Though the dress is one of the most important aspects of any wedding day, with so much to organise and so many people to manage, putting off crucial wedding dress alterations is all too easy. Fitting appointments get postponed again and again, and before you know it you’re just a couple of days away from walking down the aisle and you still have got your outfit ready. To help ensure you get your dress to the tailor on time, take a quick look at this guide to timely bridal alterations.

Most brides-to-be start shopping for their wedding dresses months before their big day. Finding the perfect dress can take time, so it’s important that you give yourself a good few months to shop around for the ideal gown. Leave it too late, and you could end up with a stressful buying experience or even with a dress you’re not happy with. Once they’ve found their dress, many brides start thinking about what their entourage will wear on the day. Bridesmaids dress alterations can be done weeks before the actual wedding, giving you plenty of time to tick them off of your list of things to do.

Around a month before your wedding day you’ll want to book yourself in for a round of dress alterations. This is when the bulk of the tailoring will happen and the time that you should make any substantial changes to your gown. If you want your hem line taken up, your wait taken in or your sleeves altered in anyway, now’s the time to talk to your tailor and arrange for the work to be carried out. Hopefully at this point you’ll still have a bit of spare time to dedicate to your dress. Leave it any later and you’ll probably be run off your feet with last minute preparations.

A week or so before your wedding you’ll need to make another appointment with your tailor and arrange for the final bridal alterations to be made. By this point, you should just be looking at a few nips and tucks to allow for any weight changes in the proceeding months. These should be pretty easy to take care of and shouldn’t take your tailor too long to complete. To make sure you have plenty of time for all of the alterations you want to achieve, get in touch with a member of our team today. 

All too often, we put up with trousers, jeans, jackets and shirts that are slightly the wrong fit just because we don’t have the time or the energy to do something about it. Though most men will make an effort to get a good suit altered to fit, especially if there’s a special occasion coming up, many people will forgo basic trouser alterations that could transform the way their everyday wardrobe looks and feel. If you’re one of the millions of men around the country making do will ill-fitting outfits, here are just a few ways that investing in alterations could revolutionise your look and your wardrobe.

Finding jeans that fit your body shape perfectly, and that complement your look and your age, can be difficult. Even the best quality denims can sit awkwardly in certain places, detracting from your stylish appearance. Luckily, simple but effective jeans alterations are easy and straightforward. Just a few nips, tucks and cuts can transform the look and fit of a pair of jeans, giving you a stylish addition to your wardrobe and a piece of clothing that’s suitable for any casual or smart casual occasion.

Likewise, though men will often go to the effort of having a shirt altered for a wedding, gala dinner or other important event, many don’t get their everyday work shirts altered to fit. However, as shirt alterations are affordable, fast and effective, investing in a few basic nips and tucks could work wonders for work outfits of every kind. Not only will good quality alterations help an outfit to look more stylish, it will also help you to feel more confident, something that could help to improve your image in the workplace and even give your career a boost.

As well as altering wardrobe staples like shirts, trousers and suits, it’s also possible to give accessories a brand new lease of life with a few carefully made leather alterations. Whether you have a good quality leather coat in the back of your wardrobe that needs a little TLC, or leather bag that you want to bring back to life, you can revamp and rejuvenate your leather accessories with a few basic alterations. Though alterations are great for special occasions, there’s no need to neglect the rest of your wardrobe. Bring your work suits, accessories and jeans to us and we’ll ensure you look great every day of the week. 

From Ladies Alterations

If there’s one thing that’s worth splashing out on, it’s a spectacular outfit for a truly special occasion. From weddings and graduations to gala dinners, anniversary parties and awards events, there’s nothing like getting dressed up to the nines and going out on the town. As any good quality formal outfit will put a dent in your finances, it’s important to get as much use out of your new gown, suit or jacket as possible. This means you’ll not only need to look after it carefully over the years, but also that you’ll need to make sure it fits you perfectly now by investing in relevant ball gown alterations.

