By Natalia Chkliar, Stylist/Manager at Très Chic Styling.
So after you have invested in a good pair of black or colored pants…what’s next? The HEM!
A lot of the times expensive clothes are waited or forgotten in your closet for the reason that you don’t have the proper alterations made. The trick of a real fashion expert or fashion amateur is the proper fit.
Your pants must fit you like they were tailored for your body.
The most important part of your investment after you paid a quite significant amount of money for your suit or your designer pants, that obviously a staple piece in your wardrobe for years, is going to be the alteration made to it.
Remember, even a Dolce & Gabbana suit pants can look cheap if they are not hem properly. Therefore, we compiled some dos and don’ts of alterations.
A few suggested rules:
Rule #1: Hem the pants accordingly to the shoes
Always hem the pants accordingly to the shoes (I mean heels of course) that you are planning to wear them the most with. Most of us have different heels, and their height must vary, so the goal is to find the right shoes that match with the look of your pants before you trip the length. Know the proper shoes for the pair of pants you are wearing, please don’t cut a black suit classic flared with a wedged summer cork sandals… this is going to be a big mistake.
Rule #2: Belt or no belt?
Visualize before, are you going to wear your pants with belts a lot or are you going to tuck in some blouses in most of the time? This makes a difference in your length. This needs to be considered when trying your pants for the alterations.
Rule #3: Plan according to the season
Know the season you are planning to wear them for. Skinny and tapered pants that you will wear in Fall and Winter over your booties might need to be longer then Summer pairs.
Rule #4: Sit down
Take a sit when you hem your pants…this will make you understand as well how they will look when you are sitting down.
Rule #5: If you commute to work...
If you commute in a low or no heel shoes to work, your pants will be longer, so the trick is to wear a belt and raise them higher not to drag the hem of the floor (this damages the fabric). You can also buy a double sided tape to hem them for the commute for a clean and polished look until you slide in to your pumps at the office.
Rule #6: Style
Flared pants must at least cover your heel in the back; less than an inch need to show when you stand.
Rule #7: Match your blazer
If you are looking to get the right blazer, you want to match the style of your pants. With flared pants, choose a one button shorter tailored blazer. With cigarette or tapered pants, you can go with a fitted tailored blazer in a bit longer version.
Rule #8: Invest
You can spend a little more money and invest in a quality suit with pants; they will serve for a long time. So splurge a little, and don’t try to save as well on your alterations.
Natalia Chkliar : Stylist/Manager at Très Chic Styling.
With my eccentric and bold style my goal is to let every woman express herself through fashion.
The passion behind my devotion for fashion came at an early age, today I choose to follow this path and make a career out of what I truly love.
My mission is to create a unique wardrobe with functional basics and glamorous pieces that will last through fashion trends time after time.
Teach every woman to find herself and to exude what they truly are through this wearable form of art that we call fashion.