Wedding Can my dress be fixed?

[clop]

Hi!

My dress is bunching from too much fabric. The top portion is all one piece, and to take in the side seams, the entire top portion of the dress needs to be removed, then reattached. Are there any other alternatives, should I have it done, or should I leave it?

I deeply regret purchasing my dress. At 50% off, it seemed like a great deal, however, I think my $3k could have been better spent on a better fitting dress. Argh

 

[clop]

Please excuse my flabby arms and underarm/above the bust flab. Are there any exercises that target the underarm area?

 

[swimmer]

Hi Clop,
It shouldn''t be that hard for a good alterations person. Where do you live, folks can give you good suggestions, or look on your local knot board...or ask the bridal shop if you like/trust the folks there.

More importantly, you are just lovely! your arms are great, if you want to tighten them up a bit, nothing better than pushups, or wall pushups if you prefer, and chair dips are key. My friend and I did the videos "sexy arms" for a while, that was fun and seriously challenging with weights.

Your dress is mostly perfect, get a great alterations person and you are golden!

 

[Haven]

Take it to your tailor, and if you don''t have one, take it to a trusted friend''s tailor. Or better yet, find a local dress maker and take it to him or her.

I''m not sure what they''ll say, but you definitely need to seek out the advice of a professional.

Good luck!

 

[Gypsy]

Hmm. It also looks like it needs some adjustment to the boning, assuming there is boning on the sides there (if there isn''t that''s something they can add onto any seam with relative ease).

 

[miraclesrule]

The answer is definately yes. A good seamstress/tailor can work magic on a dress. Find a really good one in your area.

And your arms. Puleeeze, there is nothing wrong with them, but if you are self-conscious then you should buy a set of 6 or 8 pound weights and get crackin''....er...lifting.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding

 

[clop]

Hi Swimmer & Haven! Thanks for the tips!

That''s what my tailor told me after my 3rd fitting today. They took in as much as they could from the back seam. I purchased it as a sample size 8, ideally I would have purchased a 4 or 6. The top bust area (between the two ribbons) is one piece. The body has several seams, none of which can be taken in because it is attached to the top piece. She said if I really wanted to, they could take off the top, take in the side seams, then reattach the bodice/body to the top. I didn''t ask how much that would be. At the first fitting, she did mention that they could only take in so much from the back, then they would need to take in from the front, which would be more expensive. At this fitting, they said it wouldn''t make much sense to take apart the dress.

I do like my tailor, they''re highly rated, and have been excellent with everything else. Should I take it elsewhere, or am I basically stuck with it like I think I am?

Thanks for your replies

 

[clop]

ok I am one seriously slow typer. Thanks for your responses too Gypsy & Miraclesrule!

ooh yes, boning! Thanks Gypsy! Sorry forgot to mention they said they would add it in, that it would help a bit, but wouldn''t completely fix it. Also that if I lost any more weight it would get worse.

Yes, I know I am relatively skinny, I don''t compare myself to others, just my past self. I''ve gained 15 lbs in the last year, and really need to lose it. I definitely need to get crackin'' AND lifting

err plus I am lacking in the boob department. I''d feel more comfortable at my current weight if my bust was more proportional. (There are some pretty big pads under that dress!)

 

[swimmer]

Perhaps its riding low? Hard to tell from the pics, and yeah, boning will help, but what about pulling it up, where you are wider? Your tailor has probably done this, but it sort of looks like your dress is cutting into your upper boobs...but I could be waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off here. Tan lines? not sure. Wow, hard to believe that this is after three alterations...but it is still possible to get it perfect, ask Miracles.

 

[clop]

oh yeah, how could I forget. After that awful debacle her daughter''s dress turned out so incredibly well. I do have hope!

hmm me thinks that dress was not for me. It doesn''t quite stay up/close to my chest unless it is tight. (if not cinched tightly, it''s quite easy to look down my top and see the pads). Not sure about the upper boobs - isn''t it ironic that I have no lower boobs, but am graced with upper boobs??! Well maybe ironic is not the right word, unfortunate maybe?

The tailor is well regarded, highly recommended, winners of local awards, best of boston, etc. I''m supposed to pick it up next week. I''ll call them tomorrow to see if anything else can be done, and if not, take it somewhere else I guess.

