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The Alterationist

5.0 (88 reviews)
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Services - The Alterationist

Clothing alterations

Clothing mending and repair

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I brought in my custom made Allure wedding gown to Mary that needed quite a bit of work on the bust and sleeves. This was not an easy task because of all the lace. She did an AMAZING job and was so so kind through the entire process. She listens to any concerns and puts in so much thought. Mary was open about what needed to be done and extremely organized. The timing was great too. 10/10 experience and recommend her to any bride!!

Anh N.

Mary is truly amazing, and I can't recommend her enough!! She did a stellar job making my dress look like it was custom made even though it was big in nearly every single area when I originally bought it. Even though we had to delay our wedding 3 times due to COVID, she was so flexible in adjusting the fittings accordingly. Mary is incredibly organized, confirming upcoming appointments through email, detailing every single change we discuss in written email notes and outlining all of the costs upfront so that there are no surprise expenses at the end. She will also tell you which alterations are must haves vs. nice to haves so that you can choose based on what you're comfortable with and your budget. She is super warm and friendly, making you feel comfortable throughout the entire process. For any bride in the Chicago area, I would highly recommend reaching out to Mary for your dress alterations!!

The best day ever, with help from the Alterationist!
Mary D.

Mary was amazing! I was initially nervous about finding someone to alter my dress in Chicago, as I had purchased it in Atlanta and wasn't able to fly back during the year to alter it at the bridal salon. My friend recommended the Alterationist and I am so happy she did because my dress could not have been in better hands. Mary is so dedicated to her work and her talent and attention to detail is incredible. She also is just really nice and easy to work with, she let my bridesmaid and I bring champagne to my first and last appointment, and was super kind to both of us. I am thrilled with how my dress turned out, I felt gorgeous the day of my wedding and that was thanks to Mary!

I wish I had "before" pictures of my dress, but the alterations Mary did made all the difference Photo by Veridical Photography
Kara B.

This is where you should get your wedding dress altered! Don't waste your time with other shops reviews claims of being "reasonable"...really! I wasted so much time listening to other brides on yelp claiming they found a reasonable shop to alter their dress, until I found Mary. Her work is incredibly detailed and beautiful, she is a specialist in bridal gowns with more than a decade of experience and she is a really nice and fun person too. I always looked forward to our fittings, because I knew the work would be completed on time and I would have fun hanging out with her. She was honest and her price was so far below the closest quote I found it was insane! When the time came to pick up the dress, it was packed beautifully, all ready to go on the morning before my wedding. She helped me carry it to the car and it was EXACTLY the price she quoted me. Seriously, don't waste your time shopping around and head straight to the Alterationist with your dress!

The most massive ballgown one ever did see, Mary took in the bodice about two inches and shortened the hem.
Andrea B.

I'm just here to tack on another rave review for Mary and her amazing shop. I cannot begin to describe how much respect I have for her, when I started off simple enough with one easy dress from BHLDN and then I came to her a few months later with another wedding dress I planned to wear...and it was a massive ballgown ( I couldn't pass up the cost I received for it, it was meant to be!). Although it was overwhelming, she took both gowns on with enthusiasm and was able to finish both gowns by my April wedding date. She was totally honest about what she could and could not do, and her estimates on cost were pretty spot on. Her shop is quaint and intimate and Mary always made me feel welcome; like meeting an old friend again. I'll admit it was really hard to say goodbye on my wedding dress pickup date. Her spots fill fast, but I highly suggest going to her if you can!

Bustled at the reception.
Sarah L.

This review is mostly a BIG Thank You note to Mary - she did such an amazing job altering my wedding dress! I did an extensive Yelp search to find an alterationist for my wedding gown (the store I purchased my dress at was going out of business) and was very impressed with Mary's consistent level of high reviews so I decided to take a chance on her. So glad I did. Mary is a professional - organized, friendly and easy to communicate and available promptly via email or phone. And she's just such a sweet, warm person! Example: 1 visit in and I had nightmares about my bustle choice - she suggested I come back in and we play around a bit more with it to make sure it was going to be exactly the way I wanted it. Well, I needn't have worried, it turned out even better than I had imagined it could down to every last detail. :) Definitely recommend going to Mary - she's the best!

August 2014 dress altered by the alterationist
Kristin Z.

I went to Mary at the Alterationist to get my wedding dress altered for my August 2014 wedding. She was recommended to me from another friend that got her dress altered there. I was leery about going to the place I bought my dress because they didn't have good reviews. Mary was amazing! I'm so glad I went to her over anyone else! She made me feel so comfortable with the changes she was going to make! My dress had to be taken in about two sizes because when the dress was bought, the store measured me wrong, so I was nervous about how it would turn out. She did a fantastic job and by my 2nd fitting it was already fitting like a glove! Mary was such a nice person, and is VERY good at what she does. I even had to reschedule my last fitting at the last minute so my mom could be there and she was willing to do that for me! It turned out beautiful and my wedding was a dream because of it!

© Julia Franzosa Photography.  Wedding Dress altered by Mary at The Alterationist.
Tina S.

