topic Re: Can they do this? in Community Chat

Can they do this?

Ditzydori — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 07:09:33 GMT

my sister brought her jeans to the tailor/cleaners to have the waist taken in 2 inches. She just wanted 2 darts in the back. She didn't specify wanting "darts". Today she went to pick up the jeans and she checked the waist before paying to be sure it was done to her satisfaction. Well no darts. Upon checking, the seamstress seemed to take in the pants on one side just below the waist. The waist stilled looked too big. She was upset and refused to pay for the alterations. They would not give her the pants. They now have her pants. They told her to go in on Tuesday or Thursday to tell the seemstress what she wants. This doesn't seem right to me, what should she do? By the way, both Tuesday and Thursday she has to go Sloan Kettering with her hubby. Should it be her responsibility to tell the seamstress she didn't do what the customer wanted? Can they hold her pants? I told her she should have been more specific about wanting darts in the waist. Anyway, it just doesn't seem right. What do you think?

Re: Can they do this?

sunala — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 07:14:08 GMT

I think she should go back, ask them if she can try them on, and after they're on her body, I'd walk out.

Well.....maybe I wouldn't do that but I'd want to. It sounds like she's got a lot on her plate, and she doesn't need this aggravation.

I wish her good luck.

Re: Can they do this?

september — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 07:33:59 GMT

I don't understand how they could take off two inches without also taking in the waist measurement. Yes...I sew and understand alterations. But this makes no sense to me.

Re: Can they do this?

VanSleepy — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 07:42:02 GMT

She never specified darts, so why be upset there are not darts. It doesn't sound like she even tried them on. They may fit fine. They're giving her the chance to come back and tell the seamstress exactly what she wants, so I don't see what the problem is. They are not just going to give her the pants when she refuses to pay.

Re: Can they do this?

occasionalrain — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 08:00:02 GMT

Your sister is being unreasonable. If she wanted darts, she should have told them that. Actually, darts would be a sloppy job. A good job would leave the jeans looking the same as they did initially but with a smaller waist. Why should they give her the jeans without being paid? They've offered to re-do them to her specifications what more would you expect them to do?

Re: Can they do this?

occasionalrain — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 08:01:24 GMT

On 11/7/2014 sunala said:
I think she should go back, ask them if she can try them on, and after they're on her body, I'd walk out.

Well.....maybe I wouldn't do that but I'd want to. It sounds like she's got a lot on her plate, and she doesn't need this aggravation.

I wish her good luck.

Walking out wearing the jeans without paying would be theft of services.

Re: Can they do this?

RoughDraft — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 08:14:28 GMT

Altering jeans/pants is more than putting in darts. The waist band must be removed first. Then three major seams (sides and back) would be modified to the equivalent of a total of two inches. Two inches would also be removed from the waist band. I don't see how a seamstress could take in the jeans on just one side without working on the waist band. Putting "darts" in jeans would ruin the integrity of the look. And yes, I sew.

She should have tried on the jeans first. Just saying the waist band still looked to large doesn't cut it.

Re: Can they do this?

Ditzydori — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 08:37:01 GMT

Thanks ladies.

Re: Can they do this?

qualitygal — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 10:52:26 GMT

I would say you told your sister correctly. That being said, she didn't pay for work done, so no pants to return to customer. We need to be specific, people cannot read our minds.

Re: Can they do this?

Plaid Pants — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 22:51:26 GMT

So she's mad because she didn't speak up and tell the seamstress what she wanted, then she wanted the pants back without paying for the work that was done?

Sorry, but your sister is 100% in the wrong here.

If she wanted the pants done a certain way, it is HER responsibility to speak up, and to TELL the seamstress. They are not mind-readers.

Then to not pay for the work that was done?

The business had every right to hold the pants until they got paid for the work that they did.

Any judge will tell you that.

Re: Can they do this?

