Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I have a rather large backside and it seems like I can't ever find anything that will fit both my waist and hips. Do you have any suggestions on what I can wear that will fit properly?

Signed,

Pain in the Ass

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Dear P.I.T.A.,

There are many women who share in your posterior pain. There aren't many retailers that cater to women with curves and those that do want to flaunt the derrière, not disguise it. However, there are a few tips that could work for you.

When shopping for tops you want to look for those that will help conceal and/or break-up the continuity of your backside. Shirts that end below the waist in either vibrant colors or patterns help bring the attention away from your lower half. Also think about accessorizing with scarves, necklaces and any other adornment that will draw eyes up.

For jeans you want to opt for mid to low-rise dark denim with dark stitching in a boot cut or flared leg. The darker the color, the better for a minimizing effect. The leg width helps balance out your back end while you maintain a classic silhouette. Also look for pairs that offer a back pocket. Make sure that when you put them on that the pockets sit as centered over the midpoint of your backside as possible. Pockets help further facilitate the illusion of minimizing so the larger the pocket, the smaller your butt appears.

Most of the same rules for denim are applicable to searching for dress pants. You want to look for darker colors with a generous leg opening that sit at the hips. The low waist helps conceal/cut your back-end in half. For skirts and dresses, lean towards a pencil or flared opening. These two styles offer the best fit for your body but still help balance your silhouette. A-line skirts have the propensity to make your bottom half appear even larger.

When choosing jackets, go for darker colors that either flare over your butt or graze below it. Make sure that the fit is close to your body, allowing the jacket to show the contours of your shape while your back-end is covered and camouflaged.

Of course it almost goes without saying that besides body shapers, a good tailor will become your new best friend and best investment. In the future, focus on finding pants or skirts that fit comfortably over your hips and bottom. Any tailor worth his weight in sewing needles should be able to take in the waist to most your bottoms - old and new - providing you with pants and the like that fit properly.

Your situation is just another example that we all have body image issues to work through. Use the tips and minimizing tricks that work best for you, but try not to get too upset if you still feel like your backside is taking center stage. Sometimes instead of getting frustrated we must learn to accept the things we cannot change while changing what's in our power. Your butt may just be one of the things you can't change so accept it and focus on what's in front of you, not what's behind. Only then will you, and others, appreciate all of the other assets you have to offer.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I'm a petite girl and usually just make do with pants that are too long or tops that don't quite fit through the torso. While I make it work, most friends have suggested to me to get everything tailored. Can I justify spending more on the tailoring than what I spent on the outfit?

Sincerely,

In need of Ann Tailor

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Dear I.N.O.A.T.,

Your petite problem is in fact quite large. So many people settle for their clothing's short-and-long comings that its hard to decipher if the downward economy has all but phased out tailors or if people have taken off the rack clothing's "ready-to-wear" moniker too literally.

In your case, a great place to start would be with brands that offer petite sizing. This should help alleviate some of your tailoring needs while getting you into clothing that is properly proportioned for your body type. But that's putting the shopping cart before the closet. Your first plan of action should be recon work for your current wardrobe. Plan to spend a weekend trying on the things that you recall living in your closet that may need alterations. There's nothing worse than having a wardrobe riddled with things you wish you could wear if it weren't for the fit.

If the pile of alterations outsizes what's left hanging in your closet then you shouldn't plan for any retail therapy until you have found a tailor that you trust to execute the fit you envision. Take however many pieces at a time that works best for your schedule and budget, but every trip you take to pickup alterations should also be looked at as a trip to take something else in, excuse the pun.

Once everything in the pile is tailored and you're ready to shop again, consider perusing sale sections and designer discount stores for deals. Buying marked down items creates the financial buffer you'll need to employ a good tailor. In the long run, the money you're not spending on new, potentially ill-fitting items, will balance out the tailoring costs (especially if the tailoring cost is still below what you would have paid retail for it). You'll never have to just "make do" with your wardrobe again, and that kind of assurance is priceless.

Need help finding a tailor that fits you? Try these tips on for size.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com

Dear Shopping Savage...

Dear Shopping Savage,

I am a woman who stands at 6' and I can't ever seem to find pants that aren't too short or too long. As a result, I spend a fortune on hemming alterations and wanted to know if there was a "do it yourself" way that you could recommend that doesn't take a lot of time, energy or money?

Signed,

Hemming and Hawing

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Dear H.A.H.,

There are two solutions to your problem that meet your criteria, with caveats, of course. The first to consider involves a little faith in the supernatural. Well, not really, but stitch witchery is quite magical in adhering hems without getting too technical. You can find it in just about any craft section and it's very inexpensive and easy to use. One small drawback: the "heat activated" bonding tape will start to loose its holding power after several cycles of care.

Another more involved process would be to contact your local fabric store to inquire about beginner's sewing classes. For a fraction of the long-term cost and time you wait for your hemming alterations to be completed, you could learn a few basic sewing principles, if nothing more than a pant hemming technique or two. Of course, unless you have a sewing machine at your disposal dying to be dusted off, you'll be limited to either using the machines in class or purchasing one.

If all else fails, you could try to find a cheaper seamstress than the one you use now, but as we all know, a good tailor is hard to find. Just remember, no matter which option you decide works best for you, be sure that you wash and/or dry any article of clothing that needs alternations beforehand so the length won't be affected by later washings and care.

As it was once said, if you want something done right, do it yourself; and if you want it done for less, and on your time schedule no less, than you most certainly want to do it yourself. It may sound a little daunting, but if you're really looking for a DIY solution, now's the time to try your hand at one of the suggestions above. Once you've figured out which works best for you, you'll have your hemming problem sewn up, or 'stitched' up, in no time.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com