Shoes & Hems

04/01/2024

**This originally appeared as a page on our website. In effort to simplify, several pages have been moved to the blog.

Shoes and Hems

I cannot even begin to tell you how many folks tell us, "the shoes are like this pair" and then when the bring the shoes... They are INCHES different!

Shop Rule: We will NOT mark a hem on a dress without the ACTUAL SHOES you will be wearing for your event.

Why it matters...

Unless you have your clothing custom made, it does not come shaped like humans. Alterations are a service you pay for, above and beyond purchasing a garment, to get the clothing shaped like you.

Most pant hems are in the $18-25 range. Bridesmaid Hems are typically in the $50-80 range, and usually come very uneven from the factory. Wedding gown Hems can be as much as $500, especially where lace and beadwork is involved. Having your clothing hemmed communicates a level of attention to detail for your appearance that isn't typical during your day to day life.

What's this got to do with the shoes? Well, the obvious reason is that your height changes when wearing shoes. More importantly, your posture changes when you're wearing heels, and the dress hangs off each body differently, so you can't just lob off a couple inches, you have to actually mark it properly.

Image of the chalk marker used to measure up from the floor to mark a hem so that the hem is parallel to the floor.

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We don't guess. When you bring the garment, you put it on and we mark the hemline for accuracy.
You're paying for the length to be correct and if you take those shoes off, it's no longer correct, but inches too long.
When dresses and bustles are too long, other guests can/will step on the dress and tear the dress or rip out the bustle point.
The money you paid on the hem will feel like a waste of money if the hem is trampled on and ruined.

Learn to sew!

We have quickly realized that we must teach what we do, since there is no formal way to get a degree in being a Specialist in Alterations.

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Whether you're sewing or hiring a sewist, your clothing will be shaped like your undergarments. Therefore, it is imperative that you learn to buy the right bra. Checkout our post on bra fitting.