With these newly lifted bans, and more people possibly returning to work, we do not want to forget about the essential steps that keep everyone safe. A mask should always be worn in public settings where social distancing can be difficult like grocery stores and the post office.
Silhouette is a tailoring boutique and design studio, and tailoring to women’s bodies is clearly our specialty. We can expertly handle complicated alterations with delicate fabrics through the bridal/formal wear side of the business as well as making your everyday garments have their very best fit and proportions. We love to handle what others might not be able to, and our knowledge on knits, finer fabrics and vintage clothing is something that sets us apart. However, having a specialty does not mean that that’s all the services we offer (and of course, for clients we welcome non-binary and men as well!).
The majority of companies do not wash their fabric before garment construction, mostly to get the products out into the world cheaper and faster. Choosing garments labeled ‘pre-shrunk’ is advised when possible, but if that’s not an option, taking a quick glance at the fiber content tag will help you pick an accommodating size. Of course there is no way to fully predict how much shrinking will occur, especially with all the blends, and sometimes its just downright hard to remember all the information. We are here to help!
I first learned about the “original hem” for jeans in 2010. I was talking with a boutique owner about alteration referrals and the owner asked if I hemmed jeans with the original hem, because that is what her clients wanted. I said, “oh yes” even though I had no idea what she was talking about. I then went home and started Googling “what is an original hem”. I was confused. To me, it looked like a sewing hack that home sewers could do to shorten their jeans. You pinch the fabric just above the hem allowance on the inside and sew. Depending on the website (and your machinery), you then either press the extra fabric upward and tack, or serge…
Normally, when you find out you are pregnant, you should first tell your partner. Then go to the doctor to confirm and find out how far along you are in your pregnancy. At that point, you might tell your parents, best friends and siblings. And then, around that 10 to 12 weeks mark, you can start announcing to the world via facebook. This all changes if you are getting married. If you are in the midst of getting your wedding dress altered, or about to, the order in which you tell people of your new pregnancy should go like this: Your partner Go to the doctor to confirm and find out how far along you are 2. Your tailor! (seriously)…
What is a wedding dress? Well, simply, the dress you wear at your wedding. It can be a traditional ball gown or a short cotton frock. It can be separates or a jumpsuit, white or pink, silk or lace, purchased from a bridal boutique or from a thrift store. Bottom line, once you decide to wear it for your wedding, it is now a wedding dress. A wedding dress isn’t a specific style, but a garment for an occasion. It’s the reason why you are wearing it that makes it so special. Why would anyone down play it then? Why would anyone say, “it’s not really a wedding dress”? Then are you not really getting married? Over the years this…
You just ordered your dream wedding dress, but what underwear are you going to wear with it? If your gown is a more slender silhouette or thinner material, you will definitely need to wear a seamless undergarment or go without. If you are like me, you really don’t want to be talking with your uncle without undies on, so, below are some suggestions. They are not sexy but they work. My husband personally hates them as they do make you look like a Barbie doll. But, believe me, they are stupidly comfortable. Just pack some sexy unmentionables to slip into AFTER the wedding. 1. Form fitting dress For form fitting dresses with full coverage and no back cutouts or low…
We’ve altered gowns that walked red carpets, and we’ve made one beaded dress out of two, but there is nothing, NOTHING, we take more pride in than mending. It is easy to do, but incredibly challenging to do well. We approach a good mend like a painting restoration: using many colors of thread and matching up shapes and patterns. It’s honestly one of our favorite technical challenges. Well, not everyone at Silhouette dreams about color matching and stitch length, but Jana and I love the challenge of taking a ruined shirt and making it look like nothing ever happened. When Jana has completed a mending project, she will thrust it in my face saying, “look at how good it looks!”….
You’ve ordered your wedding dress, and now it’s time to schedule your alterations. We completely understand that this is your first time planning a wedding, and probably your first time ever getting a garment altered. So, here is the information we need: Wedding date or date you are leaving if out of town Designer and style name of dress (photos or a link work too) Roughly what alterations you need (hem, shorten sleeves, sides in, bustle, etc.) Do you have your shoes? Do you have your undergarments? Other very important details: Is the dress too small? Are you pregnant? Are you wanting any restyling work done? Are you in a wheelchair? Do you live out of town? To schedule, just…
Planning a wedding isn’t easy. And the timeline for every element, at least for me, was the most complicated. You need to book your venue how far in advance? When does catering need to have a final head count? Wait, the wedding dress I want will take six months to arrive and then I have to get it altered? When do you book that? How long do alterations take? While I can’t help you with the timelines for your other vendors, I can help bring light to the alteration process for your wedding dress. Not all wedding dates are created equal We live in Portland, Oregon which means that 90% of weddings seem to take place between June and October….
