Formerly Fashionable

Today, I am going to alter a dress that is best described as “formerly fashionable.” The bride got the dress in 1997 from a friends bridal store that was going out of business, and it was probably at the height of fashion. Apparently, gigantic tulle skirts with lace applique did reach the height of fashion at one time.

The interesting challenge with this dress is that I’ve been called twice and told to stop working on it b/c of a wedding postponement. Today is the big day when there is no looking back–I’m chopping 6 inches off the bottom,and there is no looking back. Maybe this is the karma that the bride needs to get this wedding to happen on time and in the budget in which they feel more comfortable.

Shotgun Solutions

I have quite the reputation in this town.

Today, I was contacted by the 3rd bride or bridesmaid this month with the same problem:  Help!  I'm knocked up and don't want to look like a house at this wedding!!

My eyes get dreamy with happiness when this challenge arises.  Making clothing fit a unique body type is my favorite part of this job--but pair that with making a $1200 Pronovias custom designer gown fit a 6-month baby bump "while making it not too noticeable--I haven't told my grandma yet!" and it's pure alterations heaven. 

Right now I'm having some serious regerts about not photographing any of my work---carefully peeling the beading back, adding a long, skinny ellipse-shaped gusset into the side seam, and then re-applying and weaving the beading into and over the gusset to make it seamlessly accomodate the baby.

I've always wanted to start a business by the name of  "Shotgun Solutions" (patent pending!!!) that specialized in maternity wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses.  At this time, I'll settle for being the go-to guru.

So what should you do if you find out that you're going to be X number of months knocked up at a wedding that requires an advanced purchase of a bridesmaids dress?  My tip of the day (or, shotgun solution, if you will):

•  2 - 5 months--order one size up. 6 - 9 months--two sizes. If in doubt, err on the bigger side.  You can always take a dress in without having to worry about purchasing extra fabric, but not neccessarily out. 
•  Find out what the price is for an extra yard of fabric--or better yet, find out if the dress comes with a shawl as a backup plan. 
• If you get the option of a style, look for something with an existing waist seam or better yet, an empire style..   Princess seams are harder to alter to make the top and middle look proportionate.

Are these groundbreaking solutions?  Nah.  Do you have an innovative solution?  Include it in a comment below!

Fuss-Bucket Central

You know how a mother want her daugher’s wedding day to be “just perfect?”  I had a mother/daughter team for the record books stop by last week. 

This mother was so endearing.  She was so worked up and worried and wanted everything to be lovely, but she had this inate kindness that made you want to hug her and make everything ok.  I got the impression that she was very timid, a little old fashioned, and was having a hard time understanding some of the choices  that her daughter was making (flip flops!  removing extraneous tulle! going for a dip in the ocean in her dress the day after the wedding!)  

Her very laid-back daughter (perhaps exausted from a lifetime of saying “Mom!  Calm down!”), the maid-of-honor, and aunt of the bride, were all taking it in stride.  It’s like they were all placing their hand on their preverbial hips saying ”That Jane Doe. She’s fussy and nervous, but we love her.”  To me, that’s love. 

All that aside, the dress was lovely.  The bride had a larger frame, and she choose a beaded taffeta dress that had asymetrical ruching and a corset back. I think the dress shop ordered her 2 sizes too big (or the company needs to re-evaluate placement of the princess line seams in the front) which would have solved some of the fit issues. (As for me, that would have prevented the need to re-bead some of the front panel.  Blech.)  Overall, her decision to remove extraneous tulle, add straps, and go with a corset back on this dress were all very successful in making the dress look good on her frame. 

Welcome!

Ah, weddings. 

Such a time of love, happiness, unity…and drama, vanity, and emotions so sky high that it can push even the most level-headed of brides into a frenzy.  In the world of bridal alterations, I see an unusual and touching slice of humanity.  Brides glow with happiness.  Friendships are strenghtened.  Sibling rivalries are revealed.  Mothers weep with nostalgia while saying “‘Honey, stand up straight.”   Stories unfold that would make the writers of Lifetime Original movies weep.

People are amazingly open when they are half naked.  The stories I want to tell are the touching moments–or the frustrating nutcase stories– that happen during that time between picking up the dress and "I do."  

Enjoy!