By asking a skilled and experienced tailor to take in your dress sleeves, let out your waist or carry out a few simple skirt alterations, you can transform the look of your evening gown and create a garment that will be suitable for a variety of occasions. You can even alter your skirt, dress or jacket to make your look less formal, giving you a high quality outfit that you can wear to work, events and other semi-formal functions. Whatever nips and tucks your formal wear needs, making the changes early on in your outfit ownership will help you to get the most out of your new look.

Alternatively, if you have a semi-formal look that you’d like to transform into an outfit that’s fit for the most exclusive events, you can have your tailor work their magic with a few blouse alterations and give your formal wear a brand new lease of life. Likewise, if you have some good quality items of eveningwear that have seen better days. An experience tailor will be able to bring them back to life with a little TLC, adding valuable variations to your wardrobe and giving you a formal look to be proud of.

Another popular trend that we’re seeing more and more is women investing in prom dress alterations both before and after their graduations in order to allow them to re-wear their gowns at future occasions. Women will change the look of a shop bought dress before their prom and then alter it again afterwards, transforming the look of the outfit and allowing them to wear their high quality piece of couture to a range of formal events. This is especially worthwhile if the outfit is made from good quality materials as the resulting formal look will be more durable and easier to achieve.

Our bodies change throughout our lives. Whether it’s because we go on a diet, become pregnant, suffer from a long term condition or simply give into too many tasty treats, most of us will experience weight fluctuations over the years. Though we all love splashing out on new clothes, restocking your entire wardrobe every time you drop a dress size can get pricey. Luckily, there is an alternative. Simply bring your favourite outfits to us and we’ll carry out trouser, shirt, jacket and jeans alterations , giving you the look you really want.

Many of the pieces that our customers bring us are made from tough, durable, high quality materials and are built to last. For example, pieces of clothing made out of leather, if looked after properly, can last a lifetime, serving you faithfully year in, year out. If your body shape has changed significantly, it’s well worth investing in a few quick and easy leather alterations instead of throwing your favourite leather jacket, waistcoat or leather trousers out for good.

Another of the most common outfits we work on is the suit. Customers that have a suit they really love, and that they’ve invested a lot of money in, generally want to keep the outfit, and make use of it, for as long as possible. To help ensure you can get as much wear out of your suit as possible, bring it to us and we’ll work our magic with a few clever jacket, trouser and shirt alterations. Before you know it, your favourite suit will once more complement your body shape perfectly.

Though many of the alterations we carry out are on high quality, everyday items like jeans, jackets and suits, occasionally we also use our skills to alter one-off pieces like wedding gowns and prom dresses. A lot of women work hard to lose weight before a big event like a wedding or a graduation, so it’s not uncommon for them to require wedding or prom dress alterations in the run up to the big day. Luckily, our experienced team can use their skills to quickly and effectively alter even the most elaborately made and elegantly tailored gowns. To find out more about the wide range of alterations on offer, or to arrange a wardrobe makeover of your own, explore our site today or get in touch with a member of our team.

All too often, we throw out perfectly good items of clothing because of small rips, tears or other imperfections. Many people simply get rid of beautiful coats, dresses and suits as soon as they see the smallest bit of damage, causing them to spend more on replacing items and rebuilding their wardrobe. However, if your clothes are of a good quality, repairing them is more affordable and better for the environment. If you have a coat that doesn’t quite fit but that’s made from high quality materials, we can provide standard and fur coat alterations to ensure the garment fits your body and your look perfectly.

Another common reason for getting rid of a pair of trousers, an evening dress or a jacket is a broken zip. Making a garment all but useless, a zip that’s stuck firmly in place, or that won’t connect with its other half, can make your favourite piece of clothing unwearable. Instead of throwing your treasured item away, simply send it to us for zip repairs. Quick, easy and very effective, a repaired or replaced zip can give your favourite outfit a brand new lease of life.

