Altering Vintage: Yay or Nay?

Flashback Summer- Altering Vintage: Yay or Nay?
find picture here


As I'm getting more and more into vintage clothing, I'm facing a somewhat moral dilemma that I'm not sure what to do with.

Is it okay to alter vintage clothing to fit me?

Flashback Summer- Altering Vintage: Yay or Nay?
"Ballet Girl and Dressmaker" by Frank Rutter (1930s)

On the one hand, I'm a strange size (pretty tiny) so despite the fact that the whole world wide web is available, it's quite hard to find clothing that fits me.  

On the other, vintage clothing cannot be replaced.  It's often one-of-a-kind.

What are your thoughts about altering vintage clothing?  I'm really torn here, so please let me know what you think!

7 comments

  1. Oh, I'd totally go for it! When I first started wearing vintage, I was scared to do it too. It's a piece of fashion history after all but in the end, I'd rather alter it and wear it than have it waste away on a clothing rack or something. Some vintage clothing is badly damaged and needs to be altered or repaired to make it wearable anyway. In the 40's when a dress became too worn to wear or wasn't the right size, you bet those ladies altered it. Mend and Make do! :) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SWEET! I shortened the hem on a dress recently and nearly flinched when I made the first cut, but now I won't feel so bad!

      Delete
  2. If you are lucky enough to be a tiny size, try to choose vintage clothes that are close to your size. They are so many items in XS size!
    I know how hard is to find vintage for L or XL size, so I don't alter clothes one size or two larger than me in order to respect vintage lovers that are a bit bigger than me. But I can sometimes alter bust if waist fits me or waist if bust fits. If something is already in bad condition, I see no problem to alter for example a dress to make a skirt!
    What I don't like when I find a pretty 40's or 50's dress/skirt is that someone shorten it.... so I never touch the lenght of a vintage cloth.
    Hoping that my opinion will help you!

    http://lostin1950.blogspot.fr/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, I WISH I'd find those shortened skirts! But what you're saying makes sense, especially the idea of changing a worn out dress into a skirt (have to admit, hadn't even thought of that!).... I'll definitely log that away!

      Delete
  3. I will alter if I don't have to cut fabric off~ or if the stitches won't ruin the fabric. Like once you sew taffeta, those stitches are permanent and will always show holes if you let out a seam, etc. I will open a seam and add fabric if needed.

    ReplyDelete
  4. My answer to this question is a resounding "yes", so long as the general structure and integrity of the piece is kept in tact (or if a garment was damaged but part of it could be salvaged and repurposed, then by all means that's ok, too). A lot of vintage clothing is costly and like any investment garment, it should fit you as well as possible. Tailoring is the way to make that possible and help ensure you get the very most of our your gorgeous yesteryear wardrobe.

    ♥ Jessica

    ReplyDelete
  5. I alter only if what I have done to the garment can be reversed. My Christmas dress was too big on me for years, and when I learned to sew, taking it in was one of the first things I did! It involved making the darts deeper, which was no biggie. Additionally, taking up a hem, or letting a hem down a bit is no problem. That is as far as I would go, personally. I agree with what Jessica said, as long as the structure and integrity of the garment is not compromised, then go for it!

    xoxo
    -Janey
    atomicredhead.com

    ReplyDelete