For instance: I buy ‘Tall’ shirts, so that the arms will be long enough. Because of this, the shirt companies think that I also want ‘wide’ - so I end up tailoring each and every shirt, from the underarm down the side-seam, and removing two strips of material about 6 inches wide. It’s still not really enough - I should take down the width of the arms as well - but it’s enough not to have wads of material stuffed down my trousers, leaving odd patterns of wrinkles to show through.

Teach D. how to pin for tailoring.

Unfortunately, I’d have to knock your theory down, because that would mean the clothes should fit *me* and they don’t.

We talked about this at knitting group the other week. The consensus was that we should all go back to getting our clothes tailor-made. It would cost a lot initially, but it would fit and last longer and I bet wouldn’t actually cost more in the long run.

(That, or buy sewing machines, obviously.)

Have you got time and funds enough to alter a dress or have someone do it for you? I’ve often resorted to that when having to wear A Dress (rather than a dress you can wear to the park). Good luck!