As well as damage and wear and tear, another common reason for getting rid of high quality pieces of clothing is changing body shape. Losing or gaining even a few pounds can dramatically alter the way a garment hangs, changing the way it looks and affecting how you feel when you’re wearing it. We can easily solve this common issue by performing basic dress, coat and shirt alterations. Perfect when you have a high quality garment that you want to reuse after a diet, or if you’ve rediscovered a piece of clothing from your youth and want to bring it back into your life, our alterations can help you create the wardrobe you’ve always wanted.

Sometimes, even the best quality pieces of clothing begin to tire thanks to wear and tear. This is especially true of coats as many of us will wear our favourite jacket throughout the year, giving it plenty of use and pushing the fabric to its limits. Luckily, a tired coat can easily be brought back to life with our coat relining service. Choose the material that you want to reline your coat with and we’ll do the rest, giving you a garment that you can continue to enjoy for years to come. To find out more about this, or any of our other services, explore our website or get in touch with a member of our team.

From Shirt alterations

A well fitted outfit is a must have for any big day or event. It says something about the person, tailored clothing conveys class and elegance. A gentleman in well tailored clothes conveys importance.

A wedding dress is probably the most important gown most women will ever wear, so it’s no surprise that many brides-to-be choose to have their dresses altered to ensure they fit perfectly come the big day. A few nips here and tucks there can make a huge difference to how a dress looks and feels, transforming a beautiful gown into a spectacular one.

Though bridal dress alterations are a big part of what we do, our expert team also works its magic on a number of other garments. From bringing classic outfits back to life and altering skirts and dresses to suit modern styles, to adjusting coats, jackets and shirts to fit changing bodies, we can use our expert skills to transform your wardrobe and your look.

Take a minute to look around you next time you’re out and about and you’ll soon see just how different all of our bodies really are. Even men who are of a similar height and weight can have dramatically different body shapes, with the length of your legs, torso and arms and the width of your shoulders, waist and thighs all having a big impact on the way that a suit looks and fits.

This can make it almost impossible to find clothes that fit perfectly. Unless they’ve been made for you, suits, jeans and jackets off the peg probably won’t look quit right when you put them on. Luckily there is a way to transform your wardrobe and make your clothes work for you: alterations. Quick and affordable, a little nip here and a tuck there will help your clothes to fit you perfectly and help you to look great every day.

For many brides, the wedding dress is the most important part of their wedding day. The fit of the gown affects everything from the way the bride feels walking down the aisle to the look of the wedding photos. If the dress isn’t absolutely perfect, many brides will look back on their wedding day with a touch of regret, and will always wish they’d worn something slightly different for this incredibly important occasion.

The best way to make sure that a dress fits as well as possible is to take it to a professional bridal alterations boutique in the run up to the big day. If you’re currently in the process of having your gown tailored to fit, here are some key alterations you can make to ensure your dress is as elegant and as flattering as possible.

If you’re like most brides, you’ve probably roped your bridesmaids into organising and preparing a lot for your big day. From posting the invitations and collecting the flowers to arranging the hair and makeup, transport and hen night, bridesmaids often end up taking on a lot more than they bargained for when their best friends get hitched.

With so many things to organise, it can be difficult to think about other people in the run up to your wedding day. However, saying thank you to the people who have made the event a reality is incredibly important so it’s essential that you put the time and energy into making sure your bridesmaids are properly appreciated.

From Wedding Dress Alterations

Make sure your bridesmaids’ dresses fit perfectly

There is an old cliché in the world of weddings that brides deliberately choose unattractive dresses for their bridesmaids in an effort to stand out even more on their big day. To make sure your bridesmaids know you value their efforts, do everything you can to avoid this easily made error, opting for beautifully made, flattering dresses instead.

As it can be difficult to find a single dress that suits different body shapes, you can tailor each dress to fit the wearer by investing in dress alterations. Just like bridal alterations, these little tweaks and adjustments can transform the look of a bridesmaid’s dress, helping it to fall elegantly and make the wearer feel fabulous.

