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    Julia Needlman

    4.4 (120 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Services - Julia Needlman

    Clothing alterations

    Clothing mending and repair

    Clothing reproduction

    1 More Service

    Custom tailoring

    Julia Needlman Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Julia Needlman

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    Reviews With Photos

    Julia did an impeccable job on my wedding gown. She took my gown in with only a work around of 3 weeks. She made me feel confidant that she would get it done. She saw details in the dress that I didn't and made it fit like a glove on me. I was so happy with how it came out. While other bridal stores denied taking me because I didn't have shoes or undergarments, Julia didn't need any of those! I got so many compliments on the day of the wedding. Cutting the train was the best thing I could have done. I danced all night long and was felt great. Thank you Julia!!

    Post-alterations

    I am mixed writing this review. I brought my wedding dress to Julia wanting only a bustle and she offered many suggestions she explained were necessary to improve the dress. Some I was happy to have done and others I did not want. To work with Julia you need to be confident because she feels strongly about her vision for the dress and can be quite harsh in trying to persuade you. In my case, she told me parts of my body looked "pudgy" and "fat" due to the dress proportions. I kindly disagreed with these statements, but she does not back down easily. "No, just look a little closer and you will see it too. It makes your waist look fat". I was happy with some of the alterations like lowering the dress back and replacing the zipper with buttons. But she also completed other alterations, like removing the dress boning (strong strips sewn in for structure and support), that I had strongly refused at the initial consultation. I was bothered when I saw she had done this despite my refusal, but ultimately did not think the dress looked worse in her dim studio and left okay with it. However, now in looking at my wedding photos I do regret that the boning was removed. Sadly, the front of the dress rippled on my waist and chest and looked like a cheaper quality dress when compared to pictures and videos from my initial purchase. The buttons and lowered back looked great, but I can't help but feel sad looking at the front of the dress in photos and not feeling as beautiful as I felt in the photos taken during my initial purchase at the bridal shop. Her prices are great, but some of her comments have a lasting impact that are likely not worth the savings. She asks a lot about the wedding plan and offers many suggestion on what should be different. The body critiques about my waist and "large chin" additionally left me feeling less confident than when I entered her studio. She also has a few cats and one laid on the train of my dress for most of the initial appointment requiring me and my friend to repeatedly get it off which was somewhat concerning. Just some things to keep in mind.

    I highly recommend Julia Needlman! She personalizes every interaction, making you feel incredibly comfortable. Her prices are very reasonable, and despite her extensive experience, she offers affordable rates. Don't let her professionalism intimidate you--she's truly approachable.

    Julia has done about 4 bridesmaid dresses for me - every single one she has exceeded my expectation! I always come in happy with the dress, but when I leave, she has somehow made me feel even more like a princess. She knows exactly how to customize each dress specific to your body - she isn't just someone who hems, she makes the dress fit you in a way that makes you feel excited to show it off. She will forever be y go-to for all tailoring and alteration needs!

    Kristen M.

    Loved my first fitting and thought my dress was going to look great. Maybe it was a tough dress to alter but I was very dissatisfied with my bridesmaids dress. The seam at the bottom was not like the other dresses and the stitches in the bust look terrible. When I tried my dress on I asked about the stitching at the bust and she insisted it was fine. I was also the only bridesmaid out of 8 that had weird stitches at the bottom and my dress was not steamed.

    Here I am on the right at 6 months pregnant. Thanks Julia!
    Katrina M.

    I found Julia via internet search and I'm so happy I did. I'm pregnant with twins and life is a little disorganized right now. She was super patient with me after getting a few of my dates mixed up and more importantly helped me look beautiful for my friend's wedding on short notice. Thank you, Julia!

    Julia made my dress perfect !!
    Kayla V.

    Where to even begin? A friend referred me to Julia as I was in a crisis 4 days before my wedding. Long story short my original gown was ruined by another tailor and I ended up having to purchase a new dress. Yes, you heard that right, 4 days before my wedding I had to purchase a new gown!! I called Julia and I think she could hear the desperation in my voice when I explained the situation to her. Luckily I was able to buy a new dress off the rack at BHLDN and bring it to her the next day. Instantly after meeting Julia I had complete faith and trust in her ability. She calmed every nervous bit of me and assured me she would be able to make the new dress perfect. She is such a genuine woman, full of wisdom, makes you feel gorgeous and is true artist. She was able to alter my gown(in 2days, which is incredible) and make it fit perfectly for my body. The dress was beyond perfect in every way, I've never felt more beautiful and confident. She honestly saved my wedding and I will forever be grateful for her. Brides, look NO further when you need someone to trust with the most important dress of your life. Julia is your girl !!!!

    Paige N.

    Julia is an outstanding seamstress! I came to her last minute and she accommodated my needs and more ! She added in and fixed parts of the dress that were beyond what I was asking and it fit perfectly !

    White lace and the belt she added had snags in it. The stitching she placed on the mesh is also so noticeable
    Sanny D.

    I went to Julia for wedding dress alterations right before COVID hit. She is certainly is talented but I was very disappointed when I noticed the lace she added did not match the color of rest of the lace. It's not something I noticed inside her dim home-- but very noticeable in natural light. I was very upset and self conscious in my dress on our wedding day. What was more disappointing is that she never responded or apologized for ruining my dress. Will not use again and would not recommend.

