TipidTip # 14 - Have your own trusty mananahi.

As Filipinos, we are very blessed in that whatever part of the country we live in, we can find a modista also living nearby. The tricky part is finding someone whom you can form a relationship with -- someone whose handiwork you like and who has the talent to put your vision into reality.

Trust me. You need your own mananahi.

To cut up your newly-bought denims which is just too long for you.
To alter blazers or dresses you bought which totally hid your curves.
To alter hand-me-downs too cute to pass up!
To sew your school or work uniforms.
To make you that fabulous long gown you copied off of Hollywood stars for formal events.
To create for you that outfit showing your own personal style.
To recreate trendy pieces when you don't want to spend that much.
To make sure whatever you wear fits you perfectly.

An ordinary sewer charges very little. Usually it's just P20-P50 to shorten your pants. If you want to have the very uso dresses made, it usually costs P200-300 for labor but at least you get to buy the fabric you like! For gowns, usual price starts from P1000.

Recently, I was in search of the perfect vest that would add oomph to my otherwise simple shirt-and-jeans ensemble. I had searched online and in malls but failed to find one which I liked and my wallet agreed with. So off I went to my sewer and had one made for me. It cost only P150 for the labor and less than P100 for the fabric! And it was not your usual tiangge vest, which made it stand out from the crowd. Needless to say, it was exactly what I wanted!

You can look really expensive if your outfit fits you well. Custom-made always displayed class and sophistication. Now the next thing to work on is your EQ, because waiting for the output is just like the marshmallow test. But harder.