Great piece. A good tailor is worth gold but many minor alterations such as taking up hems, moving buttons, taking in a waist can be done with a little sewing knowledge. And once learned, you can do your own free alterations! I feel sewing was a skill taught to girls as a matter of course in the past, ‘feminism’ ditched many of these traditional skills but it was a mistake. It’s very empowering to make your own clothes or do your own mending or alterations. We need to bring these skills back into schools and teach them to all children - they are great for hand-eye coordination and honing problem-solving skills too.
I used to make silk scarves for a living once upon a time and hand-sewed all the hems. It was incredibly relaxing and so satisfying too. I use a Singer sewing machine my mother spent a lot of money on in the 1970s. It’s a brilliant machine and while there are all kinds of fancy machines out there now, I have never felt the need to buy one. If you’re starting out and just want to learn the basics see what second-hand machines are out there or maybe borrow one until you’re sure you want to invest. I used to make clothes for my little girl when she was small - so rewarding and fun! X
I’ve co-opted my wife’s sewing machine, it was from John Lewis and cost £100, it does everything I need it to.
I started out with minor adjustments like taking in waists, doing hems and small repairs, and have now started making dresses for my daughter.
Getting basics altered it such a great idea, but makes even more sense on high value items, if your going to spend £3/4/500 of something why not spend and extra 5-10% on making sure it looks it’s best?
Strong agree! I recently wrote a book list of fave fashion books and included The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing which is like, insanely handy for anyone starting out!
2nd hand sewing machines are the way to go. You don’t need anything fancy. And there are a lot of machines from 40-50 years ago made of metal so they last forever and have it cleaned.
I’ve been sewing for a few years and I find that tailoring a piece I love into a better fit is faaaar more satisfying than making something from scratch.
Thiiiiis. This this this. Shop for silhouettes and fabrication, not labels, and don’t put up with inferior basics! Tailor it all! I have several years-old simple summer Madewell jersey dresses from eBay with modified side slits, because under $20+labor is the exact right level of investment for clothes I will sweat in (and they are good quality!).
Completely agree. Coincidentally, I had a Stussy x Martine Rose t-shirt I copped a little while back which has been too long on me and took it to the tailor to have it slightly cropped. Perfect fit now. The £10 was worth it.
just curious - can you go to a tailor and be like “how can you make this fit better?” without having a specific ask in mind? sometimes i want things to fit better but im not sure HOW to ask for that to happen…..
Yes! A good tailor will know what to do especially if you work with them regularly. Bring something similar that you love the fit as an example. My tailor will even drop waistlines on pants, move collars and turn dresses into tops.
Ask around for recommendations. I live in Salt Lake City so can’t share the tailor I have been using for 24 years🙃
I have done this with a satin tank I got on Poshmark! I knew I needed the straps taken up, but she also suggested taking in the waist slightly to show off my hourglass figure
Ok YES. Also, I really like certain graphic tees sold at stands outsides of games for $5. And I always have them tailored - I like a muscle tank ala Carrie Bradshaw in that Moon River scene. Now I have one that is the most perfectly done, and I just use it as a "stencil" for the dry cleaner to tailor anytime I want a muscle tank.
Convinced! Will be taking my newish inexpensive ribbed black high neck tank that is just 1.5 awkward inches too long to the tailor. Because that awkward inch or so makes the difference between reaching for a piece without thinking or hovering over it and shamefacedly moving on.
I wanted to say thank you! This tank is a 10. Perfect 90's cut, cotton, light, win win win. I got the black, of course, and the blue. Big fan of your writing Liana, your vibe, all of it. Every post, video, is just so freaking great. xx. p.s. if anyone w/a bigger bust needs sizing help (34G) here, I got the large. Fits perfectly with room to spare and I want to buy the Medium also now for a "tighter" look when the mood strikes. As far as hemming, it's fine. Yes, I do wish it was a couple of inches shorter to hit perfectly, but not a deal breaker. I am motivated to get my sewing machine fixed right now to do it myself.
Lori, hi! Thank you so much for the comment! I love it here…and I’m happy you’re into it!! It means a lot!!! Also amazing that you snagged the Uniqlo top…they are practically all gone at this point…every time I wash mine, I feel like I’m doing some sort of rationing…can’t explain it!
I have never heard anyone mention A Perfect Murder. As of a few years ago, you couldn’t even find it on Apple movies, undeservedly lost to erotic thriller history. Thank you for reminding the world it exists. That’s not happiness to see me, is it?
