it's done because it will be fitted to your shape, perfectly. And that doesn't happen often with clothes for us non-celebrity folks.

Maya

Veteran

I don't know San. I like to go to places that I can read reviews for or that have been recommended to me. Alterations always make me nervous. It would be an even bigger disaster to have my dress ruined.

Anonymous

I hear you on that Maya. I'd definately start small. I'd ask the person to show me some work, maybe make a pillow for me, then hem some capris, you know work up the trust.
What you really need is a good ol aunt close by who loves to sew and keep you spoiled by altering your clothing for you. That's why I thought of perhaps a lady who takes in such work.

Sarah Baker

(website)

Hi Maya,

Chiming in to say, I know how you feel, I have done the same thing too. But it's really water under the bridge now, nothing to do but learn from the experience and try again later. This isn't exactly clothing-related, but similar: one year I went to a frame shop and had a picture matted and framed for my husband. It cost nearly $1000. I almost fainted and was sick for weeks wondering how to pay for it. I actually took a Christmas job to make it work out OK. I felt trapped into paying for it because the shop owner took all this time to work out the matting and stuff--like being pinned into a dress, I felt trapped.

So at least you didn't make $1000 mistake, LOL. What I learned from that experience is to always go in and explain my budget first, before the pinning and the matting. Just hold out the item and say, "All I can afford for this dress is around $20, can the alterations be done for that much or can you tell it will take more work?" Saves them the trouble of pinning it up if it is a big job, and you the heartache of paying too much.

Hope that helps.

Tanya

Veteran

Sorry to hear that Maya! At least you will have some perfectly fitting dresses.

I have been in a similar boat many times.

Maya

Veteran

Sarah, I would have had a major meltdown at that! For such a huge amount of money I'm shocked they wouldn't tell you sooner.

I wish I had a granny or aunt who could sew. Sigh. Or better yet I wish I could do it myself, but I have no one to teach me and I'm very clumsy at teaching myself crafty things.

One thing that bugged me was that when she was pinning me up I asked how much it would cost and all she said was "it's going to be a lot of work..."

If she just gave me a number, I could have saved us both the trouble.

Anonymous

I definately don't like her answer.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Oh, dear.

This has happened to me too. And I *did* duck out of the situation and felt no remorse. I was not prepared to pay $150 on alterations for the garments concerned. They were not worth it to me. That being said, I did pay $90 to have my denim jacket altered and would have paid twice the amount if need be. It was well worth the price and I will have it for life. Cost per wear! I am NEVER letting go of that jacket.

So I guess I am ruder than Maya and Sarah. Sorry that you felt you were caught between a rock and a hard place :0(

An

Oh no. I'ld be rather miffed that she didn't give you an idea of the cost when you specifically asked. Is it too late Maya? Would she have started the alterations yet?

wilson

I wonder if putting a lot of effort into pinning before quoting is partly a sales technique.

wilson

Is it ok to negotiate the price of alterations or is that sticky territory?

MNsara

Veteran

Oh Maya - I feel your pain! I have been caught where I feel rude protecting MY interests (pocketbook), but later I realize that sometimes the other person wasn't very upfront about costs either . . . and I did call back right away to one new tailor to tell them not to bother with one of the 3 items -- that I had been thinking it over and the shirt wasn't worth it to me.

So, now I have a couple of those 'live and learn' alterations behind me, but my sympathies to you and I hope you end up loving the dresses :-\

Sarah - $1000!!! That would put quite the pit on my frugal stomach!

wilson

I live about 1.5 hours from Nordstroms but that is where I take most of my alterations because they actually have a price list and I've been pleased with everything. There is an additional charge for them to alter pieces that were not purchased there though.

Maya

Veteran

I suppose it's my fault for having it done on the Upper East Side. Of course it's going to be expensive. I should have known. They had custom suits hanging up in various states of completeness. I can't imagine what they cost.

I had to give her credit for working around my troublesome chest with such grace though. I can't tell you how many tailors I have frustrated before!

Secondhand Shopaholic

Maya -
I can totally relate to your situation. I took 10 things to my tailor - all of them stuff I bought from Goodwill or thrift stores, and the total bill is going to cost me $210. Gulp - that's alot of $5.89 dresses!! Just like you, I felt sick to my stomach.

A couple of them are dresses that the YLF community encouraged me to get shortened - I'm picking them up tonight, so we'll see. I hope they're worth it!!

But I totally understand about feeling kind of manipulated - she's a very nice woman, but she just grabbed pins and started nipping and tucking, and telling me how good it was going to look. I had emailed her for estimates, and of course she couldn't give them to me until she saw the items, but by the time we were done and she said $210, I couldn't back out!

I'm only having her do three items at a time, and in my passive aggressive style, I'm going to wait a month between each round, so maybe she'll get the hint that I'm really poor, and can't afford $60 here and there.....

The good news is, I can post her information on my blog, and she'll give me free tailoring if I send her referrals. She actually is very good, if you are one who doesn't mind paying for alterations.....

Queen Mum

Veteran

ummm, having a customer say "no thank you" after a price is quoted is just part of doing business IMO. Now I won't pretend that I haven't caved to this type of thing, but until the work has been completed, you aren't obligated to anything. Kiindof like the bra fitting thing.... just because the salesgirl spends time helping you doesn't mean you're committed to making a purchase.
Having said that, I don't think it would be right to let them do all the pinning just so you can come home and do it yourself now that you've let them show you what to do.... that is a different story.

Anonymous

Sarah, wow a grand for picture framing seems extreme to me also. A few years ago I had a picture framed and it cost about $250. It was a big picture that goes over the fireplace, with 2 mats and a nice frame, non glare glass too.

I don't know about all of this pinning before the taylor can give you a quote on price. I believe I would back out at that point if the price is too high. I don't think you're committed just by her spending time pinning. When you have a contractor come to your house, he will do an estimate before you sign papers hiring him. You'd also get 3 estimates before making a decision who gets the job. It seems pinning is the taylor's way of doing an estimate.
Maya, perhaps you should have another talk with her after thinking about it overnight.

Maya

Veteran

If I were on the outside looking at this situation, I would think the person who is in my position should have said no and left. Just as you said Kim. I guess I am not so brave myself though! I really had no clue how much this alteration is "supposed" to cost. I have never had it done. And it wasn't nearly as simple as I thought it would be. The denim dress basically needs to be taken apart and resewn. As she was pinning me I could see why. She tried to do it more simply, but any way she did it would cause it to gape awkardly somewhere else, or make the chest too tight. A cheaper place would have probably done a terrible job, as demonstrated above. I can't believe they wouldn't even let me try it on!

I think I would have preferred to just return it, but after all the trouble I went through to get it, it seemed just as painful. Sigh. It better fit like a glove when I get it back....

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

You know what Maya- I think you finally found a good tailor, and in the future- knowing the cost, you can take that into account. I don't think you will regret it when you get your dresses back, though.

Debbie

Veteran

Maya I don't know if this would work or not but here's a suggestion.

If there is a fashion school in your area call them. I found out a few weeks ago that the fashion school here takes alterations and the cost is minimal. The instructor oversees everything and the work I saw was first class. Worth looking into.

judy

Veteran

Maya, I know what you mean about the feeling sick. I've been there. It's a new situation so how could you know? But also, the fact that you're unfamiliar may work in your favor. You may have gone ahead with something that turns out to be better than you thought you could afford!