In my latest Feel Good Beauty video I did a piece on creating and honoring a working closet. The video is available here: https://rb.gy/jinzja 

In the process outlined in the video I guide you through your closet, have you try on each piece, and divide everything into piles of yes, no and maybe.  You may find that the last pile includes items which may not fit, or are damaged in some way. To help you discern whether these maybe items should be repaired and placed in the yes section or relegated to the no pile, here are my tips from How to Win at Shopping on what your tailor can and can’t do:

A Tailor Can…

-Add top stitching back to the hem of your jeans after shortening.

-Maximize the amount of length in a pair of pants by dropping the hem to the longest possible length and finishing the inside with hem tape.

-Stitch down and remove the front pockets of your pants to create a smoother, slimmer effect.

-Shorten straps so that a dress or top raises to fit through the torso and has properly placed bust darts and underarms.

-Shorten sleeves. If your coat sleeve is past the knuckle or your blazer sleeve is past the wrist, they can be adjusted.

-Line a sheer garment with your shade of nude (the color most complementary to your skin tone) to enable you to wear regular undergarments under it.

-Add a hook and eye or snap at the point where your button-front blouse gapes.

A Tailor Can’t…

-Take more than two inches out of the back center seam of jeans or pants with back pockets. Otherwise, the pockets will be too close together.

-Let out the seams of a garment made of a fabric that will show stitch marks such as linen, cotton, or silk. The result would be holes in your clothes.

-Reduce something more than one size. The proportions and seams will not end up where they should be.

-Remove heavy shoulder pads from a jacket. The fabric will not drape or fit your shoulders correctly without them.

-Lengthen a jacket. Shortening may be possible, but there will not be enough seam allowance to lengthen.

-Repair a hole by stitching it closed. Avoid a lumpy outcome and ask for a recommendation for a reweaving service.

-Change the original design completely. Alterations are possible, but if transformation is desired, go for another garment or have something custom made.