Today’s post is a lessen in perseverance and thinking outside of the box. Have you ever fallen in love with a dress and been so excited about its arrival you could scream, or pee or…you get the picture. eeeek….sooooo excited?!!!
Recently I purchased a dress, I love it hard, but there’s a story behind the dress.
Once upon a time when the moon was shining there was a suburban mum who whilst donned in pyjamas was scrolling the Internet. She spied a dress and thought ‘aha, this has to be mine’.
Did you guess it’s me? I fell in love with this dress online and had to have it♥ Even better as it had been reduced to half price, but still $95 and on top of that another twenty dollars for postage.
Yes, twenty dollars is bloody steep for postage and no it wasn’t express! Oh well, I wanted the dress so I paid it.
Eight days later it arrived, the dress was mine and I ripped off my clothes (well not ‘ripped’) and popped it on.
Ruh oh shaggy, what is this sausage arms you speak of?
This dress was meant to fit up to a size 22, well it seems as long as you had skinny upper arms it would.
Fuck! It fit everywhere else (super roomy even) but the arms and underarms were all wrong. Not one to give up I was dressed and in the car and within twenty minutes at the shopfront of my alteration lady.
Sure she could insert some material under the arms but would need around 3-4 cm. Now I didn’t want to take it from the hem as the length was perfect so we decided to take it from the back. Yup, she would take a full length panel (vertical) from the back and then move the gathering over.
A fair bit of work BUT for $40 I could have it back in two days. DONE! And once again excitement ensued 🙂
Two days later after trying it on both the alteration lady and myself looked deflated:-( It still needed to be wider and the underarm seam needed to be moved. Bugger!
All is well that ends well right? The next day I went back, hugged my lady and gave her $50 and it was smiles and giggles all around…It bloody FIT! 🙂
So my ‘on sale’ dress cost me $70 more than I would have liked but the end result is I love it.♥
The lesson? Sometimes we just need to look for a solution.
There’s no point grumbling, I knew that someone who knew their way around a Janome could get the issue sorted (not me) and I was prepared to pay….because I wanted this dress so bad!
Then my mister took some photos of me in the dress and I love it even more. The fullness and bell skeeves and navy colour ♥ ♥♥ I know it’s not to everyone’s taste and that’s ok, it doesn’t need to be. But for me, I feel beautiful in it and that’s what matters.
I could have returned the dress but I trusted my gut, saved on stress and had it altered. Every girl needs a good alterations lady. Do you have one?
I’m going to share mine. Diana from ‘Stylish Stitch’, she’s in Kurralta Park (0420 417 247) and does a bloody good job!
KK says
April 10, 2016 at 2:30 pm*sigh* my life!
Thanks grandma for my big arms and thank goodness for stretchy material.
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:42 pmAmen!
Bluetulips says
April 10, 2016 at 2:55 pmThat dress looks amazing on you and I love th colour. Well done for thinking of an alternative. I am lucky my mum is a seamstress, She still sews stuff for herself or buys clothes and alters to suit her body type. She always asks me for my opinion when altering clothes, she knows I will be honest. I can do the simple stuff like take up hems, hand stitching etc.
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:43 pmWhat a handy mum! ?
Maggie obst says
April 10, 2016 at 2:58 pmPerseverance and love certainly has paid off! And wow the photos says it all. You look absolutely gorgeous. ???
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:44 pmThanks Maggie, the huz did great with the pics ?
Hazel says
April 10, 2016 at 3:04 pmBeing an apple shape i often buy pants that fit in bum and waist but too loose in leg (yes even pencil or straights) so i am fortunate i am good at nip and tuck on a sewing machine. However, i rarely buy at full price if i know i am going to have to alter – Ezibuy are a classic example for pants i always have to alter – but sometimes the fabric pattern or colour gets the better of me and i just do it regardless of possible time at the sewing machine! So good on you – looks amazeballs!
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:45 pmif it ticks enough boxes it’s worth getting altered Hazel ?
Teri says
April 10, 2016 at 3:11 pmYour story reminds me that sometimes something we really want arrives via a challenging route. That dress is beautiful and you look radient in it.
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:46 pmThanks Teri, what a great lesson hey. X
SHaryn says
April 10, 2016 at 3:26 pmLove it, looks great on you & navy blue …..
Why cannot there be more in this magical colour ???
I love my fixing lady, for I cannot thread a needle.
She works wonders in all that I take to her.
As having big boobs, little shoulders – nothing ever fits or sits where it should.
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:47 pmKeep hold of your ‘fixing lady’, they are worth their weight in gold ✔️
Fay Fullford says
April 10, 2016 at 3:31 pmYour beautiful shows in every photo through your eyes x
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 3:47 pmThanks Fay cx
Karen Suzanne | Styleloving2 says
April 10, 2016 at 3:43 pmWhat is it with brands and arms widths. I know I don’t have petite arms but in saying that they are not huge either but so often I have to put back something I love because its skin tight in the arms. Next time I need to think outside the box like you have.
I’m glad you didn’t give up this dress is fabulous on you – navy and tan is one of my favourite combinations.
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 9:36 pmIt’s my biggest frustration when shopping. Yesterday I was wearing a target shirt no worries yet some ‘plus size’ shirts have the weirdest arms/shoulders it’s impossible to get a great fit.
Veronica says
April 10, 2016 at 4:41 pmWell done I love your tenacity and determination not to give up , I too am like this if I see something I love I won’t settle until it’s mine ?
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 9:37 pmLike a dog with a bone I was ?
Kerry says
April 10, 2016 at 5:35 pmGorgeous, where is the dress from. I neeeed it too
Jenni says
April 10, 2016 at 5:46 pmSorry Kerry, it’s sold out
Kerry says
April 10, 2016 at 6:15 pmOh no, what brand as I might like their other styles
Beth at AlmostPosh.com says
April 11, 2016 at 10:45 amAwesome dress! You can see in your face how much you’re digging it so totally worth it! (Have you fed back to the stockist about the sleeves in relation to the size??) I wish I could be more bothered about tailoring – I think I’ve missed out on a lot of good stuff as a result of my CBF attitude, although both my mum and mum-in-law are indeed handy with a Janome (or Brother I believe my mum’s machine is).
Jennifer White says
June 5, 2017 at 6:10 amwell it’s early in the morning..and this comment is very very late..but I just have to comment because you make me smile..a lot….something I haven’t done for a very long while……Until I found your site……You know what…I feel a whole lot better about myself since reading all your Blogs,posts and bits and pieces….
Jean this Dress is Bloody Beautiful on you..I would have paid this like you….I get so many things altered as I have a great lady..not cheap….but she does a cool job…and tackles almost anything..
I even buy my Doona Covers in America from Pottery Barn as they have what we don’t here..you will see the amazing fabrics and patterns and plains I mostly buy Linen ones….and she cuts them down for me and finishes off the ends..all for $30..as I have a queen bed but I buy a King Size Quilt..but USA sizing is larger..My oldest son and my 2 year old Grandson Jack live in Dallas.. Regards..Jennifer xx