Movin on up/Tailor made

Shopping a great sale can be frustrating. After all, if you are an avid shopper like me, you'll spend hours picking through a sales rack looking for any semblance of a great purchase. Stores like Bebe, Express, United Colors of Benetton and Urban Outfitters will have these obscene sales! I'm talking about 50%, 60% and 70% off here! This can translate to saving more than you spend (ahhhhh, I love that)! But small boutiques, fashion forward stores and stores geared towards a younger market all have the same sales dilemma. Everything that is left is either an extra small, or an extra large. The extreme sizes, they're all that's left. The world's biggest catastrophe (dramatic? me? noooooo....) is finding the most adorable top, and it is a size large when you are a size small.

Most people just walk away when something isn't their size. I don't have it in me to do so. Especially if I am staring at a $60 top for $18. I can't, the sale is too irresistible. Now if the top is too small, I let it go. It is dangerous to fill your closet with clothes that you swear you will wear once you drop those last 5 pounds. But if it is too large, you have still struck gold! Many people who have never sewn have a difficult time seeing the potential of a garment that is too big for them. There is nothing wrong with that, sizes were invented for a reason. In the course of the Industrial Revolution, once Europe was finished making steel and other useless items, they moved on to more important things... MASS PRODUCING FASHION! And with this, came standardized sizes. Before this, people had clothes made specifically for them, or they made them themselves. Call me (very) old-fashioned, but I like the idea of having clothes made to my exact proportions. And this, dear friends, is why I have nearly everything tailored. And if I find it on sale, one size too big, the better. So do not be afraid to move up a size on apparel that you find on sale. Even if you have it tailored, best bet, you'll still save $$ in the end.

Disclaimer: Certain items, and certain fabrics, are somewhat immune to this rule of thumb. For example, I would not recommend this with sweaters (or should I saw knits in general) or silks (because it is silk, and silk is precious!). IN ADDITION, when seeking out a quality tailor, it is best to shop around, read reviews and seek out your city's "Best of" recipients, and invest the time (and some well worn pieces of apparel that mean little to nothing to you) to find the right tailor. Take a few old pairs of pants or a dress that your grandmother bought you and you shoved to the back of closet, and take them to your short list of tailors to ensure that they listen well to your instructions and return the garments to you in good condition. I have a great tailor, and found them on the first try, but I have heard horror stories. It is better to lose an old dress then the one you are wearing in your sister's wedding in two weeks. Don't take chances with important apparel!