Although I accept alterations, I do have a minimum charge of $50. If your trousers fit well but are just a tad too long or short, then the kiosks in the mall or your dry-cleaner will probably be more economical. The same goes for moving or replacing buttons and zippers and repairing small tears.

If your clothes don't fit properly because you're a different shape from the ready-to-wear garments available, then I can assess how your shape differs from that of the garment and make the necessary adjustments. What sort of things am I talking about?

• Your skirts and trousers look and feel great when you are standing but gape at the back when you sit down. That could be because your rise (distance from crotch to waist) is different from the garment's. Or it could be that you are wider through the hips and your waist nips in dramatically. When you are standing, the clothing rests on your hips but stands away from your body at the waist. When you sit, that extra fabric shifts to the back.
  
  
• Either you can't fill the front of your tops and jackets or they pull across the bust. Or — my personal favourite — you can't lift your arms above shoulder height in a jacket. Your shoulder, upper-arm and bust proportions will affect how tops and jackets hang on you.
  
  
• Your skirt hems hike up in the back or in the front, rather than being parallel to the floor. Or your side seams are at an angle rather than pointing straight down. Most likely your front rise and back rise are different lengths. Adjustments have to be made at the waist so that you don't look like an unmade bed a few hours after you put the garment on.

Besides items that were originally purchased for you to wear, there are often treasure troves in attics and closets. Repurpose, remodel, upcycle — whatever you want to call it. If you have a great old coat or dress of granny's that you would love to be able to wear, then we should take a look at it, at you, and see what we can come up with.

Accessories • Bespoke Clothing • Weddings • Wardrobe Makeovers