I think the main problem is that this dress was meant for someone with natural cleavage to fill out the top - then it wouldn''t need to be cinched so tight. Plus it would have helped if I purchased the dress in my size or a smaller size. Then taking in slightly from the back wouldn''t have messed up the front.

 

[Gypsy]

Yeah. I would ask them to bone more than those side seams, and it willl help. They can add boning where there are seams. As for the rest of it. Ask them how much it will cost to do the alterations right. If it ends up being more than you want to spend, buy a new dress-- one that''s your size. I do think this one is lovely, but you have to feel GOOD on your wedding day. And I don''t hear anything but regret right now. ((HUGS)).

 

[clop]

Hey thanks Gypsy, your words are very comforting, plus great advice. I''m going to call them tomorrow first thing.

I am fond of it, I love the simplicity and the material, that''s about it. Oh boy. The wedding is in less than a month - I think Jcrew may be my only option. I do like their simple style, so that should work out if this cannot be fixed. If it cannot - fingers crossed it sells on preownedweddingdresses!

oh boy, I didn''t get such a deal afterall.

 

[ponderer]

Clop,

Taking a dress down that much in size in just asking alot from those back seams. The best thing to do would be to have them remove the top and take the appropriate amount from each seam.

I would ask them to redo the alterations. Separating the bodice from the skirt to take in a wedding dress is very common and your dress appears to be of fairly simple construction. Just please tell me they did not cut the excess out of the back seams.

Boning may help with bust shape, but the upper section may need to be taken in to prevent the gap. The way they have taken in the dress so far may be enhancing the gap.

When fitted properly this dress will be stunning on you. I would hate to see you abandon this dress, but i question your tailors methods on this.

Good Luck

Also, I would not pay for these alterations the way they stand. The more I think on this, the more I question the competency of the tailor.

 

[clop]

Thanks SanDiegoLady for your reply.

Thank you Ponderer. I wish I knew all that going into this. She was initially hesitant to take apart the bodice - she said it would be a last resort. Yes, unfortunately they''ve already cut the excess out of the back seams. Everything you''ve said makes sense, thanks again! I didn''t realize the whole taking apart, putting back together skirt/bodice was common place - otherwise I would have requested that to begin with. I think her intentions were good - "we might not need to resort to the expensive option if we don''t need to" oh boy. thanks so much, your post explains a lot.

 

[swimmer]

You are in Boston! Me too.
Two friends have gone to Arlington to get dresses fixed by this sort of cranky woman, who I go to now, she has done great and not expensive work on two cocktail dresses, I go because she is close to me linky but she totally saved the two aforementioned dresses, one I thought was beyond repair. Worth a chat perhaps?
My dress had to be taken apart, unbeaded, rebeaded, it was insane, done by Sienna, who used to be with designer bridal outlet. She was $300, but it was worth it! No reviews at her new location linky but she explained to me when I brought in a too small sample dress that she worked for years making wedding dresses in Hong Kong and if I wanted it totally redone in new fabric or in purple, she would do that for me. She did tell me when things were not possible, and when things should be done that I had not thought of. Cash gets a discount...
So sorry you are going through this!
Honestly, I would work on fixing what you have, you do have time, the JCrew dresses look awesome online, less so IRL. You fell in love with the dress once, right?

 

[clop]

Hi Swimmer!

Going to the Boston GTG? I'm too much of a newbie to attend!

wow those recommended tailors seem pretty darned skilled! I'll see how much any additional work from mine will cost. So far it's $545. Thanks for providing the links, I'll look into them.

"You fell in love with the dress once, right?" - well, I liked it a lot. There was another dress that I loved loved loved, but it was $4000, no discounts. I went to a bridal outlet immediately after (Vows) and saw this. It was $6000, and 60% off, vera wang luxe instead of vera wang. I thought, $4000 vs $2400, $4000 is over my budget, this is a good alternative, I like it a lot, though I have some misgivings. My 2 best friends who were with me also thought this was better - price, 'luxe' etc. They thought the other was too plain, not 'noticeably a Vera Wang,' something you could get anywhere. In any case, it's completely my fault I purchased it, I should not have fallen into the 'luxe' hype. Also, at the time, $4k was way over budget. Now I'm just a bit glum that this will probably cost me $3500 to have nicely fitted. For an extra $500.... oh well.

Please don't mind me, I'm complaining needlessly. Thanks for the outlet for these types of outbursts!

eta: sorry for my mood, it's turned pretty cranky. I've chosen the wrong dress, the wrong tailor, and feel really regretful. Though in the tailor's defense - maybe I'm not describing the problem correctly etc - you know the two sides to every story thing.

