As we all know, whatever your shape and size, sometimes you just can't find clothes to fit, or the things you like are just not in your size. In India not a problem! There are many, many incredibly talented tailors hard at work, tucked away in the little streets and alley ways.
I was out shopping with the bad influence across the street (lol), and saw a couple of tunics - one fit great, the other was a size too big but I bought it anyway and a trip to the tailor was in order. Sometimes you get great bargains of good US/UK brands which were maybe made in India but never made it back across the waters for sale.
Anyway Shubha and I headed for her favorite tailors near Commercial Street. A tailor for making up designs and another for alterations.
The tailor who makes up designs is very impressive. Shubha arrives with a rough outline of what she wants and the requisite silks, he makes an even scratchier looking picture, takes a few measurements which he jots down in an unintelligible fashion and then drops the silks and sketches on a pile of other orders in a sort of random heap and we take our leave.
The evolution of the sari blouse is quite amazing - you can get the traditional but also ties and lacings, piping and borders, transparent overlays, built in support, halter necks, shorter bikini or a longer corset types....its quite a fashion item by itself!!
Next week Shubha will return and I can guarantee (as I have seen this process before) that she will collect a couple of beautiful blouses for her sari's which will fit like a glove and be beautifully finished and styled.
We then move on to the alteration tailor - down another little backstreet, in the back of an arcade and set up in a tiny little cubicle, with his assistant, both behind their sewing machines. For me, its relatively easy, I have taken in the tunic that fits so he has a template. Shubha, meanwhile who has been working out big time and is now very toned and trim needed a couple of pairs of jeans/pants taken in. Given how hard it is to get a pair of jeans to fit I find it a bit incongruous that hardly any measuring seems to be required. We are told to return in 30 mins - very dangerous, plenty of time to do some damage to the wallet! We return and alterations are done. We then have to go for fitting - as the tailor doesn't have a trial (fitting) room we are taken out of the little arcade and into a clothes shop where they have the tiniest changing room - not much room to wriggle out and in ones clothing- in the back.
My tunic fits a treat but to my amazement Shubha's pants fit so well - not too tight, but tight enough!, a perfect fit. Incredible given the scanty use of the tape measure. These tailors definitely have the eye!!
Anyway Shubha and I headed for her favorite tailors near Commercial Street. A tailor for making up designs and another for alterations.
The tailor who makes up designs is very impressive. Shubha arrives with a rough outline of what she wants and the requisite silks, he makes an even scratchier looking picture, takes a few measurements which he jots down in an unintelligible fashion and then drops the silks and sketches on a pile of other orders in a sort of random heap and we take our leave.
We then move on to the alteration tailor - down another little backstreet, in the back of an arcade and set up in a tiny little cubicle, with his assistant, both behind their sewing machines. For me, its relatively easy, I have taken in the tunic that fits so he has a template. Shubha, meanwhile who has been working out big time and is now very toned and trim needed a couple of pairs of jeans/pants taken in. Given how hard it is to get a pair of jeans to fit I find it a bit incongruous that hardly any measuring seems to be required. We are told to return in 30 mins - very dangerous, plenty of time to do some damage to the wallet! We return and alterations are done. We then have to go for fitting - as the tailor doesn't have a trial (fitting) room we are taken out of the little arcade and into a clothes shop where they have the tiniest changing room - not much room to wriggle out and in ones clothing- in the back.
My tunic fits a treat but to my amazement Shubha's pants fit so well - not too tight, but tight enough!, a perfect fit. Incredible given the scanty use of the tape measure. These tailors definitely have the eye!!
oooh! sounds like I need to go visit!
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