A future bride called me one day, looking for a second opinion after getting a “jaw-dropping” quote of $200 to shorten her wedding dress. After examining the work, I told her it was a bargain, and recommended to take it, because there was more work there than $200 worth. She ended up becoming my client; and she told me she never thought of things like amount of layers when she selected her dress.
Shortening a multi-layered dress is a COMPLEX alteration.
You cannot just mark and cut those layers and not expect to get surprise #1, multiplied by the amount of layers, worsened by the way they look together.
Now we need to coordinate lengths of several layers, and make them look best together. And lining can be just as uneven as the upper layer for the same reasons that I have explained above.
Remember that every mistake can be fatal – once hem shortening is done, it cannot be undone. For a multi-layered dress alterations, I recommend to go to very experienced seamstresses only. Every layer’s alteration takes time and effort, therefore adding up to your price. The price will mostly depend on three factors:
- How difficult is it to work with upper fabric. Most upper fabrics on formal dresses and evening gowns, such as satin, chiffon, silk, velvet, organza, tulle are not easy to work with. They can be slippery and harder to stitch. Chiffon is a beautiful fabric, but it doesn’t keep the shape during cutting, basting or stitching. Only the best seamstresses work with chiffon.
- How many layers and whether they are attached to each other
– Most items of clothing consist of not just one layer of fabric, but one to three layers underneath it, all of different lengths. All of those layers should be shortened in accordance to the upper layer. You don’t want the wrong side of your lining to stick out when you walk or sit down, and that’s why the layers need to be shortened after trying the dress on, and according to the standards.
-If you bought bubble style or column dress, the hem could have an enclosed lining with no access inside the dress. In that case, a seamstress needs to make a hole in the lining to get inside, and work on seams through this hole. This is not comfortable, it takes a lot of hand basting, and requires tons of experience to make it look right at the end. - Total length of the hems of all layers. Price of hem shortening is usually set per foot or per meter and that’s why it depends on how full the skirt is and how many layers there are. For example, a column style sheath dress could have only 1 meter of hem, while full chiffon dress – up to 8-10 meters of hem.
So if you are about to have a heart attack upon hearing the price of professional hem shortening, ask your seamstress to explain the price to you. You may discover that it is not as easy as it sounds. And when you buy an inexpensive dress, consider the price of hem shortening in addition to other add-on costs.
You can always schedule a fashion consultation with me. You can send me your desired dress pictures, and we can discuss all topics that interest you in depth: from whether a dress is the best for your figure to how much you will pay for alterations. You don’t have to be located in Toronto: I work over Skype and phone to eliminate need for travel for you. You can send me pictures of the dress from any place in the world by your smart phone, provide your size and height, and I will go online, and consult you while you are still in the store.
Last Word About Converting A-Line Dress Into Hi-low Dress…
Many women find dresses that are high in the front and low at the back appealing. They buy a dress with a regular hem line and want to convert it.
If the lining in your dress is not enclosed, we will have to cut it the way you want and then enclose the hem in order to hide all seams of fabric and lining from exposure. If the dress has a sweep train, it is better to leave it alone, and shorten only the front. Many dresses have a plastic trim sewn into the hem. It has to be replaced in the process of shortening.
In any case, proper hemming takes certain skills and knowledge of proper ways to finish different fabrics.
Email me, and I will help you make that dress look best on you.