Clothing alteration - Advice needed please

[TeenMinusTests]

I hope I'm on the right board and someone clever can advise me please.

My DD needs a workwear boiler-suit for college.
The trouble is recommended ones seem to be 'unisex' (i.e. mens) and she is just under 5ft. (leg length is 6-7inches too long for starters).

I've looked around and can't currently find the right colour (green) in smaller sizes. I can alter arm length and leg length but am worried about the over-all neck to crotch length.

So my question is - how easy would it be for someone knowledgeable to alter a boilersuit (pop studs not zip) to fit and it not look stupid?

Would a large child’s boiler suit work? This one goes up to age 14

www.farmbros.co.uk/fort-tearaway-junior-boilersuit

Chelsea Well, it might, but it is ridiculous I can't yet find one in bottle green!

What size is she? I'm assuming she is a late teen, not a child?

This company says they can customise:
www.bestworkwear.co.uk/workwear/boilersuits-coveralls/colour/green.html

Eloura You're so kind, I've tried that site. I think 'customise' means add logos etc, and those are sized for men...

DD is nearly 17, she has female curves and a good sized bust and is a size 10, but is just under 5ft tall and not growing.

Op I feel her pain, I'm 5ft 2 and resigned to never getting any taller now. Work gear never fits me right either. A decent tailor might be able to make the alterations though, have a look on Facebook for recommendations for someone local?

I've spent years turning up trousers, they're not a problem. It's the thought of overalls that scares me a bit.
We'll go and try them on over half term and go from there I guess.

If the suit is plain above and below the waist, it should be straightforward to take out a section to make the body shorter. A tailor could do it if you don't feel confident.

Ebay might have something too - if you don't mind ordering from china, they tend to have smaller sizes. here's one

Mrs

I definitely don't feel confident Nice to know it should be possible.

You have found what could be a reasonable size but the two tone and actual shade of green don't look right.
But the tip for Asian sizes is great. I'll keep looking.

This place is good for women’s workwear www.aardvarkclothing.com

I would be inclined to call them and explain to see what may fit with only leg alterations. They do green women’s boiler suits.

I’ve worn PPE for 28 years. Now there are choices. When I first started I had to wear a man’s hi vis coat where the sleeves were 4 inches longer than my arms and the bottom of the coat almost touched the top of my boots. I looked ridiculous. Luckily now it’s better! In the office we now use Mathias so they may also be worth a call as they’re good and providing women’s workwear these days.

Mykittens You star. Thank you.

The thing to do is just to be brave. Decide that you can replace the zip whilst hoping it has buttons 😊

Get her to wear it inside out and pin, I use safety pins, making a fold / pleat that makes the body the right length.

Inside out you can see any pockets and bits you actually need. You can also see existing seams.

Finding the existing waistline and shortening there, lifting the legs up into the body, should leave room further up to accommodate her boobs. Obviously this means you shorten the body before you shorten the legs.

Taking it up into the sleeves also becomes possible if you can see the seams.

Basically, put a pleat in where you think you can take length out. This way you keep any of the tailoring that already exists.

Then simply sew along the bottom of the pleat, turn it the right way round, try it on and see how it feels to move around in. Once it feels and looks right double stitch the new seam and cut off the excess material.

If you are lucky you can butcher the bottom of the zip by sewing a new bottom stop bar (just see over the teeth a few times and maybe add a stitch to the sides to make it tidier) at the new seam you are putting in and cutting off the bottom of the zip too - do that with the zip fastened.

Buy two and be prepared to mangle one.

If that's too expensive by a dress or jumpsuit from a charity shop and do the same thing, get used to the pleating and cutting on that!

Just be brave and have at it. Best if luck!

I'm quite willing to pay someone. It was more a point of is it practical for someone who knows what they are doing.

Another option would be to try dyeing if you can get right size wrong colour.

Dyeing is a good idea but you would need it to be 100% cotton, and I'm pretty sure most aren't. Also the stitching probably wouldn't dye, though that might look fine.

No way am I dying one.

I think the aardvark clothing linked to above is the best way to go. They are more pricey, but to get a proper fit and not pay for alteration is probably preferable. If the body is fine, I can do leg length if needed.