Shirley's Designs & Alterations by Veda Ambeau- Grand Lake Neighborhood, Oakland, Ca

New Knees...

11/16/2019

That's right! Our Veda is going in for a beautiful new set over the holidays and the shop will be dark while she's recuperating.
Shirley's Designs & Alterations will close at 5:00 pm on December 23rd and will reopen at 9:00 on January 2nd.
That means we'll be closed during the last minute nip and tuck rush for New Year's Eve.
So now is the time to get your holiday alterations done, especially if you have awesome plans to usher in 2020.
Call the shop today - 510-836-3062 - to schedule your appointment...the calendar is filling up fast!
Happy and delicious holidays to all of Shirley's Designs customers...and a speedy recovery to our beloved Veda!!

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Double the Fashion

5/6/2019

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Never before has so much fashion taken up residence at Shirley’s Designs & Alterations.
From May 7th through the 20th, we will be hosting both of Worth New York’s designer lines: premier W by Worth, and the couture line we all know and love, Worth.
First up will be W, in house from the 7th till the 13th. Worth arrives later that night and will be on the racks first thing on the 14th till the 20th.
You won’t want to miss a moment of shopping the fabulous Summer looks from Worth New York!
Want to treat yourself to a private shopping experience?
Call the shop today to schedule a personal appointment. 510.836.3062.

W by Worth

Worth Couture

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It's All About the Foundations...

4/1/2019

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From t-shirts to wedding dresses, starting out with the right foundations underneath can make or break the look you want to achieve.

Foundations. A somewhat dated term, but oh so accurate. Undergarments literally lay the groundwork for a proper fit. Wearing inappropriate, or worse, ill-fitting undergarments can dramatically change the way you look and feel in your clothes. The wrong bra, panty or shapewear can completely undermine your favorite slacks, cocktail dress or formal gown.

With the variety, availability and online access to innovative styles and fabrics engineered at a spectrum of price points, it can get very confusing in the foundations department. Determining what to wear with what (they don’t call them t-shirt bras for nothing), and how to properly fit yourself takes time, experience and often a good fitter.

Enter Shirley’s Designs & Alterations. Our highly skilled tailors can make the necessary adjustments to your foundations to ensure a perfect fit. They can also guide you to the right undergarments for a particular outfit…say your wedding gown.

Like to find out more about foundations and fit? Check out these links – Brides, Bras, Foundations Guidelines.

Prefer a more personal approach, call the shop at 510.836.3062.

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Spring 2019

1/13/2019

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When is the best time to update your Spring wardrobe? January 10th – 21st of course. That’s when Shirley’s Designs & Alterations will be hosting Worth NY’s Spring collection…and you don’t want to miss it.
With looks right off the runway, Worth has created a line that is flattering and chic. They tick all the boxes: double breasted jackets, three-piece suiting, fun leather accents, and craftwork pieces in the neutral colors of the season.
Now is the time to take a break from the cold and rain and stop into Shirley’s to treat yourself to a touch of Spring with one of Worth’s coveted fashions.
If you’d prefer to have schedule a personal shopping appointment, call the shop today, 510-836-3062.

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The W Sample Sale is On!

12/27/2018

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Shirley’s Designs & Alterations is delighted to announce our 50% off W sample sale.

W is the chic, cost-conscious line from private label fashion house Worth. Their winter collection is lovely, and just plain fun…you don’t want to miss out on a sale like this!

Hurry in now for the best selection as styles and sizes are limited.

Sale ends January 7th.

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Special "Fit for the Holidays" Offer

11/25/2018

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The holiday season is upon us and it’s party time!
With the arrival of those invitations comes the age-old dilemma, “what am I going to wear?!?!”.
Shirley’s Designs & Alterations wants to be sure you look your absolutely very best, and to help you get started we’re offering you $10 off your next alteration.
So, call the shop and book your appointment today (510) 836-3062.
Be sure to mention this email when booking to get your “fit for the holidays” savings.
Make your appointment soon as this offer expires November 30th.