 

[swimmer]

Wow, I didn''t even know about a GTG! You are not too new, no such thing! I probably was thinking the same thing the last time, but didn''t make it for some random reason. Get some sleep and a good breakfast before thinking about the dress again. I promise I was having the same doubting thing and Gypsy and co helped me with bustle issues. We all doubt and somehow it works out. Sleeep!

 

[clop]

Update: I just spoke with the tailor. I will try on the dress with the boning on Friday. She says it will be very difficult to take off the top, there is only one seam in the top (back), and there are many many layers underneath. I know the dress is simple looking, but there is a lot going on underneath. I asked how much it would be, and she said it would be very difficult, and to try it on on Friday.

After Friday I will bring it somewhere else for a second opinion. I''m not sure what my options are at this point. I think the bridal garden in nyc has samples, maybe I can try on samples at different stores too, though I will be purchasing in my size.

I know many have questioned my tailor. She actually does have great reviews, and has been great with everything else. They are highly recommended by many stores here in Boston. Is it just wishful thinking that this can be fixed? What if she is right and it cannot, or really is a large undertaking etc? ok, I actually am pretty upset, so I hope my post is somewhat rational and not an angry illogical rant. I don''t think it is, but honestly I don''t think I am the best judge right now. A night of sleep has not helped and I feel worse than yesterday.

 

[ponderer]

Clop,

I literally gasped out loud when you told me they cut the excess out of the seam

. Sigh, once its gone there is no turning back. I understand that wedding dresses are complex and have many layers but I still cant imagine this being that difficult/uncommon.

My dress had a band like yours and a ballgown skirt with big box pleats like Robbie''s. I purchased the smallest size but still had to take in 5 inches from the bodice. The bodice was removed from the skirt and the band. Since the band had no seam the excess was removed from where it met the zipper. The bodice was taken in from the 4 seams and then everything was put back together. And yes, they have to do all of the alterations to all of the linings of the dress.

I''d be cranky too. I hope they can make it right or that you find a new dress that you love, but i hate that you may not be able recoop any money from this dress.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

In the first picture, it looks like your breast is coming out of the dress on the side....

It looks like it needs to be pulled up and then taken in to smooth out the fabric

 

[swimmer]

So...how did it go? Hoping the boning helped. But again, it just seems so low-riding...not sure what to say but good luck! Its a lovely dress and you are a lovely lady, hoping that it will get sorted out.

 

[clop]

Hi! I have an update (great news)!

The dress is fine!

There was a big miscommunication between the tailor and I. Initial fitting, "lose too much weight, we will need to take in from the front." Next fitting, "top is one seam, a lot of work." Third fitting, "we looked, top is one seam, cannot take in, boning may help." Phone call, "big big work, very expensive, we will see on Friday what we can do" Friday, "we can fix - for $130."

So basically on Friday she said she did not want to take in the seams from the front to save on costs. She thought it was possible to avoid taking in the front seams with boning.

Later when I was asking about shortening a jacket sleeve, she kept on referring to how legs are sometimes uneven, resulting in taking in the sleeves 2 different lengths (she meant arms). It wasn''t until then that I realized she may not have been translating correctly what she wanted say into English.

On Monday, I tried on the dress, and the rumpliness is gone! It was very nicely done. She reiterated again that she tried to avoid the extra cost etc. I didn''t take any pics, and may not get a chance before the wedding (am taking it to be cleaned). But I''ll definitely post pics after the wedding.

I would like to apologize for the following:

Please excuse my tardy update; family have been arriving for the wedding, and I''ve been playing tour guide since last week.

Thank you so much for your responses, support, and reading my (in hindsight totally unnecessary) post. I feel SO silly and am very embarrassed that I overreacted. At one point last week I nearly teared up thinking about the dress. My very lovely, calm, rational fiance sat me down and said not to worry until the fitting. If it was unfixable, we would deal with it then. While his words were correct, I did feel better posting here. So sorry for the unnecessary drama, and THANKS SO MUCH for your responses, for this outlet!

 

[clop]

Date: 8/8/2008 11:15:23 AM
Author: ponderer
Clop,


I literally gasped out loud when you told me they cut the excess out of the seam

. Sigh, once its gone there is no turning back. I understand that wedding dresses are complex and have many layers but I still cant imagine this being that difficult/uncommon.


