Seamstress or dry cleaners to have clothes altered?

[Starfish83]

I have quite a collection of clothes that need a bit of ‘sorting’. A few little jobs like shortening hems and reinforcing seams, but would also like to have some items altered to fit me better (due to losing baby weight). Should I go to a seamstress or a dry cleaners for this? And any ideas re. cost? Particularly interested to hear from those who have their clothes fitted.

Thanks in advance!

Things like shortening hems and reinforcing seams could be done at the dry cleaners, but I'd go to a proper seamstress to get things altered so that they fit properly. It varies in price hugely, depending on what you get done and who does the work for you; it can be quite expensive if you're getting complicated alterations done as they can take a long of time to do- anything from £6 to get a seam taken up to £100 for complicated alterations. I found a lady on my local Facebook group who does alterations at home and that seems to be a good way of keeping the cost down. She rarely charges more than about £25.

Thanks @Wildwood6, that’s very helpful indeed!

Definitely seamstress. My experiences with the dry cleaners has rarely been good.

My various local dry cleaners have always done a decent job of shortening jeans, turning up overlong sleeves at the wrist etc, but for proper refitting I’d go to a seamstress/tailor - apart from anything else you’d probably need to try it on and get it pinned on the spot and normal dry cleaners can’t do that.

Cost depends on location but in South London anything from 7.50 for a simple job to 50 quid for a refitting of a silk dress or taking up sleeves on a suit jacket from the shoulder.

I agree with previous posters. I've used a dry cleaners for jobs like replacing zips and they've been fine but, for altering the fit, I'd go to a seamstress or tailor.