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    She did a great job altering my nieces bridesmaid dress for a wedding. Wonderful work and super fast.

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    Ask the Community - Julia Needlman

    Do you offer same day alterations?

    I will always do same day alterations if I can. I still only do bridal, bridesmaids and other formal women's clothing.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Julia Needlman

    Not only does the woman REALLY know what she's doing, but she is an enjoyable, wise woman.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Glamour Closet

    Glamour Closet

    (355 reviews)

    $$

    River North, Near North Side

    we had an excellent experience at Glamour Closet. I had no expectations (or plans of leaving with a…read moredress) when we arrived but my goodness did you exceed them all!!! From the vibes walking in to the simplicity of the process, organization of the store to customer service, pricing to expertise, I truly couldn't have asked for anything more! Thank you to Krystina for putting up with my mom, my sister, and myself as we played dress up and ultimately made our way to THE one. The countdown is on to 03/12/2027! we don't have many vendors but I will be telling everyone I know that Glamor Closet is worth the trip to Chicago. the total cost of my dress with shipping was $1515 and she needs next to no alterations!!!

    Service is not kind here. From the moment we walked up my family and I were given attitude. I was…read moreso excited to come here and that quickly changed. It just didn't feel like an inviting environment. Also, website says "full service" bridal shop but in no way is this one. They don't help You get in the dress or give any suggestions? Couldn't find my "stylist" the whole time I was there. P you pick all the dresses yourself which I get but truly so odd. the dresses themselves feel outdated and expensive for what they are. Their overall quality doesn't feel good but you can tell it's really off the rack. Lot of rips, missing hardware, armpit stains, and makeup. I found a beautiful dress (for a better price and beans new) and had an incredible at Jenny yoo. Can't recommend other places enough

    Winnie Couture - Winnie Couture Chicago Flagship | Bridal Salon | Bridal Shop

    Winnie Couture

    (42 reviews)

    $$

    Old Town, Near North Side

    Just a note here - we scheduled an appt for this location in old town area of Chicago. We got a…read moremessage confirming and everything. Then, we got a message at about 2:20 - which I assumed was our reminder and I didn't open it. Then we walked to the shop and it was closed!!! I then opened the reminder and it said we were already 20 mins late and would be charged $75 for the missed appt. My friend called them immediately and we found that they had temporarily closed the Chicago store and were routing appointments to the NORTH CAROLINA store. This is why they thought we were late. Once we realized the issue - the woman on the phone was very apologetic and explained that the appts were getting rerouted but that it was a mistake on their end and they were very sorry. They refunded the fee. I am appreciative of this - but they really should have something to keep us from booking somewhere that isn't open. We wasted three hours of travel time and prep on a busy day. Boo. I'm sure the dresses are pretty though - that and the easy fix and apology upped the rating.

    I HIGHLY recommend Winnie Couture for your bridal gown!!!!…read more All the wonderful reviews about Jessica are true! she's a true professional and you can tell that she truly enjoys what she does and she's very good at it. After purchasing my bridal gown, I walked away feeling like I was floating, all smiles and I don't have a single regret. Prior to my visit I shared my preferences and I'm happy to say that when I walked in Jessica had already pulled a lot of dresses for me to choose from. What I think I enjoyed most about working with Jessica is that she listened to me, gave sincere suggestions and provided honest feedback instead of pushing what she thought would be best OR just agreeing with me. End the end, I said YES TO THE DRESS and chose what I consider to be one of the most beautiful gowns I've tried on and I knew instantly it was the one. Jessica, thank you for making this a wonderful experience for me!

    Mignonette - custom Valencia Gown from Mignonette Bridal

    Mignonette

    (75 reviews)

    $$

    DePaul, Lincoln Park

    I think this might be closed. I emailed a few times over the past couple of weeks and have gotten…read moreno response, and tried to make an appointment online but the link is broken. Bummer!

    Before I met Kpoene, I was dreading getting my wedding dress altered. I had a pre-worn dress with…read moreintricate lace that was at some parts the right size and at others 3 sizes larger than me. Kpoene tackled a major challenge of bunching that was happening under the bust. She helped lessen it by adding boning, which made the top more structured and somehow also more comfortable. During the wedding I never felt the need to pull my dress up (a feat in and of itself). Also, when the outcome of one fitting wasn't quite right at the bottom of the zipper, she graciously had me come back outside their normal hours so that she and Ariana could make sure it was perfect. Most important to me is that Kpoene made the experience memorable and enjoyable - not just for me, but for my best friend, mom, and sister. I felt that any of my concerns were listened to, and we really had fun throughout. Thank you Kpoene! Having gone through the wedding dress alternation process with friends over the years, my experience was night and day to their mostly stressful encounters. Kpoene is funny, thoughtful, and knowledgeable. I definitely lucked out with Mignonette Bridal. Additional pros: - High value for your dollar. - The store is comfortable and the decor is just perfect (part vintage boutique, part Anthropologie, 100% inviting). - If I hadn't already bought my dress, I would definitely have wanted one of her custom pieces. They are so unique and beautiful! - Kpoene is always on time and it was easy to schedule appointments around my work obligations. - Easy parking and not too far from the Paulina brown stop.

    Julia Needlman - bridal - Updated May 2026

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