Kalli — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 23:15:38 GMT

Sounds like a miscommunication and misunderstanding. I think your sis should at least try to give them a chance to correct it with their seamstress. It sounds like she may not be able to do that for a while, so maybe she could explain that to them and they could set the pants aside for a little while with the plan of making corrections as soon as your sister can make an appt.

I always feel a business should try to accommodate their customers. I'm sure this is frustrating to your sister but I hope she can work some kind of arrangement with them.

-Kalli

Re: Can they do this?

sidsmom — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 23:19:10 GMT

I can't imagine going to a tailor without inspection of their work. Lesson learned.

Re: Can they do this?

millieshops — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 23:29:10 GMT

This sounds like a total lack of communication with errors on both sides and that's exactly what I'd say went I returned to try to find a way to reach a compromise.

I can't imagine why the cleaner accepted the pants without having your sister try them on, pinning them on her and getting approval, BUT I also can't imagine leaving a pair of pants I cared about with any tailor anywhere without asking how they'd do the job.

I used to sew quite often and sometimes still attempt a few alterations, but even when I've started a job, pinned things in place even and then realized I was never going to finish the job, I ask the tailor to check my measurements with the garment on me before I leave his job.

So, yes, even facing whatever else awful seems to be in her life right now, your sister needs to go talk calmly to the seamstress who will need to tear out what she's done and do something else. Tearing out is labor intensive- may cost something extra, but your sister will have her pants!

Re: Can they do this?

Ditzydori — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 03:35:26 GMT

Thanks again, ladies for your opinions. The seamstress was not there when she dropped them off. Perhaps the worker that took the pants did not understand what my sister wanted and, perhaps she was not clear enough. So, correct, a miscommunication. Our regular seamstress is out of town and I guess she was just used to her and how efficient she is. Besides our seamstress owns the shop and we always talk directly to her. Anyway, I told her to go Monday, explain that she just wants it corrected and that she will go when she can. In putting things in perspective (especially now with her hubby), it is only jeans and the situation very fixable. We both frequently get darts put in the waist of our pants as we both are pair shaped and it is a common problem in us gals to have a large gap in the waist. We never wear our tops tucked in so "ruining" the look of the pants is not ever an issue with us. Thanks again for you input in this minor situation.

Re: Can they do this?

Kalli — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 03:55:18 GMT

On 11/8/2014 ditzy dori said: Thanks again, ladies for your opinions. The seamstress was not there when she dropped them off. Perhaps the worker that took the pants did not understand what my sister wanted and, perhaps she was not clear enough. So, correct, a miscommunication. Our regular seamstress is out of town and I guess she was just used to her and how efficient she is. Besides our seamstress owns the shop and we always talk directly to her. Anyway, I told her to go Monday, explain that she just wants it corrected and that she will go when she can. In putting things in perspective (especially now with her hubby), it is only jeans and the situation very fixable. We both frequently get darts put in the waist of our pants as we both are pair shaped and it is a common problem in us gals to have a large gap in the waist. We never wear our tops tucked in so "ruining" the look of the pants is not ever an issue with us. Thanks again for you input in this minor situation.

ditzy dori, Yep, I totally understand the gap in the waist and I figured your sis was a pear, too! I'm a pear shape and ALWAYS have trouble getting jeans to fit.

Next time you and your sister go shopping, look for Lee's Slender Secret jeans. They are the first jeans in a long time that I've found that fit WITHOUT having to get alterations in the waist. The waistband in the back rises just a tiny bit higher than the front. I think that's the "secret" to getting nice jeans that fit at the waist for us pear shapes.

Folks are constantly telling me I'm thin and don't know what it's like to have weight problems. Well, they don't know what it's like to deal with jeans that gap at the waist! It's a nightmare! Seems I try on an average of 15 - 20 jeans to find 1 pair that actually fits.

Anyway, New York and Company pants, if you try on enough, can fit us pears, too. I even found skinny type pants that look nice on me from NY & Co.

-Kalli