Business Spotlight
Alterations deliver the final touches at Sew Unique Story & Photos by Betsy Iler
W
hen the perfect wedding dress doesn’t look as fabulous on the bride as it did on the page of a bridal magazine, a few simple and affordable alterations could make a big difference. In most cases, it’s just a matter of a tuck here and there; an adjustment in the sleeve; and altering a hem, said Sonya Powell, the formalwear expert at Wetumpka’s Sew Unique. “Most people buy a gown that is mass produced – even designer gowns are mass produced. My job is to make sure it looks as good on the bride as it did on the model,” Powell said. Making that happen might take more than one fitting over as much as a month, but the cost is reasonable – usually less than $100 – for what is likely to be the most expensive dress a woman ever wears. It’s important, Powell said, to bring all of the bridal attire to every fitting: dress; undergarments, including slip or petticoat; shoes; and jewelry. Any adjustments to one part of the gown may affect the way the dress drapes across a different part of the body, she explained. “Taking up the sides, for example, will affect everything else, so we don’t do the hem until we know what is happening with the sides,” she said. “You have to have an innate understanding of geometry for this job.” A necklace that sits perfectly around the neckline of a gown at the first fitting might be too long after the shoulders have been adjusted. Though a dress might be designed to show off the embroidered edge of the slip beneath it, there’s no point in pinning the hem if the bride doesn’t bring the slip to the fitting. “Just bring everything,” Powell said. Choose an alterations expert that has a good reputation over a long history, as that means she has gained knowledge and
8
ELMORE COUNTY LIVING
