Don't Throw Out That Top Yet!

I have to say, I'm always impressed with what my team of seamstresses and tailors can do here at Balsam. They come up with the most amazing ideas! 

A customer had brought in a faux leather bustier that she really loved but didn't fit her anymore because it was a bit too small and asked if there was anything we could do to help her fit into again. 

It's very rare that ready-made items have inseam left on the inside for letting out. Letting out whatever is available on the inside of your garment is most ideal but not always possible. In the case of this faux leather bustier, we had no choice but to add material to the backside to increase its size.

We took out the zipper (which we thought wasn't sturdy at all) entirely: It actually undid itself once the customer sat down! We decided to replace the zipper with a secure button and loop system on top of the black panel we were going to put in at the back.

Pictures of what the bustier looked like BEFORE alterations:

Pictures of the bustier AFTER the alterations:

Pretty neat right? :)

To Spend Or Not To Spend?

Not trying to look sinister here. The sun is in my eyes. 

This dress was bought from a widely known "fast-food" fashion store for under $30. But the alterations to be performed on this dress cost $38. The girl, who is even smaller than I am (and I'm what you call "petite" already), bought it one size too big because it was the last one left. She loved it and thought it'd be reasonable to drop another $38 to have it tailored to her body shape. The total cost of this dress is now $68--still a very reasonable price when you know you're getting something that actually fits you. 

*******

In the last several years, with so many "fast-food" fashion chain stores and online clothing stores churning out average to subpar quality items at such irresistibly low prices, how can trend-followers not gobble up what these clothing companies are throwing at them?

In all honesty, I'm guilty of being part of the fast-food fashion culture. I'm not entirely immersed in it--maybe with just my feet in and only ankle-deep. If I can get the same style for much less than what mid-range to high-end clothing stores offer, why not?

When it comes to buying clothes, keep your head on straight: Keep in mind, what you pay is what you get--so don't go nuts and start hoarding when something is cheap. Think before you buy! Because market researchers know that most trend followers prefer quantity over quality, clothing companies can shirk and make compromises in the fabric quality as well as workmanship that goes into making fast-food clothes. Why else are you paying $20 for a dress instead of $100? 

The general rule of thumb is, when you're trying to dress nice and save money, invest in KEY pieces of excellent quality that can stand the test of time and occasionally buy cheaper trend items to enhance your overall outfit. 

From time to time, you may get suckered into buying something you don't even need and probably doesn't even fit because it was "on sale". This happens a lot to our customers. It happens to me. You're stuck with a nice $50 jacket but the sleeves are too long and fits a tad too big. You have three options: 

1.Wear it the way it is and hope that nobody notices the bad fit ( If you pick this option, congratulations! You have the courage that I don't have.)

OR

2. Use the money you saved on the jacket and make it fit you perfectly. (If you pick this option, congratulations! You'll actually get some wear out of it and look good sporting it.)

OR 

3. Shove it into the back of your closet and pretend you never even bought it. (If you pick this option, congratulations! You just wasted $50.) 

Which one did you pick? :)

*******

Our customers fall into two categories: 

1. Those who think, "Wow, I saved this much. I can use what I saved and put it towards alterations to get a perfect fit.  Customers who fall into this category usually really like their purchases and that's why they can justify spending more on a sale item.

2. Those who think, "What?! I paid only $50 for this jacket.  Why on earth would I spend more on it?" Customers who fall into this category usually DON'T really like their purchases all that much and that's why they CANNOT justify spending more on a sale item. If you know you belong in this category, let me ask you this question: Why do you buy things that don't even look good on you? :(

So to answer a common question that I get working here, "Should I spend more fixing this thing I got at such a low price or should I just leave it and either not wear it at all or just wear it the way it is?", you need to ask yourself how much you like what you bought and as well, these complimentary questions:


1. Is the workmanship acceptable?
2. Is the fabric quality decent?
3. Would I wear it again and again?
4. Does the style suit me?

If your answers to these Q's are mostly negative, I'd say just toss the darn thing!

Let's Add Another One To Our Bag O'Skills

Oh look! We fix scarves that dogs get into too!

I'm immensely proud of who we are and what we can do. We are highly recommended by many retail stores around Vancouver. 

If you're a first time reader and is wondering what Balsam Custom Tailors offer, read on and be amazed at what we're capable of. Or simply go through our many blog posts to learn about the exciting services that are available!

Our Services Include:

*Made-To-Measure Luxury Wool Suits (Alternatives: Linen/Blended Wools/Cotton/Synthetics)

*Custom-Made Dresses, Shirts, Pants, COSTUMES, Jackets

*Expert Custom Tailoring on Ready-Made Garments such as Topcoats, Ski Jackets, Down Jackets, Leather Jackets, Motorcycle Suits, Evening Dresses, Wedding Dresses, Casual Knits, Jeans, ANYTHING BASICALLY (because we're that good!)

