Best Foot Forward Formal Alterations by Barb Shoop

Of all the wedding related reality shows, one of our favorites was "Something Old, Something New." The best part for us was always watching a beautiful, simply classic dress emerge from under pounds of sequins and beads and piles of ruffles and lace. Just look at any 80s era wedding gown and you'll see what we mean.

We've had the opportunity to work on a few such projects and it is always such a rewarding moment to see someone fall in love with a dress in a whole new way. Finding a way to make it "their gown" while keeping the sentimental value is what we love to do.

Do you have a gown that needs a glow up? Message us with your ideas and let's see what we can do!

By the way, assuming you have a good relationship with the original owner of the dress, please get permission before bringing an heirloom to us. We do not want to incur their wrath once we start cutting. (Seriously. We have a waiver. Do not come for us after the seam ripper comes out.)

FAQs: Do I really need to have my suit or dress pressed?

Answer: Realistically, no. Having a wrinkled dress or suit is not a life or death situation.

However! We do highly recommend it. Not just because it's another service that we offer, but because it pulls the whole look together. I guarantee if you look through someone's wedding album or prom pictures, you can tell who had their outfit pressed and who had theirs laying in a crumpled heap on the hot back seat of their car. Or who opened their new button down shirt the day of the event and has package creases running down their chest.

Any alterations done by us will automatically have pressing included. Your garments will be pressed and ready to go at the final fitting. We will give you instructions on how to store and transport your suit and gown to prevent needing to have it pressed again.

Sometimes guests, family, or even bridal party members travel in from out of town just in time for the big event and there simply isn't room to stretch out a full length dress to prevent wrinkles. No problem! We can arrange to come to your venue the night before (or even the morning of in dire circumstances) and press any needed garments so you can arrive with one less worry on your mind on the big day.

Honestly, we're here to help!

Now available to schedule!

We have parties for everything else, why not fittings?

Anybody who has ever seen "Say Yes to the Dress" is familiar with "the Entourage." We like to take it to the next level where each guest takes turns being the star and also being in the entourage. This is a perfect time to ooh and ahh over each other and bond over preparations for the big day, whether it be homecoming, prom, a wedding, a military ball, a destination cruise, or anything that calls for formal wear!

Fitting Parties also allow us to take care of multiple clients in one sitting. To show our appreciation for this convenience, we offer each guest being fitted at that time with a discount on their alterations.

They say three's a crowd but we say three's a group! It only takes 3 guests to schedule your fitting party today!

FAQs: I want to order my suit or gown online. How do I know which size to choose?

Answer: There is no simple answer. As with most of the fashion industry, sizing in formals is as confusing and arbitrary as anything else.

For gowns, your most important measurements are your bust, underbust, waist, and hips. For suits, you'll need your neck circumference, shoulder width, sleeve length, waist, and leg inseam.

One of the most important things to remember when ordering online is to use the size chart for the specific suit or dress you plan to order. Suits are more universal but there are different jacket styles that will vary slightly. Gowns will vary between every designer and style of dress.

The second most important thing is to order so that your "biggest measurement" will fit and then have the rest altered. It is always much easier to take in a garment than let it out.

The last thing I will mention is if there is an option to add on a matching wrap or shawl that is fairly inexpensive, do it! It is an extra few yards of the exact same fabric and dye lot as your gown in case we would need it to add to the dress.

FAQs: Many bridal shops don't take "outside work." Does it matter where we bought our suit or gown?

Answer: Not at all! "Outside work" is our bread and butter! Shopping has changed drastically in the last decade and online sales are hard to pass up. We're also more than happy to work on your secondhand store treasures.

The only items we cannot work on are rentals. This generally applies to tuxedos but could also apply to gowns if you have rented a dress for a costume ball or similar event. Most rentals have alterations and pressing included in the price, so be sure to make use of it. In the rare case that it's not, we are generally prohibited from performing any sort of alterations on another company's property.

FAQs: Why do alterations cost so much?