My dress had a band like yours and a ballgown skirt with big box pleats like Robbie''s. I purchased the smallest size but still had to take in 5 inches from the bodice. The bodice was removed from the skirt and the band. Since the band had no seam the excess was removed from where it met the zipper. The bodice was taken in from the 4 seams and then everything was put back together. And yes, they have to do all of the alterations to all of the linings of the dress.


I''d be cranky too. I hope they can make it right or that you find a new dress that you love, but i hate that you may not be able recoop any money from this dress.

Thanks so much Ponderer! Your posts were so informative - it gave me hope that it could indeed be fixed. Thank you for sharing all the details etc. ooh, your dress sounds so nice! I LOVE box pleats! Do you have pics somewhere? I''m off to search for it.

Thanks again for your replies - it felt really nice to be understood!

 

[clop]

Date: 8/8/2008 11:39:23 AM
Author: Italiahaircolor
In the first picture, it looks like your breast is coming out of the dress on the side....


It looks like it needs to be pulled up and then taken in to smooth out the fabric

Hi Italiahaircolor! lol I WISH that was my boob! I don''t know what that lump is, maybe my chest muscle? or my excess underarm area fat? lol. Yes, the boning did help it stay up more, and it was less rumply, but in the end, the seams still needed to be taken in. It''s all fixed! hooray!

 

[clop]

Date: 8/8/2008 6:38:01 PM
Author: swimmer
So...how did it go? Hoping the boning helped. But again, it just seems so low-riding...not sure what to say but good luck! Its a lovely dress and you are a lovely lady, hoping that it will get sorted out.

Hi Swimmer!

Everything''s great! The boning did help, and ultimately the altered seams worked their magic. Yes, I think the lowness of the neckline was a big factor. Everyone else that I saw in that dress had cleavage to fill it out/keep it up. Thanks so much for your responses. You did say the right things, because your posts did comfort me.

lol well, I did feel calmer sleeping on it after TWO nights heh heh. Thanks again!!

 

[Gypsy]

YAY!!! SO HAPPY FOR YOU!


And Clop, there BETTER be pics!

((HUGS))... no worries about the drama. Two weeks ago I was crying at EVERYTHING. I mean it, I think I cried over chocolate pudding. Just last week I told John...well, nevermind. But he thought I was INSANE. *And he may have been right in a temporary, momentarily insane kinda thing*

 

[clop]

Date: 8/13/2008 8:14:49 PM
Author: Gypsy
YAY!!! SO HAPPY FOR YOU!



And Clop, there BETTER be pics!

((HUGS))... no worries about the drama. Two weeks ago I was crying at EVERYTHING. I mean it, I think I cried over chocolate pudding. Just last week I told John...well, nevermind. But he thought I was INSANE. *And he may have been right in a temporary, momentarily insane kinda thing*

Thanks Gypsy! When she said can''t be fixed, big big work, very expensive, I was thinking hundreds of dollars 300-400 on top of what I had paid etc. I''m glad she''s looking out for my budget! Your reply to me was very nice, informative, and I wish I was that calm and collected!

I definitely know what you mean about the temporary insanity. I''ve been dealing with things relatively well - when I had my makeup trial 2 weeks ago and they SHAVED OFF half my eyebrows to "fix" them (they shaved it off so they could draw them in better), it was no big deal, they should grow back. NO ONE will be seeing pics of that LOL!! When the coordinator said the complimentary switch to white plates from the green and red plates would actually cost $22 per person, I thought, ok, Christmas theme. When the venue budget came in $5000 over the original estimate, I thought we can rearrange/swap the hors d''hoeuvres. The final straw was the dress.

Hmmm chocolate pudding? I''ll have to search past posts!

So thanks again, it really is a wonderful community here!

 

[Gypsy]

Anytime honey-- its easy to be calm when it''s not YOU it''s happening too and we''re all in the same boat. We have sane moments and erm... ''other'' moments. Fortunately we aren''t on the same schedule of sanity and ''other''... so we can balance each other out. I''m very happy your seamstress was looking out for you! And I''m glad you think it''s a great place, I do too!!

There are no threads on chocolate pudding. This is the one and only instance in which I will ADMIT to the chocolate pudding instance. In all other cases, there will be a swift and comprehensive denial of chocolate pudding incidents.