How to make an old wedding dress more modern?
My mom was married in 1996.
And I want to be able to wear her dress at MY wedding, but I don’t know how to make it more modern.
It’s beautiful, but more old timey than I would prefer(Puffy sleeves, ALOT of lace, etc.).
Any help?
This is absolutely WONDERFUL! I never in a million years would have thought I would wear my mom’s dress. I went shopping with her for dresses and didn’t find the perfect one. One day she dragged it out and I put it on, it fit like a glove. I went to her friends wedding dress shop (she was a couture designer in Atlanta) and was looking at dresses. She had a picture album of all these mother’s dresses she had redesigned. I had sketched out my dream dress for her to price (having it made from scratch). I mentioned that my moms dress fit me perfectly but again a 70’s lacey, long sleaved empire waist dress. I asked if she could redesign her dress into my dream dress. And she did! It was amazing, gorgeous, very me, but at the same time a sentimental wonderful meaningful dress. My mother never suggested it but I know it made her so happy. Find a wonderful designer, seamstress who can help you but yes it absolutely can be done!
The current trend seems to be sleeveless dresses with a sweetheart neckline.
I would take your mother’s dress to a seamstress and see if those types of alterations could be made.
Take it to a good seamstress and tell her what you’d like done. She can explain what’s possible and what it will cost you.
I’m doing the EXACT same thing with my moms dress at the moment. Hers was from the seventees and has a collar and long sleeves that I cant see myself wearing in my Miami June wedding (too hot down here lol). So I’m going to tailor it myself (with the help of my seamstress grandmother) Cant wait to see how its going to come out!
I would not touch the lace, but I don’t see why you couldn’t just remove the sleeves. That is, have a seamstress do it, because you will need facings added once the sleeves are out.
Make it "yours" by adding your own new veil and accessories.
You could remove or replace the puffy sleeves. Taking them off and adding straps or cap sleeves might be nice, or changing the neckline to strapless or strapless sweetheart.
Some of the lace might be removable, and you might be able to take off the top or bottom layer of the skirt if it’s poofy, or maybe add a layer to create a more ballgown-like silhouette. A lot of 80s/90s dresses had beaded cut-out appliqués on the train which looks pretty dated now, but you might be able to shorten the train enough to cut off the appliqués entirely.
Beyond that, I’d have to see a picture. I’m sure you can make it work. If you remove anything, though, ask your seamstress to keep it as in tact as possible. Things comes back into style, and someday if you have a daughter who wants to wear the gown, she may want to reinvent the dress again with some of its original pieces.
Take it to a seamstress and get some ideas. Bring in some pictures of more modern gowns.
The first thing to go would be the puffy sleeves. That should be easy to take off. Whether you want it simply sleeveless or strapless would be another option.
See what the seamstress can recommend.
Then hold a modern wedding
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