Answer: Sewing from scratch and alterations are two different crafty beasts. Alterations require us to take apart work that is already done, fine tune it to your body, and put it back together in a way that looks like we never touched it.

All that being said, we guarantee our work. While we do require payment at the first fitting, we will work until you are happy with the final product. If you're not smiling, it's not done!

FAQs: Who do we want to serve?

Answer: Everybody and Every Body.
Whether you want to wear a suit and tie, a tuxedo, or full length gown, you do you. We're just here to sew.

If there is anything we can do to make your experience with us more comfortable, please don't hesitate to ask. We strive to accommodate all needs, including mobility aids, sensory issues, and spectrum capabilities.

We are body positive. Sizes are just numbers.

FAQs: Where do we do our fittings?

Answer: We come to you! Have pins, will travel!

What could possibly make a beautiful fit and a smile to match even better?

POCKETS! 😁

Thank you to returning client Hannah for bringing your senior year prom dress to us!

Her shimmery pink A-line gown needed a hem and some adjustments on the straps. As soon as I saw the fabric literally light up the room, I told her she needed to get pictures of the finished dress in the sunlight. Even though her prom night was gray and rainy, she followed through by having a mini-photo shoot a few days earlier in the sunshine. And we're so very glad she did. 💖💖

Hannah and Lillian had a gorgeous evening for their high school formal this week!

Hannah's lavender dress only needed a hem with a few nips and tucks.

Lillian only needed a hem but wanted to add straps to her dress for her own comfort. We considered using the ivory pleat in the back but she loved the look as well as the buttons going down the back. We had to get a little creative using what was taken off the hem but we think it turned out amazingly.

The best part of the "after" photos are their smiles!

Edited in Photo room

Happy Mother's Day from the mother-daughter team of Best Foot Forward!

We wish you chore-free days with good food and better company!

Enjoy the sunshine!

Copied from a local Chambersburg photographer.

Warning to all Chambersburg prom attendees this weekend. Wilson College also has their graduation this weekend. It may be best to choose another location for your photos. It will be very busy there and they are asking that you don’t park where you aren’t supposed to. Please be respectful and find an alternate location.

Attention JB students attending prom 2023. A superb local venue is offering their location for pictures for free!

Your body is as unique as you. You take care of you and we'll take care of the clothes. ❤️

These are gorgeous and look just as tasty!

Just in case some of you need some inspiration for next week! Don’t forget to add pockets!

We're excited about this customer's event coming up soon! The dress came together beautifully and the final fitting is tonight!

We don't want to reveal too much before their big day, so this has a black and white filter on it. Can you guess the actual color? Can you guess the event?

Do you remember that "trust the process" post about horsehair hems? Well here's the final result!

Brynn chose this gorgeous royal blue rhinestone mermaid gown for her Homecoming. Just a slight adjustment to the straps in the front so it would wear more comfortably and it fit like a glove. The horsehair mesh in the hem is what gives slinky material a neat clean line. It measures approximately 4 inches and she needed a hem of about 6 inches in the front. We love the gorgeous sweeping train for pictures and gave her a small French bustle for dancing.

Absolutely lovely girl and lovely family to work with! Thank you for including us!

We'd like to offer our congratulations and best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Altland!

We had the rare opportunity to see our work through to the big day! Alison's dress needed only a few nips and tucks throughout the bodice but the layers of ruffles on the hem were too long. Being a die hard Notre Dame fan, the bride chose to incorporate green and gold in her shoes and wanted to be sure they were visible. No problem! Top it off with a beautiful bustle to dance the night away and our work was done. Thank you for inviting us to be part of your special day.

Unless you buy your dress or suit at a traditional bridal shop with an in-house seamstress, you may be having trouble finding someone to do your alterations. The good news is that we take "outside work!"

Did you find your dream dress online? Or perhaps in a thrift or vintage shop? Maybe you want to wear your mother's or grandmother's dress in all it's retro glory or give it a modern facelift while keeping the sentimental value. Even if you just want a second opinion, let us take a look.

