Altering Vintage Finds?

[jayem]

Do you consider it an unspoken sin?

I, myself, have never really had a problem with removing a collar, shortening a hem, or sewing on different buttons, belts, etc to a vintage dress to make it fit my 'look' better. Do you? I recently bought a 20s dress in a very very pale yellow, and I wanted to soak it in a fabric dye of a darker yellow to make it more vibrant and my friend threw a fit saying I was ruining its antiquity. My look at it is, if I'm the one wearing it and keeping it 'alive', why should anybody else mind?

 

[Lady Day]

Sure.

Youre not altering it to destroy it or deconstruct it, your altering it to fit you. Thats what thy did back then, why not do it now?



LD

 

[dakotanorth]

Altering, or changing?

Tough call, really.
I've done a lot of work on men's clothing- cutting off sleeves, replacing pockets, adding trim along pockets and collars, replaced a collar with faux fur once. Redyed a few things, although I still can't figure out that secret- I still think dyeing is part black magic!
However, all of these things I have done because they NEEDED to be done- I cut off sleeves because the cuffs and/or elbows were ruined. I flipped collars because the edge was torn. I trimmed out pockets because someone had worn down and frayed the top edge. I redyed to cover up unusual stains or uneven fading.
In short, before I made changes, it was unwearable- after I made changes, it was wearable. This goes beyond the basic "take in the seat, let out the cuffs" of course.
Personally I think it's one thing to completely restore the color of an item, but to simply change it... eh, it's a gray area. Also keep in mind redying isn't a snap by any means....

 

[Shearer]

Sure, there are exceptions with historical vintage... I think I'd be hesitant to do any alterations on something pre-1920's just because I personally see that as something that wouldn't be worn practically on a daily basis...

BUT...

It's always been my belief that vintage clothing could disintegrate just as easily on a clothes hanger as on your frame... why not alter it so you can get some enjoyment out of it before the moths do?

I'm not advocating taking a pristine gown and making a DIY garment out of it by totally deconstructing it. I find that irresponsible. However, taking up a hem, taking in the waist, letting darts out... I've never seen anything wrong with that.

I'm 5'3", weigh a buck ten, and I'm small-busted on top of that. There's no way I'd be fitting into my beloved 50's fashion if not for a little nip and tuck here and there. Oh, and I'm sooooo not above padding my bra lol

 

[contentmentfarm]

Speaking as the devil's advocate and a vintage dealer I can tell you that when it comes to selling vintage, any alterations pose a problem. They have to be disclosed and buyers who are looking for pieces for their collections rather than wear just do not accept a lot of alteration, they want things as original as possible.

If a dress has been lengthened it's not much of a problem because you can just turn the hem back up and one will never know that it had been shortened. The opposite is not true. If you have shortened a dress you can't automatically let the hem back down without the tell tale signs that it was once shorter. I guess that's why the credo for textile conservators is the same as for doctors, "First, do no harm".

I can certainly see both sides of the argument and supposed that as long as you are not changing a rare designer piece or style then what you do is your business. With your 20s dress it's a bit borderline, especially as 20s wear in any condition is getting harder and harder to find. Will enhancing the color of your dress hurt the value? Hard to say. It will partly depend on the result, the other part will be how the enhancement is perceived at the time of sale if that ever happens. Just remember, if it falls apart in the dye process, the rarity of 20s dresses has just increased by one.

 

[lyburnum]

I try just to buy things that are exactly as I want them. If it won't fit me, or it's the wrong colour, I'll let it go to someone who it'll fit or likes the colour. I've only altered the sizing of one vintage dress, but that's because I love it, I know I'll keep it and I want to wear it, I'm not about to sell it. I had to replace a broken zip on another 50s evening gown. I really don't like altering things too much, I only really do what's necessary.

 

[Snookie]

I think I'd frown on someone altering a perfectly good garment, just because they want to. I don't think hardly anyone here could be guilty of that, because we understand the history of these things. I'm thinking along the lines of a teenager hacking up Grandma's old clothes, to make something novel. Even the extreme alterations that costumers make leave me a little queasy, although usually those garments are pretty trashed already.

But, any type of basic alteration that makes it more wearable, all the things already mentioned, sound fine. Even changing the color of something (hopefully it turns out okay, though!). I was even considering buying a vintage robe off Ebay last week, because it was really frumpy and I didn't think anyone would want it as is, but I liked the fabric and I think I could squeeze a blouse out of it. I didn't buy it, and it went unsold. I don't think anyone will ever want it, and I might ask her to relist so I can have the yardage.

I'm also not above cannibalizing buttons and things from really decrepit garments for future use.

Couture gets different rules, but I doubt many of us regular folks will ever get our hands on any.

 

[Ada Veen]

I tend to alter things quite a lot, but only for fit, not aesthetic purposes. I tend to have difficulty finding dresses that fit me both around the ribcage and the waist, so I quite often take the waist in on dresses.

I'm not really bothered about resale value - I just have to hope I don't change shape or size significantly over time!

