Saree & Lehenga Alterations in Singapore: The Deepavali Guide

Saree blouse and lehenga alterations in Singapore: what can be altered, prices from S$15.80, embellished pieces, and when to book before Deepavali, 8 November.

Deepavali is on Sunday, 8 November this year, and the outfit comes out of the cupboard in October. The saree is as beautiful as you remember, but the blouse is tight across the back. The lehenga from a cousin's wedding sits a little loose at the waist. Or you have been handed your mother's silk saree and the blouse that goes with it was made for someone else entirely.

The fit usually depends on which piece needs adjusting: the blouse, the petticoat or the stitched skirt. This guide covers what a tailor can and cannot do with a saree and a lehenga, what it costs in Singapore, how to handle embellished and heirloom pieces, and when to book.

Saree Alterations: Where the Tailoring Actually Happens

A traditional saree is an unstitched drape, so fit adjustments are usually made to its blouse and petticoat rather than resizing the saree itself. Pre-stitched sarees are different: depending on their construction, their sewn pleats may sometimes be adjusted. When the outfit does not sit right, the issue is often in the pieces worn with it.

The blouse

• Taking in or letting out at the side and back seams. This is the single most common saree request.
• Shortening the sleeves, or adjusting the sleeve width at the arm
• Reshaping the neckline at the front or back
• Adjusting the length so the blouse finishes at the right point above the waist

The petticoat (underskirt)

• Taking in or letting out the waist, so the drape is anchored firmly
• Adjusting the length, which sets where the saree hem falls. Get this wrong and no amount of careful draping will fix it.

Fall, edging and pleats

• Attaching or replacing the saree fall, which gives the hem weight and protects it
• Pico edging on a raw or fraying edge
• Taking in the pleats at the waist of a pre-stitched saree for a cleaner drape

If the saree itself is lovely but never looks quite right on you, bring the blouse and petticoat. That is where the fit lives.

Lehenga Alterations

A lehenga is a different garment: a stitched skirt (ghagra), a fitted blouse or choli, and a dupatta. Because the skirt and choli are fully stitched, they alter much like a dress or skirt.

Skirt (ghagra)

• Taking in or letting out the waist
• Shortening or lengthening the hem. Lengthening depends on how much fabric was left in the hem allowance.

Blouse (choli)

• Taking in or letting out at the bust and waist
• Adjusting sleeve length
• Reshaping the neckline or armhole

Dupatta

• Hemming or shortening the dupatta to suit your height

The limit on a lehenga is almost always the embellishment, not the construction. A plain georgette skirt can be taken in a long way. A skirt covered in beading or zari work can only be adjusted where the fabric is plain, which may mean a smaller adjustment or a different seam than you expected. We'll show you where at the fitting.

What It Costs

Alterations at Stitch & Steam are priced by the type of work, not by the name of the garment, so a choli waist is priced the same way as any other waist adjustment.

The price depends on the garment and work involved; lining, fabric condition and embellishment near a seam affect the final quote. Use our alterations price list as a guide. Heavily embellished or reconstruction work is quoted after assessment.

Embellished and Heirloom Pieces

Silk sarees and wedding lehengas can be delicate, especially when worn or stored for many years. At a fitting, we assess:

• Fabric condition. Age, existing creases and previous work can affect how much change is practical.
• Embellishment placement. Beading or zari close to a seam may limit where it can be adjusted.
• Seam allowance. Earlier alterations may leave less room to let a garment out.
• Loose trim. Beads or sequins that have come loose may need a separate repair; redesign is quoted individually.

Tell us anything you know about the garment's age and previous alterations. We will explain the workable options and limits before confirming a quote.

When to Book for Deepavali

Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November 2026. Standard alterations take approximately 2 weeks from fitting to collection, but turnaround can vary with seasonal demand. Book your fitting in October, 3–4 weeks before the day or earlier, to leave time for a second fitting if the blouse needs one. Message us to confirm current availability and a collection estimate.

If you have left it late, express alterations are charged as a multiplier on the standard price, subject to availability:

• 1.5× within 5 working days
• 2× within 3 working days
• 2.5× within 24 hours

Message us before you come in to confirm we can take your piece in that window. Heavily embellished pieces are slower to work on, so the earlier you book, the more options you have.

Cleaning Before and After the Festival

Have the outfit altered first and cleaned second. Cleaning fabric that is about to be taken in or let out is money spent on cloth that may not stay in the finished garment, and the handling of a fitting undoes a fresh press anyway.

Silk, zari and embellished sarees should be dry cleaned rather than washed at home. Saree dry cleaning at Stitch & Steam starts from S$13.80 for an everyday saree and S$23.80 for one with heavy beading or embroidery. After Deepavali, have it cleaned before it goes back into storage: oil and food marks from the celebrations are much easier to remove while fresh.

For storage:

• Keep silk sarees in breathable cotton or muslin rather than plastic, which traps moisture in Singapore's humidity
• Refold them along different lines every few months so the creases do not set permanently, especially across zari borders
• Keep embellished pieces out of direct sunlight

Plan the Fitting

Bring the saree blouse and petticoat together, or all three lehenga pieces: skirt, choli and dupatta. Include the shoes you plan to wear so the fitting can account for the intended length and proportions.

Stitch & Steam is a by-appointment studio at 126C Canberra Street, Singapore 753126. Turnaround can vary with demand, so contact us to confirm the current collection estimate.

Book an appointment to bring in your piece. We will assess the garment and confirm the cost before starting. If the deadline is tight, see our express alterations service; express slots must be confirmed in advance.