Finding a dress that fits your body perfectly is a near-impossible feat, and every girl has come face to face with a dress that’s the right size on every part of her body except one. Everyone’s body is vastly different, and even when you’ve scored a dress in the right size, it may not necessarily be the right shape. With the prevalence of online shopping nowadays, the probability that you’ll end up buying a dress that doesn’t fit you in a certain area is pretty high. If you find yourself in possession of a dress that needs a bit of touching up to fit right, here’s everything you need to know about how you can make a dress smaller without alterations.
Preliminary Tips and Tricks
Before you prick or stick anything on your dress to make it smaller, it’s important to take the appropriate preliminary steps to prepare your dress for its makeshift alteration. The more time you spend prepping your dress to be made smaller, the less time you’ll have to spend fixing mistakes in the long run.
To get the most precise measurements possible, use a measuring tape to get an idea of how much material needs to be taken in. Take measurements of your hips and waist then measure the parts of the dress where your hips and waist will be, both front and back. Using these measurements, subtract the difference to find out exactly how much the dress should be taken in.
With your measurements in hand, use some chalk to mark the spots on the dress that will be taken in with your makeshift alteration method. A general rule of thumb to follow is that a quarter of the amount you need to take in should be marked on each side of the dress. For example, if you need to take in 2 inches, mark ½ inch from the stitching on both sides of the dress.
Alternatively, you could put the dress on inside out, gather the excess material, and mark the gathered areas to get the measurements you need. They may not be as accurate, but this method is much more comfortable.
Six Ways to Make A Dress Fit Without Sewing
1.Safety Pins
Safety pins have long been regarded as a go-to quick fix for clothes that need to be altered, and for good reason. When fastened in place properly, safety pins don’t budge, and they are discreet and small enough to go undetected by the naked eye. If your safety pins are causing unwanted puckering of the fabric when you take in the waist of a dress, call on a friend to help you pin neat and flattering pleats.
2. Bobby Pins
Bobby pins are essential styling tools that have long been used to hold the most precarious hairstyles together, and these handy pins can also be pretty useful when it comes to altering a dress. These little lifesavers are perfect for shortening sleeves and the bottom of dresses. Simply tuck the hem to your desired length and fasten a sufficient amount of bobby pins along the edge to hold it in place.
3. Hem Tape
This double-sided adhesive is able to withstand a lot more than regular tape and is extremely easy to use. Hem tape is great for both shortening and taking in dresses, and it can be used for both temporary and permanent solutions. Head on over to your local drug store to get this long-lasting solution that requires zero sewing!
4. Fashion Tape
Fashion tape is an excellent solution for dresses of the strapless variety, and they can make them stick to your body like a glove. Not only does this tape prevent slippage, but it also helps smooth and seal down awkward bunches and gaping holes in a jiffy.
5. Fabric Glue
Fabric glue is a more permanent solution than other at-home alteration options, and if you have the patience to find the right adhesive for the material of your dress it can work wonders. This glue is also a great option if you want to add a few extra embellishments to your dress.
6. Belts and Ribbons
Sometimes all a dress really needs for a more flattering fit is a belt or ribbon accessory. These are both quick and easy solutions that cinch in your waist and prevent you from feeling like you’re wearing a sack of potatoes.
No matter which method you choose to alter your dress, you can rest easy knowing that you don’t have to be a professional seamstress to get your dress to fit right. And if you would like your dress to be professionally altered by the best of the best, look no further than Love Your Tailor. Love Your Tailor offers top-of-the-line clothing alterations by experienced tailors at competitive prices in Toronto. We’re so confident in our alteration services that we offer all our customers a 100% money-back guarantee. Contact us today to get a free quote!