My Body is All Wrong

Welcome! This is a new thing for me, so feel free to offer suggestions. My main purpose is to give information about fitting clothes, tips, and tricks that can help you get the best fit possible. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients, each with a different set of challenges. I love being able to fix things! The best possible feeling is to see a happy client with a good-looking garment. I always say that it doesn’t matter how much you spend on clothing if it doesn’t fit right.

One of the biggest issues I see/hear is when an item doesn’t fit the client in all the right places. Rather than change the item or allow me to fix it, the client will say that his/her body isn’t right for the clothes. They’ll say they are too short, too tall, have large hips or none at all. I hear this from men and women, no matter the age, shape, or size. I often give them “the lecture” about fitting clothes properly. It’s not you, it’s the clothes! Many items are made using a rectangle as a pattern. I’ve never met anyone with a rectangular body. That means there are no curves to accommodate for a waist, hips, or chest. Those things can be fixed. Be proud of your body.

Here’s a little story that illustrates my point:

A 13-year-old girl who came to me to alter her cheerleader’s uniform. As a general rule, you can’t do major alterations on a uniform since they have to be used every year. The only thing you can do is to take them in or out. This particular outfit had been taken in many times. The girl told me that she had to get a bigger uniform because none would fit right. She said that her coach told her repeatedly that she had to have a big size because of her chest. (She was proportionate.) The coach repeated over and over in front of everybody. The girl was humiliated. I talked about being perfectly shaped and how it wasn’t okay for her to be shamed in that way. It was not her fault. Body shaming, especially with kids, is horrible.

Long story short, I altered the outfit, so it complemented her shape and was the correct fit. She was shocked when I told her that before altering, the garment would have been 5 sizes* too big. 5 sizes! It confirmed what I said. After she tried it on, she burst into tears. I was glad to help her.

So that’s it. It doesn’t matter what size you are, or how much you paid for the clothes. If it can be fixed, I’ll fix it.

Cheers!

Pam the Stitch Witch

*While there is no standardized set of measurements for clothes, 1 size = 2”. Her outfit was 10” too large!