Elegant Alterations

After a bad experience at Stitch-​It in Chinook (which I will write about later), I headed to Elegant Alterations to see if they could alter a vegan leather jacket that I had purchased online. As a tiny lady, I have resigned myself to the fact that purchases off the rack (tangible or virtual) usually have to be taken in an inch or two.
Elegant Alterations is tucked away in a little strip mall in Willow Park, about five minutes by car from Southcentre Mall. Inside, is a quiet and pleasant lady named Olga whom, is as friendly as she is all-​business. She took in to consideration that I may want to wear a hoodie or sweater underneath my jacket, and listened to exactly what I wanted (arms and sides taken in, but sleeves kept at the same length so that it didn’t feel constricting when I bent my elbows).
Since this was going to be more than a simple hemming job, my order was taken and I was told to come back in a few days. As I was paying at the counter, another lady came in wanting a suit taken in for an event later that evening. It was either for her husband or son, but she described his size with hand gestures, and Olga knew exactly what to do and how much she was going to take in. I took this to mean that this lady and her family were regulars, which reassured me further that I was leaving my jacket in good hands.
On my way to pick it up this evening, I had to call and say that I may be a little late, because traffic and poor road conditions had brought Deerfoot to a sleepy shuffle. Luckily, she was willing to stay open an extra ten minutes so that I could get my jacket! Not many businesses will do that, and I can understand, especially after a long day, that all people want to do is go home. But, Elegant Alterations stayed open long enough to not only let me pick up my jacket, but try it on and inspect it.
You’d never know it was taken in. No tell-​tale seams, loose threads, or the puncture marks you fear will happen with a vegan leather (or actual leather) jacket. Olga made it look like it came out of the factory, specially made just for me. The jacket that I brought in has some ornamental stitching and detailing, and she took great care to preserve as much of it as possible.
Prices here for tailoring and hemming are on par with most other places in the city, and Elegant Alterations only accepts cash — which — you pay when you pick up and are satisfied with the work. But, unlike many other places, have a professional that will treat your garment with the utmost care and extreme attention to detail, so the value is incredible. I encourage anyone that has shied away from getting things tailored before, due to worry about it costing too much, to give Elegant Alterations a try. Make an inexpensive piece look like it cost 4x as much by getting it tailored to your measurements! It’s worth it! Instead of having a beautiful, but ill-​fitting jacket collecting dust in my closet; I have a custom piece that I’m happy to show off.