Client records for dressmakers: measurements, fittings and deposits
By Loomton · Updated
A made-to-measure dress or suit can take weeks and several fittings. Somewhere between the consultation and the collection, notes get lost: a changed hem, an extra fitting, the deposit. Keeping one record per client and per order stops that.
Measure once, carefully, and date it
- Take the full set at the consultation, in inches or centimetres, and keep to one.
- Write the date next to the measurements. Bodies change; a date tells you when to re-measure.
- Note posture and preferences: a lower shoulder, a looser fit through the waist, a preferred length.
One order per piece, with its own progress
Each dress, suit or alteration job gets its own order: the design, the fabric, the agreed price and the date it must be ready. Move it along clear steps (cutting, first fitting, second fitting, finishing, ready) so you always know where it stands.
Fitting notes belong to the order
After each fitting, write what changed: "take in 1/2 inch at the waist, raise the hem 1 inch". Keep the old measurements as well, so you can see how the fit moved, and photograph the garment on the stand if it helps.
Deposits in writing
Agree the deposit at the consultation, record it against the order, and give the client a receipt. At collection, the balance is simply what is left. Put your policy for cancelled orders in writing before you cut the fabric.
