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Toss, Save, Alter

trying...

I am getting an old dress altered and it got me thinking about keeping things around in our closets that no longer fit (take fit in whatever sense you wish). In these cases, do you throw out/donate the garment, save it for just in case, or get it altered? Does the type of clothing (pants/tops/dresses) factor in? Does the size (too small/too large/ too too small/too too large) matter? Sentimental value? What have your experiences been?

General

16 replies

Latest reply was from Muffin

MsMaven

Veteran

My weight varies by 10-12 pounds or more. I keep smaller things in the belief they will fit me again. I've kept a few larger size jeans just in case, but I do that less now.

I tend to buy a lot of clothes at the end of summer and early fall when my weight is at its lowest. Then after the holidays I can't fit in some pants and skirts.

I kept a few things such as a cashmere coat and some evening dresses for years and years. I do that less now because I generally spend less money on such items and I am able to let them go without regret.

retailgirl

Veteran

I haven't had great luck with having things altered. I've lost a lot of weight in the past ten years, ten pounds and then another ten pounds. ( a lot for me, I'm tall and was already slim.) jackets only work if the shoulders are right, then you can take in the torso. Pants don't work for me; you can take in the waist but then the butt is saggy; ( I have a flat rear), hard to alter, esp. with pockets. Better off buying new. Skirts are easiest, but I have few skirts. The first time I had a significant weight loss, I had things altered that hadn't fit me for a while, and I wasn't happy with most of them and wished I had spent the money on new things. And all of this was with a wonderful tailor who can tweak new things that are my size but need only a little something to fit perfectly. So it wasn't the skill of the tailor that was an issue.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I used to be more inclined to do alterations, but now I'd rather consign and buy a new version. This is partly because I no longer have a good tailor but also because I'm a little more attuned to having pieces that are up to date trend wise.

rabbit

Veteran

I tend to consign/donate since most fit issues I have are with items now being too small.

Twice I've dyed something (navy and plaid overdyed blue) and that has worked out well. I've also cut off jeans into shorts, but I'm laughing as in 2014 I cut off some hand me down jeans that fit like a glove on the top half but were a cropped length on me and flared. I thought, this is ridiculous looking.... and lo and behold a year later...

Gigi

Veteran

I finally gained some weight after being underweight for health reasons, and I recently did a closet purge. I consigned whatever I could and then donated the rest. The exceptions were a couple of pieces that I was on the fence about. I could technically still fit into the pieces, but they weren't comfortable, and I didn't know if they would still be flattering once I was stuffed in . Since it is possible that I may have a setback with my health and lose some weight, I decided to keep these two pieces rather than donate (the consignment store didn't want them), just in case.

rachylou

Veteran

If I can't get into it or it falls off when I do - it's gone!

chadya

Veteran

I think the cost of altering a garment outweighs the value these days. Unless the garment is extraordinary

anchie

Veteran

I did wardrobe refresh just before getting pregnant with my daughter. I could not fit in this new clothes just a few weeks after I bought them so I put them all in a box and stored them. They are mostly bottoms - classic pants, pencil skirts, jeans. Some of the items I never even wore once. Well, my daughter is 8 years old now and I am still not back to that size. But I still have this box. I just cannot force my self to get rid of it. I probably need to donate it without even opening.

milehighstyle (Linda)

Veteran

It depends - if I really love the item and don't have a suitable replacement I'll try to get it altered. But more often than not I'm tired of it or have so many other things that I'm ok with donating or consigning. I do keep a few things for fluctuating weight - I'm up and down 5 to 8 pounds regularly.

kkards

Veteran

i only tailor if i think i'm really going to wear it after its altered....i lost about 5 pounds a couple of years ago and most of my pants were just way to big...i bought some new, tailored a few that were basic enough to look ok after being taken in, and donated/consigned the rest...i almost never tailor jackets, i find it not really cost effective...and never tailor sentimental items...why chance it?

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

My tailoring experiences have involved poor workmanship, so I only go to the tailor out of absolute necessity. If something doesn't fit, then it gets relegated to either the hold, eBay, or donate pile. I've held onto a few garments that currently don't fit, because I'm still within a 10lb range of them fitting properly.

Anonymous

About 5 or 6 years ago, I lost 22 lbs, which was great (sort of) but it meant having to have a lot of the better pieces in my wardrobe altered by a tailor so I could continue wearing them. I spent a fair bit of $ doing so, and at one point the tailor asked me if was ok, and actually asked " do you have cancer?" (can you believe it? ) If I didn't otherwise like him so much I might have walked out. Anyways, guess what happened. I wore none of the pieces (including a winter coat) afterward. It had nothing to do with the workmanship , but the pieces were just ever really the same after having to be taken in so much. It just ended up being a colossal waste of money and time. Now, I don't hang on to things that don't fit - as aggravating and money-wasting as that is.

Keix

Veteran

I have successfully altered old special occasion dresses and worn them afterwards. It wasn't dramatic size differences though, just cut/fit.

Anonymous

I have a low threshold for moving on if an item isn't working. This is because I want to keep my closet curated with only items that are 1) currently meaningful and 2) being worn or (I can easily invision being worn soon for special occasions) and 3) that make me feel good/confident! Sentimental items I keep boxed in the high shelf of my closet.

Gail

Veteran

I hang on to things expecting to fit in to them again especially pants and jeans. However my closet is now bursting at the seams and it is certainly time to donate some. I have about 5 pairs of white jeans that I love that I have not worn this winter as they are uncomfortable, they need to go and I should buy a larger size
I rarely have clothes altered, if I do it's just a hem.

Muffin

Veteran

I tend to alter a lot- hems, waists, taken in, sides of dresses. It makes a big difference to my comfort factor with the clothes. I have an excellent tailor who is very honest about whether it is worth the $$$ to alter or if I should return or consign the item. I've also learned so much about fit from him that I think I am making fewer purchasing mistakes (especially with consignment). My weight is usually pretty stable but once pants or skirts are too tight I know it's time to exercise more. If that doesn't work- off they go. I don't like feeling bad about my body or the $$$ wasted.