Shorten a shirt or add a shirt tail hem.

Having a shirt hem taken up even a half inch can make a big difference, as a too-long top can overwhelm a petite frame and always tends to bunch up and look sloppy, On most simple tops (even those with buttons), you can ask your tailor to add a curved, shirttail style hem instead of a boring straight one. This will create a more interesting, flattering silhouette. This alteration also allows you to tuck tops into clingier skirts or pants with only minimal bunching.

However, if there are pockets or zippers involved near the hem of the shirt, attempting to shorten it probably isn’t worth the trouble. Leave those pieces on the rack and never look back, because replacing zips and moving pockets can become costly alterations.

Take in a shirt at the side seams.

The golden rule of alterations is that anywhere a straight seam exists on a garment is pretty much fair game for an alteration. So if you’re considering the purchase of a blouse you love with a fit that’s on the not-so-perfect boxy side, check to see if it has a straight seam on each side of the body. If it does, walk right up to the checkout and pay for that bad boy, because taking a straight seam in at the sides is one of the easiest clothing fixes there is.

If your boxy-cut shirt has sleeves, the alteration becomes slightly more complicated, as the seamstress will need to cut into the underarm area too. But altering the sides through the underarm is still easily accomplished and totally worth doing. Just keep in mind that it means you’ll have to make sure the shirt in question has enough room in the underarm to allow for a small chunk of fabric to be removed. If it’s big on the sides but tight in the underarm, it’s a no-go.

Take up a shoulder seam (or shorten your straps).

This is the mother of all alterations for those of you with short torsos. If you find that many garments hang down a little too low in front and shows the sides of your bra, it’s likely due to the shoulder seam being too long. And a good shoulder fit is important, as it can actually improve the look and feel of the entire garment. This alteration works best with a sleeveless or tank top style blouse, as removing the sleeve and reattaching it is tricky, and many times, they won’t hang right afterward.

Taking a sleeveless garment up at the shoulder seam is an easy, inexpensive fix, however, it does automatically raise the front and back necklines too, making the neckline circumference smaller. Whatever amount you raise the shoulder seam will also take the armhole up by the same amount. So make sure you can afford to lose the room before you take the plunge.

 Hem a pair of trousers or jeans.

A simple hem on a pair of trousers does not cost a lot, but the difference it makes in your look is priceless. Just a few inches off the bottom allows the trousers or jeans to fall straight from your hips as the designer intended — resulting in a clean, sleek, fresh line from waist to floor.

Everyone thinks shortening the hem of jeans is totally out of the question because it’s so hard to replicate the original one due to stitching details, but it’s really not, the original stitch or one of your choice can be carried out.

 Add some darts.

Darts are most commonly used in blouses to improve fit at the bustline, shirts for a slim look, but can be just as useful to shape a pair of trousers or a skirt. The seamstress will space the two darts apart evenly, most likely placing them over the fullest part of each bum cheek. The darts will take in the most fabric at the waistband and go down to zero fabric at the point where your hips begin to widen.

You can also use darts to slim down a boxy jacket. If you have broad shoulders, you may find that you need to buy your jackets a size or two up to have them fit well through the shoulders — but this almost always causes it to be too boxy through the waist.

Slim down a sleeve.

Cutting down a voluminous sleeve is another alteration that doesn’t cost a ton but makes a huge difference in how a garment looks. When a sleeve is too loose, it usually means the armpit is too big as well. Your seamstress can take in anywhere from a half inch to a full two inches from the underside sleeve seam, going from the wrist all the way to the underarm and down into the side-chest seam to create a slimmed down, prettier shape. Taper a trouser leg.

You obviously can’t make a pair of wide-leg pants into a legging with this alteration, but you can have your seamstress can easily trim a bit of excess volume along the garment’s inner and outer seams, resulting in a more flattering, streamlined silhouette.”

 

Replace a terrible invisible zip.

The zip that will give you the most trouble in life is an invisible zip, which is practically embedded into the garment, rendering the zip — wait for it — invisible once zipped up! They are commonly found on cocktail and party dresses.

These, however, can be replaced easily, either by supplying a replacement zip or us supplying one to you to ensure a perfect colour and style match. “If you have a dress that’s just a few centimetres too tight (or every zipp you ever use breaks and gets stuck), you could also consider replacing your invisible zips with a sturdier exposed zip and treating it like a style detail.”