The Secret to Losing 15 Pounds With Just Your Clothing

Author: Barbara Ellis

I have a friend who is a former co-worker and I hate to tattle on her but she really just didn’t know how to dress her body. One day she’d come to the office looking okay…the next day not so much.

…Unfortunately she had more bad days than good…

Day after painful day I would see her wearing clothes that were too bulky and ill-fitting. She was oblivious to the fact that those baggy clothes were adding 15 pounds to her already healthy frame!

Then one day she came in wearing a beautifully fitted jacket over straight leg pants, and the effect was amazing! Overnight she’d lost 15 pounds! The compliments thrown her way were almost overwhelming!!

At lunch that day she asked me what the big deal was. She wanted to know why people were suddenly telling her how great she looked…

Uh-oh. The moment of truth…what could I say without offending her? “Well”, I started out, “I think you’ve found the secret to being well dressed!”

Want to know the secret that she’d discovered that day? It’s so simple that I’m almost embarrassed to tell you…

You don’t always have to accept clothes the way they are made.

That’s right. Tailoring is the secret weapon that most women fail to get. My friend happened to have gotten lucky and bought that particular jacket right off the rack. In fact, she had never been to a tailor in her life! I don’t know about you, but the tailor is my best friend.

Now, my friend argued with me over the cost… “tailoring is too expensive”, the time… “it’s another errand I’d have to squeeze into my already busy weekend” and the excuses just kept on coming….

…Fortunately, having grown up around my Grandma Betty who was a stickler for fit, I was not about to give up so easily!

I have to ask you the same thing I asked my friend that day…

…Can you afford NOT to be tailoring your clothes?

After all, if you are buying classic items and spending good money on them, adding another 10% or 20% to get it fit to your body will only enhance the value. By value I mean that you will probably wear that garment more times than you would if left untailored simply because it feels better to wear!

And, a tailored garment can look much pricier than it really is, because it looks like it was custom made for you. If you’ve ever owned a custom fit piece (didn’t most of us have our wedding gowns tailored to fit?) then you know what I’m talking about!

Most clothing is manufactured in mass from a pattern on a form or fit model. 99% of the female universe is blessed with some shape other than that of a mannequin.

Instead of thinking that the problem with getting clothing to fit is YOU, start thinking instead of how you can showcase your best features by wearing clothing custom tailored to fit your body.

Not sure of what a good tailor can do for you? Here’s the short list.

• Pants. Finding pants that fit in both the waist and the hip is nearly impossible for most of us. Find pants that fit at your widest part; usually your hips or thighs. While standing in front of a mirror, reach around to the back of your waist and pull in the excess fabric, or ask a friend or sales person to do it for you. A tailor can remove the excess fabric and re-apply the waistband, including belt loops. No more cinching in the waist with a belt!

Don’t forget the length of your pants, either. Be sure to wear the shoes that you would normally wear with the pants to the tailor. A difference in heel height could seriously affect the overall outcome. Sometimes, if I find pants that I really love, I’ll buy two pair and have one tailored to high heels and the other to flats. For jeans, ask to have the original hem removed and put back after the pants have been taken up. For only a few bucks more the effect is worth it!

• Skirts. You can do the same fit trick with a skirt around the waist as you can with pants. The other thing to consider on a skirt is the length. If it’s too long, it can make you look bottom heavy, so be sure to have your skirts shortened to a more flattering length.

• Dresses. Same rules of length as the skirt apply here, but with dresses you need to pay attention to the fit at the shoulders and around the bodice as well. Puckering in the back, too much fullness in the bodice and sleeve length can all be adjusted.

• Jackets. Sleeves shortened (and sometimes lengthened depending on the construction) or tapered, shoulders brought in, waist tucked and length shortened are all good things to consider with a jacket or blazer. I’ve even had the upper arm of a sleeve taken in one time when the fullness of the arm detracted from the rest of the jacket.

Aren’t sure that you can find a good tailor in your area?

• Ask your network of associates and friends, especially those that always look put together. As with most other things, a recommendation usually nets you satisfying results.

• Take the plunge with a tailor by starting them off with something simple like a skirt hem. Inspect the work and if you like what you see, take a few more pieces the next time.

• When you take an item to the tailor, be sure that you have clearly communicated what it is that you want done. A good tailor will also make suggestions for making the fit better. They will also pin or mark the garment with chalk.

• Be sure to try on your items before taking them home. This is your opportunity to ensure that the garment is done to your satisfaction.

Next time you go shopping, or even put on something from your own closet, don’t sigh heavily and get upset if what you loved on the hanger isn’t loving you back! Before passing it up take a really good look in the mirror to see if a little tailoring will help. If you are unsure as to whether or not a tailor can help, check the store’s return policy and keep the tags on the item until you speak to your tailor.

©2010 The Stylish Executive