A dress that almost fits is a dress that does not get worn. Too long and the hem drags. Too loose in the body and it looks shapeless. Straps that are a centimetre too long and the neckline is wrong. These are small differences that make a large one to whether the dress ends up in regular rotation or pushed to the back of the wardrobe.
We alter dresses at Angelz on Arlington Way, a short walk from Angel tube. Hemming starts at £12.99. No appointment needed.
A re-hem brings a dress to the correct length without shortening it — the existing hem is removed and reset at a point that works for the person wearing it. This is the right option when the dress is broadly the right length but the hem itself has come undone, is uneven, or needs resetting after the dress has been taken up elsewhere.
Re-hemming is £12.99. The dress is pinned while worn with the shoes the dress will be worn with. Heels change the effective hem length significantly — a dress hemmed for bare feet will drag when worn with heels, and one hemmed for heels will look awkwardly short when worn flat. Bring the right footwear.
Shortening is different from re-hemming. The dress is cut to remove fabric, and a new hem is set at the shorter length. This is the option for a dress that is noticeably too long — more than a few centimetres.
We shorten dresses without a lining for £19.99. Lined dresses are also £19.99, but the lining requires additional work — it must be adjusted separately to the same new length and reattached so it sits correctly inside the dress rather than showing below the hem.
Lined dresses are more involved because the two layers — the dress fabric and the lining — behave differently when cut and rehemmed. A lining that is not adjusted alongside the hem will bunch or show below the skirt. We deal with both layers as part of the single price.
A dress that is the right length but too wide in the body does not flatter regardless of the fabric or cut. Tapering brings the dress in at the sides — removing excess fabric from the side seams — for a more fitted shape.
Tapering is £19.99. We assess where the dress fits well and where it does not before pinning. A dress that fits correctly at the bust but is too wide at the waist is tapered from the waist down. A dress that is loose through the full length is taken in from the shoulder seam or the side seam depending on the construction.
Dresses with back zips need the zip assessed alongside any tapering — if the body is taken in significantly, the zip placement may shift slightly and need adjusting to sit correctly in the seam.
A strap that is even slightly too long drops the neckline, lets the bust of the dress sit lower than intended, and changes the silhouette of the whole garment. Strap shortening is £14.99.
We shorten straps at the point that is cleanest for the specific dress — at the back adjustment, at the shoulder seam, or at the attachment point at the front. The method depends on how the strap is constructed and where the adjustment can be hidden most effectively.
Convertible straps — dresses designed to be worn multiple ways — are assessed individually. Not all convertible configurations can be shortened without affecting how the other configurations work.
A split side seam on a dress is one of the easiest repairs we do. The seam is opened at the split, the raw edges are finished if needed, and the seam is stitched back together at the correct allowance. The price is £7.50.
Side seams split most commonly at points of stress — the hip line on fitted dresses, the base of a zip on dresses with back or side zips. A split that is caught early is a clean repair. Left for longer, the fabric around the split can pull and distort, making a clean result harder to achieve.
Dress zips — typically invisible zips set into the back or side seam — fail in the same ways as any other zip. The slider wears, the tape pulls away from the seam, or the top stop comes loose. Invisible zip replacement is £14.99.
We fit replacement invisible zips so the seam closes over them completely. A visible zip in a dress back is a fitting issue as much as a repair issue — the seam needs to be closed correctly over the zip for it to be truly invisible. We check the seam closure before the dress leaves the shop.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation — whose Make Fashion Circular initiative tracks global clothing use and waste — notes that a large proportion of clothing is discarded due to minor damage including broken fasteners. A zip replacement at £14.99 extends the useful life of a dress that may cost ten to twenty times that amount to replace.
Formal dresses, evening gowns, and occasion wear present specific considerations. The fabrics — silk, chiffon, velvet, satin, crepe — are more demanding than everyday cotton or jersey. Embellishments — beading, sequins, lace panels — need protecting during alteration.
We assess every embellished or formal dress before starting. If beading or embellishment sits close to a seam that needs adjusting, we discuss the approach before cutting anything. A small amount of additional time at the assessment stage prevents problems that would take far longer to address afterwards.
Most dress alterations are achievable if the construction allows. The main limitations are fabric and seam allowance.
A dress cut with generous seam allowances can be let out — made larger. A dress cut to a tight allowance cannot. When letting out is requested, we check the seam allowance before confirming it is possible. A dress with no spare fabric at the seam cannot be made larger without inserting additional fabric, which is a more involved job and priced separately.
Very fine fabrics — thin silk georgette, for example — leave pin marks and stitch holes that are visible after adjustment. We flag this before starting on any fabric where it is a concern.
We alter a full range of garments. Our skirt alterations service in Angel covers hemming, shortening, waist adjustment, and zip replacement for all skirt styles. Our trouser alterations service in Angel handles everything from a standard hem to a full waist and seat adjustment. The complete overview is on our clothing alterations page for Angel.
We are at 18 Arlington Way, Angel, EC1R 1UY — two minutes on foot from Angel tube on the Northern Line. Customers come in from across Islington, Clerkenwell, Pentonville, Finsbury, and King’s Cross.
Walk in and drop off. No appointment needed. Most dress alterations are ready within two to three working days. More involved work — lined dresses, formal gowns — may take a little longer.
Can you shorten a dress with a lining and keep the original hem style?
Depends on the original hem style. A rolled hem or a hand-stitched blind hem can usually be replicated in the new length. A machined hem is always reproducible. We discuss the hem finish with you before cutting.
My dress has beading near the hem. Can you still shorten it?
Usually yes, but the beading needs to be assessed first. Beading that is stitched through the fabric can often be removed from the area being cut and replaced above the new hem. Beading that is integral to the hem design is more complex to work around. We discuss this at drop-off.
Can you make a dress larger?
Only if the seam allowance inside the dress has enough spare fabric to let out. We check this before confirming. If there is not enough allowance, making the dress larger requires inserting additional fabric, which is a different job.
How do I know what length to hem the dress to?
Wear the dress in the shop with the shoes you plan to wear it with. We pin the hem at the right point while you are wearing it. That is always more accurate than measuring at home.
Trouser Alterations · Skirt Alterations · Jacket Alterations · Coat Alterations · All Clothing Alterations · All Services
Can You Alter a Dress to Make It Smaller? · How Many Sizes Can You Alter a Dress Down? · How Much Do Clothing Alterations Cost in the UK? · How Much Does It Cost to Hem Trousers in the UK?
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