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Winter With Worth

10/22/2018

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Worth’s winter collection will be in-house at Shirley’s Designs & Alterations from October 24th through October 29th, and the time couldn’t be better to spruce up your cold-weather wardrobe.
Always top of trends, Worth is spot-on with the season’s must haves: cozy sweaters, smart suiting, fun trousers and tops.
So stop in the shop, or, better yet, call to make an appointment to browse these beautiful pieces today. Our number is
(510) 836-3062.
For a quick peek at what’s in store, take a look at the pics below.

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A Made To Order Wedding...

10/14/2018

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Nicole Labbee and Martin Susskind were wed on July 21, 2018. It was a lovely affair at a bucolic lakeside property in Goshen, MA, minutes from where they both grew up, and where Marty spent many summers as a child. Their best friend, Sam, who also grew up with Nicole and Marty, was the minister who married them.
Rewind to March 15, 2018. That’s when Nicole first met Veda. Nicole decided that she wanted local talent to make her wedding dress and made her way to Shirley’s Designs & Alterations. “After the first meeting with Veda, it was clear that she had great ideas and could help me bring my vision to fruition,” Nicole said.
Now, both Nicole and Marty love to get creative with their fashion. They each have a very personal and fun sense of style, and their wedding attire was to be no different. Far from traditional, both wanted to wear their favorite colors. For Nicole, it was to be light aqua blue, and for Marty, brilliant yellow.
Nicole knew what she wanted in her dress: light airy layers of white and blue chiffon, as well as lace detailing and a train. Veda made suggestions throughout the process as to how to make her dress the most flattering, what fabrics will work best together, giving recommendations on where to source the finer aspects of the dress, including the lace, at reasonable prices.
Veda was working with Nicole for a couple of months, when Marty came in to meet with her and have his own wedding outfit made. A self-proclaimed “Groomzilla”, Marty was anything but, though he knew exactly what he wanted – a top of lightweight, yellow charmeuse with a white Indian silk inlay (to mirror the white lace of Nicole’s dress). He envisioned a small train of sorts, with lots of movement, and raw crystal button closures that would reflect the sun and radiate when he walked (check out the pictures below).
The happy couple did a "family-moon" on Cape Cod immediately following the wedding. Their honeymoon trip will take place early 2019 – a much anticipated trip to Cuba.

We wish them a world of happiness!

The Concept

First step: the pattern

Working the lace

Fitting the pattern

Talking through the buttons

Groomzilla

The Happy Couple!

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Introducing: Worth

7/24/2018

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For many years Shirley’s Designs & Alterations was the exclusive stylist of the premier brand, Doncaster. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce our clients and customers to the high fashion, luxury label, Worth.
Born in NYC over 25 years ago, Worth was created to bring couture clothing out of the high-rent boutique/department store, and into smaller venues and private homes for a more intimate, personalized experience–one with the same chic elegance and superior quality discerning women expect.
To properly introduce our clients and customers to Worth, Shirley’s Designs & Alterations cordially invites you to our inaugural trunk-show August 16th–August 22nd. Swing by the shop during regular hours to see what all the excitement is about. Or call and make personal shopping appointment with Veda–who was completely dazzled by Worth's fall line when she was in NY in June. The number is 510.836.3062.
Just in case you’d like see what’s in store, here are a few pics to whet your appetite…

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It's Spring...well...almost!

2/26/2018

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The fashion mags are in and the blogs are posted–Spring is going to be a most interesting season.

So, what’s hot and must have? First, the raincoat. Yes, the trench is a classic, but this season it’s all about the feminine; a ruffle here, a ruch there.

Then there’s the jacket. Whether for work or play, it’s the focal point to pair with your favorite jeans or pencil skirt. From there, it’s all about the layering–diaphanous fabrics over basic camies and tees; textured cardigans; and, fringe…and yes, fringe is still here.

And then there’s color. Lots and lots of color. Vibrant hues, soft pastels, and splashes of red, royal blue and white are everywhere.

What better place than Shirley’s Designs & Alterations to get a sneak peek at these delightful trends?!? That’s right, you can see it all from March 1st – March 10th when that premier private fashion icon Doncaster will be in the shop.

Doncaster is once again on point with the current styles–and the classics–that will brighten and update your Spring wardrobe. Why not make your personal shopping appointment today? Call today, (510) 836-3062, to set up a convenient time to browse the racks.

Here are just a few pics of what you’ll find in store.

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