For many brides to be, the dress is one of the most important things about their big day. Whether it’s going to be a small intimate wedding, a big elaborate affair or a quirky occasion, the look and fit of the dress will determine how confident, and how beautiful, the bride feels on her wedding day.

However, with so many things to think about, it’s not uncommon for brides to put off dress shopping till the last minute. Even if they do find the perfect dress well before their wedding, many brides still run out of time to arrange fittings and alterations, leaving them with a dress that isn’t quite right on the big day.

Changing shapes

As most brides shop for their dress months before their wedding day, it’s inevitable that many will find their body changes shape in the intervening period. Whether it’s because they’re losing weight in preparation or they’re comfort eating in apprehension, brides’ bodies are very likely to change shape in the run up to their wedding.

In most cases, these changes are relatively minor and some basic wedding dress alterations will be enough to ensure the gown fits perfectly come the big day. However, if the bride has lost or gained a large amount of weight, or if they’ve become pregnant, they may find that their original dress is no longer flattering. In these cases, some brides may find they need to start their dress search again, looking for a design that’s a more flattering for their new body shape.

Leave time for a final fitting

However manic the run up to the wedding is, it’s crucial that brides leave plenty of time for a final fitting at least a few days before the big day. If they leave the fitting too late, there won’t be time for any adjustments and brides will have no choice but to walk down the aisle in a dress that’s not perfect.

At this fitting, it’s important that you wear the underwear you’re planning to use on the day itself. That way, your tailor will be able to see exactly where adjustments need to be made. If you’re going to be wearing a coat on the big day, bring it along too. If it doesn’t fit properly, your tailor will be able to make the necessary coat alterations to ensure every element of your outfit is just right.

If you want to share the love and make sure every member of the bridal party is feeling their best, have your bridesmaids come along to this final fitting and invest in some bridesmaid dress alterations as a special treat.

To find out more about wedding dress alterations, have a look around our site or get in touch with a member of our team.

Give your wedding suit a new lease of life with some simple alterations

With countless brides around the country working hard to lose weight before their wedding, it’s not uncommon for women to need dress alterations in the run up to their big day. Helping to ensure that their dress fits perfectly, alterations will make every bride feel beautiful when they walk down the aisle.

However, far fewer men understand the potential benefits of suit alterations. Not only can well made alterations help to perfect the fit of a suit, a few adjustments to trousers, coats and shirts can transform them from wedding clothes into high end business clothes.

Pre wedding alterations

Like brides, grooms often try to get fit and tone up before their wedding day. Whether they’ve lost weight or bulked up, most men will benefit from having their suit altered to fit their new and improved body.

Whether it’s trouser, shirt or coat alterations that are required, the work can be done quickly and efficiently, ensuring that every groom has the perfect outfit for their perfect day.

Even if the groom’s dress size hasn’t changed, the wedding suit may still need alterations to help it fit in the most flattering way. As we have extensive experience altering all types of suits to fit all kinds of bodies, we’ll be able to give your suit the nips and tucks it needs to fit you perfectly.

Post wedding alterations

Unlike wedding dresses, which are often packed away never to be worn again, wedding suits can have a second lease of life as a high quality addition to the office wardrobe.

As most of the suits that men invest in for their weddings are made of good quality materials and are tailored to fit, it’s well worth upcycling these outfits. Alterations can dramatically change the way a suit looks, transforming it from an outfit for a special occasion into something that wouldn’t look out of place in the office.

Altering a suit is much more affordable than buying a new one. And as most grooms go to great lengths to find that perfect outfit, it makes sense to get the most of the purchase and enjoy the suit for as long as possible.

If you’d like to find out more about altering your suit ready for your big day, or you have a wedding suit that you’d like to update for everyday use, get in touch with a member of our expert team today. 

