No more.

While where you live and where you go will have some variation on how much you can expect to pay, this guide aims to walk you through common tailoring requests and what factors may increase your final tailoring bill.

Hemming Pants

There’s nothing sloppier than too-long pants that drag — it ruins both the pants and the look. Equally bad: Pants that are fine when you wear flats but weirdly short when you’re in heels. If you frequently switch between skimmers and stilettos, keep a couple of pants on hand that are hemmed for flats, and the rest of your pants should be kept long for heels.

The average: $10

What may cost more: Lined dress pants, cuffs, or special requests like an original hem for designer denim, for which you can expect to pay up to $25.

Shortening Skirts and Dresses

Whether you’re an attendant to a bride who has requested tea-length dresses or you are looking to rock the leggy look, shortening your hemline is a surefire way to change the entire look of a dress.

The average: $20

What may cost more: Lined dresses, satin, silk, and layered frocks require more work and a higher cost, likely starting in the $35 range.

Lifting a Neckline

If you’ve found a frock that would be even more perfect with a sweetheart neckline, or it’s just a little too loose in the bust, these are easy fixes that will elevate a great dress.

The average: $10 for strap and dart adjustment

What may cost more: Formal dresses may need to be relined for extensive bodice work, so expect to add the cost of material to the labor.

Taking A Dress or Shirt In

Lost weight? You can easily tailor most items in your wardrobe to fit your new physique, with the help of a talented seamstress. (Just weigh the value of your wardrobe before you decide to alter — it may be cheaper to simply replace the item.)

The average: starting around $15 for shirts, $20 for dresses

What may cost more: Wedding dresses, with their complicated beading, boning, and high-grade silk, will be considerably more to take in. It’s not uncommon for alterations to start around $250 and add to up $500 or more, so keep that in mind while wedding-gown shopping. Also, letting seams out is a considerably trickier job, so budget accordingly.

Shortening Jacket Sleeves

If you’re petite, you probably know the agony of trying to find a suit that doesn’t make you look like you’re wearing your dad’s blazer. Luckily it’s simple and cost-effective enough to shorten the sleeves.

The average: $25

What may cost more: Leather is much harder to sew, and will accordingly cost more — $35 and up is not uncommon.

Tailoring Wool or Leather

A fantastic wool or leather coat is where most people spend their money; it’s an investment piece that will last for years. But if it’s no longer fitting you quite right or looking the worse for wear, it may be worth altering — just be prepared for the high cost.

The average: starting around $30 to taper a back seam, $50 to let side seams in or out, $35 for a zipper replacement, $45 for hemming, and $75 to reline the whole coat

What may cost more: Thicker materials (like motorcycle leather) require a more labor-intensive job, and not every tailor is skilled at it. Talk to a leather specialist if you want to make sure you’re getting top-notch work.

However, if you’re hankering for something a little more authentic and less mass-produced, there are plenty of genuinely vintage baubles in the marketplace. Your first stop should be to your local estate-jewelry shop so you can acquaint yourself with the different styles throughout the years, but feast your eyes on the following slideshow for a little lesson in antique jewelry.

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(Courtesy of TheVintageSociety.com)

Whenever I travel to a new place, I always check out the local thrift store — Goodwill, Oxfam, hole-in-the-wall charity shop, you name it. Not only does your purchase raise money for a good cause, it’s the most affordable and unique place to score a souvenir, and it’s interesting to sort through what the locals have worn. (You also get major coolness points back home for being able to say “Oh, I picked this up in Argentina” or “I found this in Paris,” knowing it’s a one-of-a-kind.)

Even at home, thrifting can be a deeply satisfying way to spend an hour or two. In fact, I only ever go into a thrift shop if I have cash on me, because I know I will walk out of there with something in hand.

My favorite thrift shop is divided into women’s and men’s sections, and then organized by tops, pants, skirts/shorts, dresses, coats, accessories, and activewear. It’s also in a ritzy area that’s pretty much split between retirees and young people, so having an idea of the local demographics is helpful in knowing who’s likely donating their stuff. (Indeed, this shop has plenty of brand names, from Seven for All Mankind to Eileen Fisher.)

I love the idea of rehoming unwanted clothes. It reminds me of an animal shelter in that way — they have plenty to offer for the person who has the inclination to give a new treasure the attention it deserves.

Intimidated by the lack of organization or squicked out at the thought of wearing other people’s castoffs? Fear not. There’s one central principle in the art of thrifting, and it’s called “compromise.”

In short, enter a thrift shop with the broadest possible idea of what you’re after. It could be a beaded bracelet, a trench coat, or a clutch purse. Then head to each section and assess your options.

I find the best way to shop is to do a sweep of the entire store first, grabbing anything that catches your eye. Don’t overwhelm yourself with options — once you reach 5 or 6 items, stop and try them on before roaming unexplored territory. That way you can edit your choices as you go, and you might later discover the perfect skirt to wear with the tank top you’ve already settled on.