I watched this on streaming at some point during covid lock down... Saw it in the theater back in the day (because I also love Dial M for Murder/the movie it's based on) and been obsessed with all of Gwyneth's looks in it since.
Totally agreed! Love tailoring basics, it feels so luxe to have something that hits just right. Last year I had a craving for a cropped button down, and instead of buying a new one I got a tailor to crop a uniqlo button down I didn’t wear too often and now I wear it all the time. It just didn’t hang right on me before. Now it’s one of kind too :)
On a similar note, I also just learned about Suay in LA (https://suayla.com/) where they do community dye baths and sell a lot of cool looking linen housewares. I'm sending in some irretrievably stained canvas pants to be camo tie-dyed and I'm super excited about it.
I love the concept of customizing pieces and the comparisons to high-end brands in this article, but Uniqlo falls into fast fashion, which raises concerns. Ideally, there'd be a sweet spot where we can invest in clothing made with eco-friendly materials that lasts, without the luxury price tag of a $500 tank top.
YES! So many yesses to give to this! I mean, I'm 100% biased towards overhauling the care & repair sector and getting more involved with how to make our clothes actually work for us.
I've done this with band tee shirts! I have a short torso but wide ribcage so the women's shirts are always too narrow and the men's too boxy and long. I would buy a men's medium and have it hemmed to my specifications based on my favorite white tee shirt and then have them contour the side seams to give it a more feminine silhouette! I do this for most of my band tees and i have zero regrets.
Great piece. A good tailor is worth gold but many minor alterations such as taking up hems, moving buttons, taking in a waist can be done with a little sewing knowledge. And once learned, you can do your own free alterations! I feel sewing was a skill taught to girls as a matter of course in the past, ‘feminism’ ditched many of these traditional skills but it was a mistake. It’s very empowering to make your own clothes or do your own mending or alterations. We need to bring these skills back into schools and teach them to all children - they are great for hand-eye coordination and honing problem-solving skills too.
I feel like...this would be relaxing too...I should try. What kind of sewing machine do you use? Or is it all by hand?
I used to make silk scarves for a living once upon a time and hand-sewed all the hems. It was incredibly relaxing and so satisfying too. I use a Singer sewing machine my mother spent a lot of money on in the 1970s. It’s a brilliant machine and while there are all kinds of fancy machines out there now, I have never felt the need to buy one. If you’re starting out and just want to learn the basics see what second-hand machines are out there or maybe borrow one until you’re sure you want to invest. I used to make clothes for my little girl when she was small - so rewarding and fun! X
I’ve co-opted my wife’s sewing machine, it was from John Lewis and cost £100, it does everything I need it to.
I started out with minor adjustments like taking in waists, doing hems and small repairs, and have now started making dresses for my daughter.
Getting basics altered it such a great idea, but makes even more sense on high value items, if your going to spend £3/4/500 of something why not spend and extra 5-10% on making sure it looks it’s best?
Strong agree! I recently wrote a book list of fave fashion books and included The Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing which is like, insanely handy for anyone starting out!
2nd hand sewing machines are the way to go. You don’t need anything fancy. And there are a lot of machines from 40-50 years ago made of metal so they last forever and have it cleaned.
I’ve been sewing for a few years and I find that tailoring a piece I love into a better fit is faaaar more satisfying than making something from scratch.
Interesting!
Probably just because it's far less work and I know exactly how it will turn out!
We teach sewing to both boys and girls in Waldorf schools - yes, so empowering and important for hand-eye-brain coordination.
Thiiiiis. This this this. Shop for silhouettes and fabrication, not labels, and don’t put up with inferior basics! Tailor it all! I have several years-old simple summer Madewell jersey dresses from eBay with modified side slits, because under $20+labor is the exact right level of investment for clothes I will sweat in (and they are good quality!).
Completely agree. Coincidentally, I had a Stussy x Martine Rose t-shirt I copped a little while back which has been too long on me and took it to the tailor to have it slightly cropped. Perfect fit now. The £10 was worth it.
just curious - can you go to a tailor and be like “how can you make this fit better?” without having a specific ask in mind? sometimes i want things to fit better but im not sure HOW to ask for that to happen…..
Yes! A good tailor will know what to do especially if you work with them regularly. Bring something similar that you love the fit as an example. My tailor will even drop waistlines on pants, move collars and turn dresses into tops.
