Prom dress alterations are sometimes necessary, and there are many different alterations that a skilled tailor can make to your dress. Whether you need your prom dress to be a different size, you want to add embellishments, or you are interested in taking your base prom dress and making the style totally your own, you may be wondering what the exact cost of adjusting your prom dress is.
Our article gives you a basic overview of alterations costs for a prom dress and what you might need to pay to secure your dress prom dress.
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Why Would I Need Prom Dress Alterations?
When it comes to prom dress shopping, it’s easy to feel stressed and overwhelmed about finding the perfect dress. Sometimes, you can find your dream prom dress in your favorite shade but it happens to be a size too small, or it doesn’t have the right kind of sleeve or neckline. For instance, it can be tricky to find an orange prom dress (like the ones offered here, but in limited sizes), so if you do, you don’t want to miss out because it doesn’t fit perfectly.
This is where prom dress alterations come in, and these adjustments can help ensure your prom dress is perfect by the time prom night rolls around.
Types of alterations that a professional tailor can make to your prom dress include:
- Adding straps or sleeves to a sleeveless dress, or taking away straps and sleeves from a dress
- Adding small details, lace overlays, or embellishments to your dress
- Hemming your dress to adjust the length
- Altering the train on a dress to make it longer or shorter
- Increasing or decreasing the size of the dress
- Adding zippers or buttons to the back of the dress for easy closure
It’s important to note that the ease of your prom dress alterations depends on the type of fabric your prom dress is made out of, and you will need to consult with a professional tailor to learn more about which alterations are possible for your prom dress. Sometimes, you may need to shop around to find the right tailor for your prom dress.
When Should I Get Prom Dress Alterations?
Depending on how many prom dress alterations you need and how extensive your alterations are, you may need to wait several days or weeks for your prom dress to be finished. Formal and full-length gowns typically take longer to alter, and tailors may find themselves with more work around prom and wedding seasons.
It’s important to leave ample time for prom dress alterations before your prom night, and you may want to start your prom dress shopping months ahead of time, leaving a full month for any alterations you think will need to be made before prom night to avoid a situation where you are without a complete prom dress on your big night.
How Much Will Prom Dress Alterations Cost?
There are many different factors that go into the price of prom dress alterations, including the type of prom dress and fabric you have, the layers of fabric in the dress, the type of alterations you need to complete, and your location. In general, larger cities will have higher prices for tailoring and alterations services compared to smaller towns.
Each alteration and tailor differ, though you can expect to pay between $10 and $100 for each alteration you need completed, on average. Your tailor can go over a more complete price list with you as you consult about the alterations that need to be completed for your dress.
Common alterations and their average prices include the following:
- Dress hemming – $30 to $120, and this may be charged for each layer of fabric that needs adjusting
- Altering dress train – $5 to $20
- Adding length to a dress or adding a size – $20 to $50
- Adding straps or sleeves, or taking away straps or sleeves – $5 to $25
- Decreasing a dress in size – $25 to $55
- Extending sleeves or shortening sleeves – $15 to $50
- Adding a hook to hold a dress train – $5 to $15
- Adding or replacing a zipper to the back of a dress – $20 to $40
It’s important to keep in mind the average cost of alterations as you start prom dress shopping to ensure that your total prom dress purchase fits inside of your prom night budget.
Creating Your Dream Prom Dress With Alterations
Finding a prom dress is stressful enough, and finding a dress that is almost exactly your dream prom dress might leave you feeling upset. However, with alterations from a skilled tailor, you can adjust any prom dress you fall in love with to perfectly fit your figure and your ideal of what a dream prom dress should look like.
We recommend finding a skilled tailor in your area for more details about alteration timelines and the cost of your prom dress alterations.
