OutFit is a series where I, your favorite fashion design and construction expert, take you through the ins and outs of the most important aspect of your wardrobe- no, not your shoes! I’m talking about the actual FIT of your clothes!
Who doesn’t love a great dress? The ease of grabbing one piece and walking out the door feels like the ultimate fashion cheat. But how do you know how to get that perfect fit? Here are my tried and true methods:
- Pay attention to how the garment physically feels against your skin. A fabric that feels itchy, or you counting down until you can get home and rip it off are signs that this is not the dress for you.
- How does it feel under your arms? If it’s cutting into you, the armhole is too small. Did you know that the armhole is related to a lot of other measurements in the dress? So chances are, the whole top is likely too small on you. Try the next size up and see how that looks and feels.
- Look for lumps, bumps or pulling. Those can be signs of a garment being too big or too small. You want the dress to lay nice and smooth against the body.
- If the dress feels dowdy and you’re not sure why, try adjusting the length. Shortening or lengthening a skirt by a mere inch can often make a big difference in the overall shape on your figure.
Bear in mind that most garments can and should be tailored, and it’s always easier to take something in. It’s not always possible to let out a dress without serious reconstruction.
The tailoring tip is something you always hear from celebrity stylists- and with good reason. It has nothing to do with the quality of the garment. In fact, you can take a super affordable piece and make it look like a million bucks with great tailoring! Almost no one fits into a garment perfectly without it needing some kind of adjustment first. Find a dress that fits your widest measurement, and then have the rest taken in to fit you properly.
Here’s to making an Impact together!