Everyone loves to have clothes custom tailored to fit. Even I, the once avid shopoholic, can occasionally grow tired of sifting through the racks, trying on every bit of clothing that might have a possibility of fitting. After all, I can only make myself work out so much each day without violating the important policy of, “Ladies don’t sweat, they glow!” And how many times have you spoken to a man who just wants the perfect shirt without the hassle of a too-tight neck, or too-short sleeves?

But it’s not all rose-scented in the world of tailoring. I once got a coat tailored to fit. I made the mistake of bringing my mother along, and she made the practical suggestion of making the coat a bit larger, in case I should want to wear a big sweater underneath. Now, those of you who know me well understand that I never wear large sweaters, even if I would be viewed as more sane if I did so. Nonetheless, the tailor found this request to be reasonable, and a week later, my beautiful ivory coat was finished. It was roughly the size of an elephant.

Another time, I had a dress custom made, and this time it was clearly not too large. A naïve (and possibly vain) 16 year-old, I found myself echoing Scarlett O’Hara, telling them to keep making it tighter and tighter. Apparently, I had little concern for whether it would be physically possible to sit down while wearing this dress. Miraculously, I was able to sit down (something about high slits), but taking it off afterwards was always traumatic.

Moral of the story? Don’t be like me. Next time you go to the tailor, make sure you ask for something that actually fits.