Ask around for recommendations. I live in Salt Lake City so can’t share the tailor I have been using for 24 years🙃
Totally will second this rec. Bringing an example with you of something that fits in the way you like I have also found to be really useful.
Oh these are good tips: I'm going to use this Uniqlo top as a blueprint!
I have done this with a satin tank I got on Poshmark! I knew I needed the straps taken up, but she also suggested taking in the waist slightly to show off my hourglass figure
I had a tailor who totally reconstructed a pleated skirt-shifting the pleats to go in the opposite direction -just to hide a tiny moth hole fix.
Ok YES. Also, I really like certain graphic tees sold at stands outsides of games for $5. And I always have them tailored - I like a muscle tank ala Carrie Bradshaw in that Moon River scene. Now I have one that is the most perfectly done, and I just use it as a "stencil" for the dry cleaner to tailor anytime I want a muscle tank.
Oh chic...such a good reference...btw I love Carrie's muscle tanks...I think I'm inspired now...and love the "stencil" idea...!
XO BEST MUSCLE and thanks for the joy of your work
Convinced! Will be taking my newish inexpensive ribbed black high neck tank that is just 1.5 awkward inches too long to the tailor. Because that awkward inch or so makes the difference between reaching for a piece without thinking or hovering over it and shamefacedly moving on.
Let me know how it works out! I need to know the results!
I tailor everything - from the Claude Montana dress I just had made into a top to the Gap tanks I use exclusively to sleep in🙃
I wanted to say thank you! This tank is a 10. Perfect 90's cut, cotton, light, win win win. I got the black, of course, and the blue. Big fan of your writing Liana, your vibe, all of it. Every post, video, is just so freaking great. xx. p.s. if anyone w/a bigger bust needs sizing help (34G) here, I got the large. Fits perfectly with room to spare and I want to buy the Medium also now for a "tighter" look when the mood strikes. As far as hemming, it's fine. Yes, I do wish it was a couple of inches shorter to hit perfectly, but not a deal breaker. I am motivated to get my sewing machine fixed right now to do it myself.
Lori, hi! Thank you so much for the comment! I love it here…and I’m happy you’re into it!! It means a lot!!! Also amazing that you snagged the Uniqlo top…they are practically all gone at this point…every time I wash mine, I feel like I’m doing some sort of rationing…can’t explain it!
I have never heard anyone mention A Perfect Murder. As of a few years ago, you couldn’t even find it on Apple movies, undeservedly lost to erotic thriller history. Thank you for reminding the world it exists. That’s not happiness to see me, is it?
I watched this on streaming at some point during covid lock down... Saw it in the theater back in the day (because I also love Dial M for Murder/the movie it's based on) and been obsessed with all of Gwyneth's looks in it since.
Totally agreed! Love tailoring basics, it feels so luxe to have something that hits just right. Last year I had a craving for a cropped button down, and instead of buying a new one I got a tailor to crop a uniqlo button down I didn’t wear too often and now I wear it all the time. It just didn’t hang right on me before. Now it’s one of kind too :)
Uniqlo makes the best tanks. The scoop neck ribbed tank is the only tank I really like as a standalone (rather than layering) piece.
Going to search for the ribbed one...
Make sure it’s the scoop! The crewneck one has a different, thinner fabric.
On a similar note, I also just learned about Suay in LA (https://suayla.com/) where they do community dye baths and sell a lot of cool looking linen housewares. I'm sending in some irretrievably stained canvas pants to be camo tie-dyed and I'm super excited about it.
I love the concept of customizing pieces and the comparisons to high-end brands in this article, but Uniqlo falls into fast fashion, which raises concerns. Ideally, there'd be a sweet spot where we can invest in clothing made with eco-friendly materials that lasts, without the luxury price tag of a $500 tank top.
YES! So many yesses to give to this! I mean, I'm 100% biased towards overhauling the care & repair sector and getting more involved with how to make our clothes actually work for us.
Oh no! Totally sold out online! Thanks for a great and thoughtful piece.
apologies for my tardiness to this piece, but do you have sizing advice for the wrangler pants? xx
I've done this with band tee shirts! I have a short torso but wide ribcage so the women's shirts are always too narrow and the men's too boxy and long. I would buy a men's medium and have it hemmed to my specifications based on my favorite white tee shirt and then have them contour the side seams to give it a more feminine silhouette! I do this for most of my band tees and i have zero regrets.