 

[goldwyn girl]

I buy vintage to wear /use so therfore I will alter something to fit. Normally it's to take in the waist, but I have bought ugly designs for the fabric and remade them.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

i've altered vintage clothing to fit me. i've also used fabric from unwearable stuff to make over into other things. i have a box full of "project items" under my bed, actually. the most drastic thing i've done (and i will probably get shunned forever) is take a motheaten, falling-apart jantzen bathing suit... and turn it into a purse - which i use a lot in the non-rainy month(s). it's seeing the light of day, whereas the jantzen was rotting down in the bottom of my steamer trunk. [huh]

 

[goldwyn girl]

i've altered vintage clothing to fit me. i've also used fabric from unwearable stuff to make over into other things. i have a box full of "project items" under my bed, actually. the most drastic thing i've done (and i will probably get shunned forever) is take a motheaten, falling-apart jantzen bathing suit... and turn it into a purse - which i use a lot in the non-rainy month(s). it's seeing the light of day, whereas the jantzen was rotting down in the bottom of my steamer trunk. [huh]

It's a version of make do and mend.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

i've altered vintage clothing to fit me. i've also used fabric from unwearable stuff to make over into other things. i have a box full of "project items" under my bed, actually. the most drastic thing i've done (and i will probably get shunned forever) is take a motheaten, falling-apart jantzen bathing suit... and turn it into a purse - which i use a lot in the non-rainy month(s). it's seeing the light of day, whereas the jantzen was rotting down in the bottom of my steamer trunk. [huh]

ahhh but see...thats using -unwearable- things to make new stuff. Thats cool.

In my opinion whats not cool is, taking a perfectly good wearable item, and changing it into some other thing, color for no reason, style changes other then fitting...etc.

If its not the right thing, leave it for the next person to have and wear.

Poor condition things, is another story unless like Snookie says, its couture or something else makes it a one of a kind.

 

[Miss 1929]

i've altered vintage clothing to fit me. i've also used fabric from unwearable stuff to make over into other things. i have a box full of "project items" under my bed, actually. the most drastic thing i've done (and i will probably get shunned forever) is take a motheaten, falling-apart jantzen bathing suit... and turn it into a purse - which i use a lot in the non-rainy month(s). it's seeing the light of day, whereas the jantzen was rotting down in the bottom of my steamer trunk. [huh]

What a cool idea! I want to see that purse! Did you retain the little Jantzen diving girl?

I really think it depends on the garment and the extent of the alterations.
I have a few things I took in to fit me, and now that I am larger, I wish I had at least left the extra fabric in so I could let them out again!

Dyeing is tricky - first make sure the fabric will take it. Many old dresses are a kind of rayon, non-Sanforized cotton that shrinks drastically, then you are left with a dress for a three year old. Test a shred from the hem or seam allowance first.

Other than that caveat - I have little problem with dyeing as sometimes the color is so faded it is a boon. Who knows that that dress was always so plae?

 

[desi_de_lu_lu]

I would have a hard time doing anything that cleaning a vintage garment or doing minor fixes to it. I see the items like works of historic art.

I feel if I put scissors to it, I am ruining it somehow. If something doesn't fit me or is beyond use, then it usually doesn't get bought.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

here ya go, miss 1929... hope this isn't too fftopic:

-->

it's lined with material that i believe to be early 50's regulation girl scout uniform fabric. i used the label AND the diving girl in the final product - didn't even remove the girl!

 

[Johanna]

I'm very little and skinny so I have to alter pretty much everything to fit me. I think I have like one dress I didn't have to take in or hem or shorten the straps on or similar stuff.

I think it's sad when something really great is "ruined" since someone didn't appreciate the look of it and made it into something very different, at least if it's something uncommon. But making small alterations is perfectly fine with me. Things like a adding a trim or a bow or new buttons, maybe changing a collar. After all, many of my vintage magazines and books are full of tips on how to do exactly that.

And for fun, here are some examples!

Home made shoe decorations. The left one is made from a watch strap.

Different ways of changing a dress. The text says that if a dress is too narrow you can add a panel in the front like in the examples.

Decorating with ribbons.

 

[Johanna]

Oh and when I alter stuff for fit, I always try not to cut away the excess fabric unless its absolutely necessary. Although I do that mostly in case I might grow bigger

 

[Ada Veen]

I always try and leave the extra fabric in too.

 

[pigeon toe]

I pretty much HAVE to get most dresses altered (except for "Juniors" dresses -- you'd be surprised at how much of my vintage has "Junior" or "Teen" on the tag). I am pretty petite and VERY short-waisted, so everything hits me in the most bizarre ways unless I get it altered. Normally I would leave the vintage that didn't fit me for someone else, but it basically DOES fit me, except the bust and waist hit where mine aren't! I have an excellent seamstress that I go to though, whom I completely trust.

 

[The Shirt]

I've altered. Taking things in - letting them out. I have reconstructed some shoulders that were way too wide. I figure I am my vintage's last stop.I've never sold something I've bought (rather picky in the first place). I wear them to death, sometimes literally though not intentionally. If I am adding things like sashes, or adornements though I generally make them removable so I change my mind.

If however - I owned something rare, I may think twice about altering drastically for size.