Dragonfly Styles

I had to go back to revise my review because I just pulled the dress that Nikki altered for me, and literally everything she did came undone. I’ve only worn this dress once, for an event in 2014. I have not touched the dress since.
Not sure what type of thread she used, but she obviously didn’t do a very good job at tacking her seams down. What a complete waste of money, I do not recommend going to this lady.

I discovered Niki, a seamstress/​dressmaker (a dying art!!!) through Unilocal AND she lives down the street from me. BONUS!
Aside from the 1 shining review what really prompted me to pick up the phone was that she had a Facebook page and updated it with thoughts that came up during her work, re: body image, meeting a deadline, pics of projects that she has completed, & other stuff that legitimised her business.
Entrepreneurs take note: Social media DOES work!
I had a pair of vintage, Aquascutum, houndstooth wool pants that were waaay too high cut, a bit tight on the waist, and too wide on the hips. Re: The fit was just off. So I needed expert opinion on whether or not it was worth it to get them fixed.
I called Niki, made an appointment for the next day, and she spent A LOT of time with me, explaining what had to be done, and we agreed on the cost. It wasn’t too-​too bad. The results will obviously speak for themselves.
My grandfather was a master tailor, my mom made my clothes growing up/​does alterations, and my sister went to Ryerson Fashion School. So needless to say, my expectations are quite high! Too bad my mom/​sis no longer have time to play in my closet of «projects». :(((
I pick up my pants in a coupla weeks and will write a follow-​up at that time! CAN’T WAIT.

Between weight loss, never *quite* fitting the clothes as they are purchased, and my tendency to be hard on the linings of various items, I’ve used a lot of seamstresses and tailors over the years. Dragonfly Styles is worth the trip to Mississauga from downtown Toronto, for me. Niki at Dragonfly is incredibly thorough, honest, realistic and professional.
To wit: I brought in a coat with a ripped lining. I thought that there was a rip down the back and one pocket (dang those keys and what they do to pockets…). Niki sat down over the coat with me, and checked every corner of the lining, showing me what was in fact torn and discussing what my options were. It was clear some of the tears were simply because the lining was too tight and ripped when I moved — those, she suggested putting in a flap rather than just repairing, to give me moving room and to AVOID ripping it again and needing another repair in the future. In the end, her thorough examination found seven tears, not just the two I knew about.
The repair was done efficiently and inexpensively, was ready very quickly, and danged, wouldn’t you know the coat is so much more comfortable now that I know I can move my arms without that tearing sensation…
I brought in a blazer that needed the sleeves shortened. We looked over the fit, she made suggestions of a few small additional alterations that made the jacket fit in a much more flattering way, and for a small fee over the price of buying the jacket, I have something that looks way better than it did at the store.
But she doesn’t just do repair and alterations. She also does clothing and costume design; bring her a pattern and she’ll create it for you. Have a favourite outfit that you’ve worn out? She’ll take it apart, create a pattern for it, and reproduce it for you. (That’s next on my project list…) She’s done dresses that required sewing on thousands of Swarovski crystals, she’s worked in costuming at the Stratford Festival, and made everything from costumes to shoulder bags. (If you’re lucky, she’ll show you some of her creations. They’re amazing.)