Beautifully designed and made from high quality materials, your wedding dress is likely to be one of the most important, and expensive, outfits you’ll ever buy. Pictures of you and your partner in your finery will adorn walls, mantle pieces and photo albums for evermore, so ensuring you’re completely happy with your dress is essential for every bride-to-be.

Wedding Dress Alterations

Finding the perfect dress takes time, energy and money. If you’ve put your heart and soul into hunting down that dream gown, the last thing you’ll want is for it not to fit properly come the big day. Luckily, altering the fit of an outfit, even one as important as a wedding dress, is relatively straightforward if you know what you’re doing. A few stitches, snips and pinches and patches in the right places can work miracles, helping to transform a beautiful dress into a truly captivating one.

From Bridal alterations

Dress Alterations

One of the main reasons that brides need their dresses altered prior to their wedding is that they’re trying to slim down ready for the big day. A lot of women begin looking for their dress months before their wedding, so when the event itself rolls around, they’re often a size or two smaller than they were when they purchased the outfit. In other cases, some brides simply can’t find the right dress in the right size and so alter their favourite gown to fit their frame.

From Dress Alterations

Bridesmaid Dress Alterations

To make sure your bridesmaids look and feel a million dollars too, it’s important to have their bridesmaid dresses altered to fit perfectly. Like brides, bridesmaids often slim down before a wedding so they’ll feel more confident in front of the crowds and in front of the camera. What’s more, as it’s difficult to find a single outfit to fit a variety of body shapes, a lot of bridesmaids find that they need alterations to make the chosen dress feel just right.

As wedding dresses are expensive and high in sentimental value, it’s important to choose a tailor that has experience in wedding dress alterations and are good at what they do. As all of the expert staff at the Alterations Boutique have been working in the industry for years, we know exactly how to get the most out of your dress.

Contact the Alterations Boutique today to find out more about our services or to arrange a fitting of your own.

Being a bridesmaid or a groomsman isn’t always easy. Dealing with bridal meltdowns, planning, organising and delegating can be challenging, with most brides and grooms relying heavily on their bridal party to make the day run smoothly.

If you’re about to tie the knot, you’ll want to repay your bridal party for all the help and support by making sure they look good and feel great on the big day. Investing in dresses and suits that fit perfectly will help your nearest and dearest feel truly valued and appreciated.

However, with body shapes varying dramatically between individuals, finding one dress or one suit that’s perfect for everyone can be all but impossible. Even if your friends wear the same size, variations in body length, arm length and chest size can significantly alter the look and feel of their outfit.

Bridesmaids dresses

The chances of your chosen dress perfectly fitting all of your bridesmaids are unfortunately low. Even small differences in height, weight and body size can change the way that a dress hangs, resulting in outfits that don’t make the most of their wearer’s figure.

Luckily, if you know what you’re doing, bridesmaid dress alterations to suit each individual body shape is easy. A few strategically placed stitches hear and a few clever cuts there will transform the way the outfit sits, giving your bridesmaids a dress to be proud of and ensuring that they’ll feel like a million dollars on the big day.

Groomsmen’s suits

If you thought that every suit and every cut worked on every man, think again. There is a huge difference between the way a well fitting suit and a poorly fitting suit look on a man, and your groomsmen and guests will be able to tell the difference straight away.

On men, the main offenders are generally arm length, leg length and shoulder width. Even if your friends look roughly the same size, an extra inch here or there will transform the way the suit sits on their frame.

Though groomsmen may pretend not to mind how they look, all men feel more confident in a well fitting suit. Most minor suit alterations can be done very quickly and can transform the entire look for an affordable fee.

As well as helping your bridal party to look as good as possible, altering your bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s suits will show your friends just how much you value their participation in your big day. Small touches like this will help to make your wedding a truly special event and ensure everyone remembers it for the right reasons.

To find out more, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Based in London, Alterations Boutique delight in welcoming families and celebrities looking for the perfect wedding attire.

Our award-winning Bridal Alterations services cater to all roles of a wedding party starting with the Bride right through to Mother of the Bride, Groom’s Men and Flower Girls.