I found The Alterationist on Yelp and a friend of mine also lives near Mary's Shop. Mary is so talented, it's hard to explain. My wedding dress had quite a bit of altering to do. I bought it a size too big, since it was the last one they had left. By the time we had our 3 fittings it fit like a GLOVE. Mary made me feel so comfortable - I felt like I could really tell her what I wanted and she did not miss a thing. By the time I picked up my dress I was hugging Mary and almost in tears (and I'm not the crying type). I was so thrilled with her work and will never go anywhere else. Thanks, Mary! You are a seamstress genius!

Front View of dress.
A. D.

There aren't enough words to describe the wonderful experience I had with Mary. She made my wedding gown dreams come true. I was so nervous to give my dress to someone to have them take it apart and put it back together as beautifully as it came. As soon as I met with Mary for my consultation I knew my dress was in good hands. She is very experienced and really helps make good suggestions about how to make the dress fit you perfect. I received so many compliments about how well my dress fit me. On top of her skill, Mary is an absolute sweet heart, and amazing person to work with. I couldn't recommend her more.

Cathy M.

Mary is the best. Being the first of my friends to get married, I was a complete noob at wedding dresses and fittings, but luckily found her through Yelp. She altered my dress perfectly, was an absolute joy to work with, and is kind, attentive, and reassuring. From day one I was incredibly happy with her, but she truly proved herself the best in the last two weeks before my wedding. I broke my foot just weeks before my wedding day. I knew that I would have to switch from heels to flats to make it through the day, and without hesitation Mary made very last minute alterations to my dress to allow me to wear flats instead of heels. The length was perfect- I wore my tennis shoes and foot brace with my dress and no one ever knew. I was able to walk and dance freely and feel comfortable while sporting one of the most beautiful dresses of all time. I cannot recommend Mary enough!

Mary's awesome work!
Jessie B.

I did a very heavy amount of research before choosing where to get alterations for my wedding dress and Mary surpassed my expectations. She is extremely organized, professional, and genuine. My dress fit like a glove at the end and looked perfect on my wedding day. I felt comfortable, confident, and beautiful. I would highly recommend Mary!

Emily C.

Finding the right professional to alter my wedding dress was a big and important decision. Before meeting with Mary I read pages of reviews before confidently reaching out. From the first interaction until the last I was never let down. Mary is a god send and so incredibly talented. My dress was very detailed and a size too big but Mary assured me that everything would be ok and she could make my dream dress fit like a glove. I had a few issues with my dress that had nothing to do with her (it was ordered too short) and she gave me few suggestions for solutions. She could have easily told me there was nothing she could have done to make it longer but instead she offered 2 great solutions and all ended up well! I had 4 fittings and every time I left more confident than the last (never questioning her work though). My last fitting (a week before I picked it up) she had to do a few more alterations to make it smaller and I was unable to try it on again. I wasn't even the least bit stressed picking up my dress because that's how confident I was in her work. She was very personable yet professional in every meeting and 100% worth every penny I paid and then some. Everyone complimented me on my dress and I even had someone take a picture of my dress with them when they were wedding dress shopping and I have Mary to thank for all the praise.

Stacy S.

If you need your wedding dress altered, you must go here. Mary was extremely kind, easy to work with, super responsive by email, and most importantly amazing at altering my wedding dress. My dress was not easy to alter (I'm super short and there was a lot of "stuff" to be done), but she did an outstanding job. The price was extremely reasonable, and best of all she was always transparent about the cost of each change we made. She made the alterations process manageable and fun. I miss going to her shop, she's seriously fun to chat with!

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Review Highlights - The Alterationist

Thankfully everything worked beautifully with my timeline, and if it didn't, Mary sure made it feel that way.

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Stitch N Ready - After

Stitch N Ready

(69 reviews)

Lincoln Park, DePaul

I ripped my Burberry puffer. I was devastated. I took it to stitch and ready and they repaired it…read moreperfectly and it was competitively priced. They are not exactly friendly but I'm not there to make friends. 100% recommend!

Came here to get a dress altered and overall the actual alteration work was done well. I needed the…read moredress taken in slightly around the bust and waist area and it cost me $90. The dress fit perfectly afterward and they completed it within a week, earlier than the pickup date I had asked for. The main issue for me was the organization during pickup. I received a text saying my dress was ready, but when I arrived they brought out a completely different piece of clothing even after I clearly described my dress. Turns out they had mixed up the name tags between my dress and someone else's. I ended up going to the back with them and immediately spotted my dress myself. I pointed it out and they asked if I was sure it was mine, which was a little strange. Then they asked me to try it on. At first I thought they just wanted to confirm the alterations looked right, but it turned out they wanted to see if it fit me to determine whether it was actually my dress. Thankfully it fit like a glove. Even after that, they still seemed unsure so I showed Yelp messages I had previously sent with photos of the dress, along with my receipt and even how much I paid. I usually throw receipts away, so thank goodness I still had it. After confirming in multiple different ways, they finally let me take my dress home. Another woman was also there picking up clothing after receiving a text notification and they were struggling to locate her item too, so it didn't seem like an isolated issue. Overall, I think the tailoring work itself is solid, but the shop felt pretty disorganized. The guy working there did apologize before I left, which I appreciated, but the whole process of having to repeatedly prove the dress was mine was definitely frustrating.

The Alterationist - sewingalterations - Updated May 2026

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