Everything we make is made-to-measure with the exception of a few items we offer in sizes and the items in our whirlingturban Boutique!. We start with a wide variety of basic patterns and alter these patterns to fit the individual. We often have a customer for whom we must make a custom pattern "from scratch", to be kept here with their name on it, because we cannot work from one of our basic patterns. We have ***one-time additional charges to make the custom pattern.
Later, when and we have your pattern on file, we will be able to delight you with the reasonable price for returning customers!
We often need to make custom patterns if:
-The hips are more than 12” larger than the waist. (By the way, gals with wider hips look terrific in our sarong skirts! They are very flattering and slimming!)
-The hips are less than 8” larger than the waist. (Sometimes, in this case, we can’t do it, even with a custom pattern.)
-The underbust measurement and the waist measurement are the same
-When there is a D cup or larger.
-The waist is 33" or more, since larger gals differ more from one another than do smaller gals! (Did you know that? Inneresting, huh?)
-The midriff area fit isn’t “standard” in relation to the bust and waist
-Postural uniquenesses :)
-When there is a very special occasion such as a wedding and we know we are going to fuss over the dress even more than usual.
-Other reasons : )
Our current size range (some of these may require special fitting):
If you wear an A cup, you will need to order a small B cup and use small push up pads. (More info about this on our web site.) Small B is our minimum cup size. We can make most larger cup sizes.
Minimum 31” full bust
Minimum 24” waist
Minimum 34” hips
Minimum 7” difference between waist and hips
Maximum 16” difference between waist and hips
Midriff measurement cannot be larger than underbust measurement for most styles.
Waist cannot be larger than underbust measurement.
As long as you have a classic hourglass shape with a defined midriff, we can usually fit you in many styles, up to hip measurements in the mid- 50’s.
If you are ordering a white wedding dress, you want it in white silk satin and your waist is more than 33", chances are that we may recommend against some of our "waist-focused" styles. White silk can make certain styles harder to wear and less flattering than they would be in other fabrics.
We may also recommend against some of our styles ordered as white wedding dresses if your figure doesn't have a lot of "contrast" between the waist measurement and the hips and bust measurements. We'd be happy to help and advise you about what we think will be most flattering on *you*!
*** First-Time Fitting Charges: depend on what we see when we have all the final measurements and the body pics. We’ll need the complete size information we have requested to make an evaluation. (Whirlingturban styles are among the most highly personal and fitted styles available anywhere today!)
In order to make the new pattern, a custom-padded dress form may be required. We make the dress form to correspond to the measurements and body contours (established by body pics) Charges to create a dress form vary widely from customer to customer. Our "About Us" page has a photo of one of our seamstresses making a custom dress form! Have a look!