Don't forget the bridal party! Sites such as Azazie and Bella Bridesmaids offer hundreds of styles in matching colors and affordable try-on options.

Prom, homecoming, quinceanera, pageant, dance recital, confirmation, military balls... The list goes on and on. If you have a reason to get fancy, then let us help you put your best foot forward!

Free quote at the first fitting. If you decide to use our services, payment is due before work begins.

Horsehair hems can be tricky. It looks rough when it's full of pins, but this is one of those "trust the process" situations. We can't wait to show you the finished look on this homecoming dress!

Message us now to get your homecoming fitting scheduled! Book a "fitting party" for you and your friends at the same time and get a discount for each friend you bring!

When we're not working on prom dresses and bridal gowns, occasionally we get the opportunity to work on costumes for Chambersburg Community Theatre. It has been a true labor of love for all involved and we'd love to have you in the audience. The show opens tomorrow night! Follow the link on their page to get your tickets now!

Countdown to Opening Night….overcast outside but under the sea is always sunny!

You don’t want to miss these fantastic fishes!

Performances are June 17, 18, 24, 25 @ 7:30 pm & June 18, 19, 25, 26 @ 2:00 pm

🎟: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=124049

We hope our Chambersburg students had an awesome night at prom last night!

We're excited to share a photo from our loyal customer, Myleigh. She looked gorgeous in her lace navy off-the-shoulder gown. Thank you for letting us work on such a lovely dress for an amazing person.

The horsehair hem was shortened but she wanted to keep the train, so we added a 3 point bustle so she could dance worry free after pictures were done. Little nips and tucks were done throughout the dress to make it fit like a glove.

Happy prom to our Chambersburg students! It's hot but it's a beautiful day which will hopefully lead to lovely evening.

Special thanks to Hannah Hare for letting us work on her dress! All it needed was a hem and the magic went from there. Look at all that sparkle and shimmer! Have an awesome night, Hannah!

🎶 It's raining on prom night 🎶

But Lily isn't letting it rain on her parade! Thank you for trusting us to bring your dress from fine to fabulous! That smile says it all. Enjoy your evening! 😁

Lily felt inspired by Baby from Dirty Dancing and Lorraine from Back to the Future when she put this on. We think she ended up with a gorgeous blend of both looks.

She originally brought it to us as a strapless dress with detached spaghetti straps and a matching chiffon wrap. The spaghetti straps didn't quite suit her vision so we fashioned a whole new look from her wrap to offer more coverage and support. Now she can dance the night away in her one of a kind enchanting dress!

If you have the option to order a matching wrap with your dress, do it! Even if you don't intend to wear it, it's a few extra yards of matching fabric from the same dye lot as your dress. It serves as a very versatile tool for us to use to give your outfit the perfect fit.

What is a bustle?

From the way most of our clients react when we ask if they'd like a bustle, the first picture is what they think of. The Victorian bustle, while stylish in its time, is not what we are offering for modern formals.

A bustle is simply a way of fastening the train of your dress up so that you don't have to carry it. You also won't have to worry about you or anyone else stepping on it. Most bustles are quite simple and require only 1 or 3 points to fasten it. Some ball gowns may require more to hold the fabric up as well as show the intricate detail on the train. Let us pin it during your fitting so you can see (and feel) the beauty and comfort of not carrying or dragging your dress all day and all night.

"I'll just save some money and use the wrist loop on the dress."

Please no. That is not what that loop is for. That loop's only purpose is to distribute the weight of the dress on the hanger so the train and skirt are not putting stress on the straps. If you want an actual wrist loop, we can add one for you. The one that comes with your dress is attached to the underside of the lining, which means you are essentially carrying your dress inside out if you use that, not to mention hiding all of the beading or lace design that's on your hem and train.

Do yourself a favor and let us bustle your train so you can enjoy your event with your hands free.

These gowns are a steal at these prices!