There are a few pieces that deserve special consideration before you buy. Touching everything and trying each item on for size is key, especially if you’re still developing your eye for determining how a garment hangs on the rack will translate when it’s hanging on your body. Inspect every inch for stains or other defects that you know you won’t be able to repair; loose threads and missing buttons are one thing, but a funky smell is quite another. White shirts and dresses in particular must be searched thoroughly; check for yellowing, food stains, and sheerness, because you won’t be able to fix those problems. Have some faith in your DIY skills, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.

You can also use thrift shops as a means of procuring cheap clothes to alter and upcycle, or even just for the thrill of a bargain It’s remarkable how your price ceiling adjusts when everything is objectively inexpensive, because I’ve been known to balk at a $25 price tag on a coat before. Yet where else can I find a well-made coat for so little?

Above all, keep an open mind. Making the mistake of adhering to too specific a treasure hunt means you won’t give a second look to items that are truly special.

Emma Watson, the cherubic star of the Harry Potter movies, can add a new credit to her résumé: love interest in her musician boyfriend’s music video, “Say You Don’t Want It.”

In it, the fair-trade–loving starlet wears a short fur jacket that boasts a vintage vibe as they traipse through New York.

Ms. Watson has been outspoken in her support for People Tree, even collaborating on a fair-trade fashion collection for teens with the British label. So we find it interesting that she’s also showing love for vintage in this music video, presumably over which she had some creative control in the wardrobe department.

Keep on rockin’ in the free world, Emma.

I just wanted to let you know that I loved your blog post: “A Short Guide to Successful Thrift Shopping”. I shared a link on our twitter stream (http://twitter.com/SeattleGoodwill) in hopes we can get a few more thrifters on board.

Can I get an amen?

For more inspiration, check out this article on savvy teens who have found amazing prom gowns at the charity shop.

Thrifting is the perfect solution for finding a dress most people will wear once in their lives, and the more you save on the purchase price, the more you can spend on tailoring. And is there anything more princess-y than a stunning dress with a flattering custom fit? Consider it couture on the cheap.

Intimidated by the lack of organization or squicked out at the thought of wearing other people’s castoffs? Fear not. There’s one central principle in the art of thrifting, and it’s called “compromise.”

In short, enter a thrift shop with the broadest possible idea of what you’re after. It could be a beaded bracelet, a trench coat, or a clutch purse. Then head to each section and assess your options.

Touching everything and trying each item on for size is key, especially if you’re still developing your eye for determining how a garment hangs on the rack will translate when it’s hanging on your body. Inspect every inch for stains or other defects that you know you won’t be able to repair; loose threads are one thing, but a funky smell is quite another.

Above all, keep an open mind. Making the mistake of adhering to too specific a treasure hunt means you won’t give a second look to items that are truly special, and those are most often the items you cherish forever.

All you’ll need is to scrounge up some vintage baubles from the thrift store or your grandmother’s dresser, a pair of needle-nose pliers, and some chain and jewelry wire to hold everything in place. (A mannequin to get the layers to sit right as you work wouldn’t hurt either.)

When collecting your necklaces, visualize your final product. Do you want something blingy? Seek out rhinestones. Ethnic? Then you want necklaces set with turquoise and other rough-hewn or semi-precious stones. Mixing metals? Look for bronze and rose gold chains in addition to the standard silver and gold. You can also use the same technique to create a matching bracelet, as modeled to the left.

For the full photo tutorial, click here.

If you’re the type who wants to be the first among your friends to pick up on a trend, you’ll want to scoop up one of the limited edition statement necklaces made by Gemma Redux in collaboration with Loyale.

Rachel Dooley, the designer behind Gemma Redux, tore apart an antique chandelier for the crystals and set the stones in a tangle of reclaimed gold.

There are only 10 necklaces available, and we know that someone at Cynthia Steffe has already laid claim to one of them, tweeting about it being “a little bit preppy, a little bit rock n roll” last week and the perfect complement to a crisp white shirt. Will you be the lucky one to snatch up one of the other 9?

Gemma Redux “Emily” Necklace, $398 at LoyaleClothing.com.

Says an AA press release:

“We’re passionate about and inspired by the unique nature of vintage items here at American Apparel and have amassed a really amazing collection of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces. We decided to switch from the difficult auction platform to our own webstore, not only to showcase our vintage findings to our online shoppers, but also to better meet the growing demand for the line,” said Iris Alonzo, a creative director for American Apparel.

We especially admire the innovative spirit evident in California Select’s reworked garments, deconstructed from deadstock and vintage fabrics and occasionally modernized with new materials. The dress pictured here, for example — you’d never guess it was upcycled from vintage cranberry polyester!

California Select Original Cut Out Schoolgirl Dress, $55 at AmericanApparel.net.