Fashion; In Fitting Room, a Little More Equality
|
|
LEAD: For many women, finding the perfect dress or outfit is only half the battle. Then, it must be altered. For many women, finding the perfect dress or outfit is only half the battle. Then, it must be altered. Women frequently have to pay for such services, though basic alterations have commonly been provided to men at no charge. Stores and tailors say altering women’s garments is generally more complicated than it is for men’s. But Saks Fifth Avenue has begun providing basic alterations to skirts and dresses at no charge as part of a settlement of a sex-discrimination suit brought by two California women. Saks no longer charges to hem unlined and unpleated skirts, shorten or lengthen sleeves, take in or let out center and side seams in unlined garments and add shoulder pads to dresses. Previously, each of these services cost $12 to $18. The store also reduced some charges. Raising or lowering shoulders is $12, down from $24; shortening a collar is $15, down from $18. The previous fees were in line with those of other large department stores. There are few signs that other major women’s apparel stores are ready to make similar changes. For example, Margus Cranston, a spokeswoman for Bloomingdale’s, said the Saks lawsuit ”has not affected Bloomingdale’s in any way.” It provides ”basic alterations” free for men’s and women’s jackets and pants but not for dresses, said a spokesman, Jim Pipelink. Other work can range from $5 to $65 for ”hand stitching of a delicate item,” he said. One Who Changed Spokesmen for other stores, while unwilling to speak directly about the suit, said prices for alterations were set by garment, not gender. So, a customer might want to look at a store’s alterations fee schedule. The Saks suit has led one store to change its policy. ”Frankly, we used to charge a little more for ladies alterations,” said Michael Debonis, who is in charge of fittings for Tripler & Company, at 386 Madison Avenue at 46th Street in Manhattan. ”This was in keeping with the idea that all women’s changes were style ones. More : query.nytimes.com |