With over 20 years of experience, our services include the tweaking or complete re-design of dresses, suits, veils, jackets or matching accessories. We are at your service!

The importance of a tailored piece means your garment will contour and compliment your body better than any other, so whether you’re looking for simplistic or intricate attention to detail, our team of visionaries can bring your ideas to life.

The Dress!

When it comes to the Wedding Dress Alterations we encourage any new bride to factor time and budget into their wedding plans. On your first consultation we will supply you with this information and introduce you to your own dedicated seamstress to craft and care of your gorgeous gown.

From laces to fabrics with a satin finish, we work with all types of materials so you can ensure your finished outfit portrays your personality and complements your body perfectly.

The skill and vision we dedicate to each garment allows our clients to sleep well at night as the big day grows ever nearer.

Chilly?

Now the cold has set in, we find ourselves, pulling old coats out from the cupboard under the stairs and dropping it off to the dry cleaners. A yearly tradition we yield to year in year out. Well not any more...in the name of style, out with the old and in with the new!

Long or short winter warmers, waterproofs and wondrous wedding wraps, you name it we can create or re work it to you Coat Alteration needs.

Guided by your ideas we make that perfect piece for you to parade around in, in all its tailored and unique glory! Enjoy being the envy of onlookers once again. No more dusty duffels!

Contact our team of super seamstresses today and tell us how we can help you!

From Tailoring Dresses, Veils and Memories

Here at Alterations Boutique our experienced team of seamstresses have been styling, pinning and stitching Bridal alterations and Bridesmaid dress alterations for over 20 years.   

Located in the West End of London with award-winning customer service, we specialise in working with all different type of luxury fabrics, embroidery and beading so whether you require minor re-sizing, a complete dress re-construction or re-creation, we are the team of experts for you!

The planning of a wedding can be a busy and stressful time so give yourself peace-of-mind and entrust us with the tailoring and safe keeping of your gowns. 

Your own dedicated seamstress will carry out your project from start to finish. We understand that walking down the aisle with a dress that flatters your figure and reflect you as an individual is important. Each client project is carried out in a timely and stress free manner with 1-2-1 consultations and fittings.

Not forgetting those all-important finishing touches, we can create a selection of bespoke accessories such as boleros, stoles, veils, hair pieces and sashes which are beautifully crafted to match your gown. 

After the wedding you may wish to extend the use of your dress by undergoing the transformation into a Christening Gown or a versatile wardrobe piece to treasure for special occasions to come. The possibilities are endless.

In addition to being a first choice to designers and celebrities, our reasonable pricing and high quality service make us the number one choice for any special bride to be. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you plan for one of the most special memories of a bride-to be.

It is said that first impressions count and that people make their assessment of a newly met person in the first few seconds, so it is no surprise that what we wear has become increasingly important.

There are always a million details to be organised in preparation for a wedding and one of the most important to most brides is looking and feeling beautiful. Choosing the dress for the bride, and for bridesmaids, is influenced by many factors and can be influenced by budget, family traditions and the bride’s own wishes and style.

Part of this decision will come from the whether the wedding is to be traditional or modern, a sophisticated evening event with a civil ceremony, a simple church wedding or perhaps a beach wedding in the tropics.There may be a theme for the wedding and also the time of year when it is to be held may dictate the style and fabrics that will be used in the bride’s and bridesmaids’ dresses.

What to do If you Find the Perfect Outfit in a Shop but Not in Your Size

There’s a special occasion coming up and it needs an outfit that is equally special, and it may be that the invitation specifies a particular dress code, especially for a formal event.

Fashion Disasters and How to Resurrect Them

It used to be said that looking into many women’s wardrobe would be likely to reveal some outfits that have languished there unworn ever since they were bought but these days the phenomenon is not confined to women. The seasonal fashions for men and women change and the desire to grab a bargain is universal. As people have become more and more conscious of their appearance inevitably mistakes will happen.