*Alterations or Finishing Touches on Drapery, Cushions and Beddings (We also make them too!)

*Mending/Repairs on your Beloved Garments and BAGS (Leather/Synthetics).

So, as you can see, we work with pretty much anything that's made out of fabric or leather. If you're not sure if it can be done, just bring it in for an assessment. You'd be surprised what is possible and what's not ;)

Eight Bucks CAN Most Definitely Buy You Style

I was going through withdrawals not having updated this blog for almost half a month--and I honestly was feeling guilty that I've neglected my readers. Sorry! I've been busy with some photography projects but now that I have some down time, I can finally squeeze in a little post.

Several weeks ago, I went shopping--aimlessly--not really having any thoughts on what to buy. Did I really even have a reason to go shopping? Not really.

Girls. That's what we do.

I love bargain shopping. Consignment shops. Thrift stores. Garage sales. Vintage shops. Regular mall sales. Basically, anywhere with cheap great finds, I'm there!

To me, fashion is really about creativity and stepping out of the known territory and trying something new. I'm not only talking about a new style--I'm talking about a new SIZE. Yes, that's right. A. New. Size.

With my innate ability to sniff out bargain goods and my wonderful sense of adventure, I was able to find a beautiful pink chunky knit sweater that was 10x the size I normally wear for EIGHT. FRICKIN'. BUCKS (tax included). I found it on the clearance rack at Smart Set. The sales girl and the manager were probably relieved to see someone pick up the poor neglected sweater. It was an XL and I'm an XS.

With a little bit of alterations done to the shoulders (I had it taken up an inch), I now am the happy owner of a pink chunky knit sweater which by the way is so fun and easy to rock in the Fall and Winter.

Who says eight bucks can't buy style?









Photography by Cindy Wu Photography

An Introduction To Tailored Clothes...It's a Wonderful Thing!

For those of you who are of average build and of average height, finding off-the-rack clothes to fit into shouldn't be too big of a problem since designers and clothing manufacturers produce garments based on several sets of average measurements--those of which we consumers have come to know as sizes XS to XL or size 0 to 16. Some brands choose to be a little more comprehensive so they expand the size range from XXS to XXL. You are bound to fit into one of those sizes.

But let's be realistic here: being able to fit into a shirt doesn't actually mean the shirt fits you. People come in all shapes and sizes. I'm 5'3" and can fit into a pair of size 25 jeans but often it ends up being to long for me, so what do I do? I have the option of folding the cuffs up but that is just way too tacky for me and not very flattering for my height (cuffs tend to cut legs off, making them look shorter and disproportionate). So folding cuffs is not something I would opt for unless I felt confident that I could strut around in 4 inch heels while wearing those jeans.

What is the next most sensible thing to do to solve that misfit?

No, you don't turn the hems in and glue them in place. Believe me, I have seen hundreds of people who have used the most imaginative ways to make their clothes fit them better (I'll tell you more about what my job is in another post...oooh, suspenseful!).

The most appropriate way to get those jeans to fit me is to get them--tailored! Or another way to say it is "hemmed". Most high-end shops or department stores offer that service when you purchase your pants--at an additional cost. There are also local tailor shops you can visit. Getting pants hemmed is the most sought after alteration. Hemming can be done on practically any type of pant: dress pants, cuffed pants, jeans, yoga pants, chiffon pants, leggings (although it is a well-known fact that they should never ever been worn as pants but I'll include it here just because it's got two legs), hiking pants, leather pants and the list goes on.

The same kind of alteration can be done to shirts, jackets, sweaters, dresses, and skirts. Alternatively, if you are a tall person and the top/pants are too short, you may have the option to "let down" the hem to make the pants longer to fit you--but that all depends how much seam you have underneath.

Alterations can be done to cure any length-related problems on clothes. What about if something is too wide? Whether its the width of those jeans at the waist or width of those sleeves that is bothering you, there is something that can be done. For instance, you know those flared cargo pants that you liked so much 5 years ago? You can have it turned into a pair of skinny cargo pants that is all the rage right now.

An experienced professional tailor/seamstress can make alterations on your clothes without leaving any tell-tale signs that they've been worked on. The less experienced ones may cut corners and damage your clothes--so choose who you want to work on your clothes wisely and find a place that does comprehensive tailoring. Choosing a tailor/seamstress is like choosing a hairstylist. You want to pick someone who knows what you want and will be willing to work with you on your ideas.