Pleasing the Customer

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As a seamstress, the alterations at a local bridal shop were my responsibility. Some customers were very easy to please and appreciative of your efforts. Others went out of their way to make your life difficult. One customer in particular comes to mind. A middle aged Italian mother of the bride, had purchased a floor length gown that needed to be shortened. There were no other alterations required, but she insisted that the dress was too loose through the hips and I should take it in. After hemming the dress, I gave the dress a careful pressing, but did not take it in at the hips as I knew it would be too tight and cause the seams to pull. When this woman returned to pick up the dress, she tried it on and ranted for at least ten minutes that the dress was now too tight, and I obviously had no idea what I was doing. (Remember, I had not taken it it, just let her think I had.) I assured her, that I would let it out again, at no extra charge. Two days later she returned to try on the dress one more time. I had given the dress another careful pressing but not altered the side seams at all. As soon as she tried it, on, she started again. Now I had let it out too much, it fit like a sack. What kind of seamstress was I if I could not get the dress to fit her the way she wanted it to fit. It was tempting to let her know what I really thought of her, but I restrained myself. She paid her bill and left in a huff. It would be interesting to know if she took the dress somewhere else to be altered or if this was simply a scam to try to avoid paying to have the alterations done.