Washing a dry clean only coat

[atomicnotsoblonde]

I've bought a new coat that is too big. I'm a size 4 and find it a nightmare to get anything that fits. The cost of refitting it st the dressmakers is almost as much as the coat again.

It's dry clean only and I'm hoping to deliberately shrink it a bit by washing it at home. It's high street so I'm fairly willing to take a chance. It's a fairly standard coat material with a detachable fur collar that I'll remove.

Attached pic is the label. Any suggestions on which washing setting to use?

Thanks in advance.

I don't think it will shrink if it's polyester unfortunately. It might bobble a bit hence the dry clean idea.

I'm narrow but actually large coats look good; I move the buttons over sometimes. Could that work?

I’ve never tried it with a coat but I’ve done it a few times with charity shop buys that only cost a few quid. It’s probably worked about 50% of the time. The trouble is you’ve no control over how much or where it will shrink... Doesn’t really matter if you’ve nothing much to lose but you’re playing for higher stakes than me and I salute you

I normally start off on the slowest, gentlest cycle and, if that has no effect, escalate to 30% or 40% on the quick wash setting.

Good luck!

But if you wash it, you could completely ruin it and have to buy another anyway....so why not pay to get it altered then you know for sure 1. it fits and 2. it isn't ruined.

Alternatively, don't buy a coat that doesn't fit in the first place??

Ah sorry I hadn’t noticed it was polyester. In that case I agree it’s unlikely to shrink.

I don't think it would shrink. The fur might go matted but would probably brush out, but I doubt you'd manage to shrink it.

I've washed many a dry clean only item (most recently a cotton trench with silk lining when dry cleaning didn't remove stains) and had no ill effects, but I am very careful with how I wash them and am trying to preserve them exactly as they are and avoid shrinkage.

Even if you did manage to shrink it, you don't know which way it'll shrink. It could end up completely out of shape.

Take it to a dressmaker. It might not be that expensive to have it taken in and make it fit a bit better.

Thanks for replies. I might try a dressmaker and get a quote. The reason I didn't buy one that fits is purely sizing. I'm a 4 and with the trend for oversized coats, even a petite 4 is swamping me. But I need a coat, so something too big is better than nothing!

The only one that has fitted is age 11/12 gap kids. The bows on it are cute for a child of that age, but I can't it wear for the office, I need something fairly formal and smart, without busting the bank (thanks to deadbeat dad who 'doesn't believe in child maintenance')

Any ideas as to ballpark dressmaking costs? It needs taking in at the waist and turning up sleeves.