Second fitting tomorrow...any bustle ideas?

[jstarfireb]

Hey gals! Just looking for some last-minute ideas for my bustle..I have my second dress fitting tomorrow and am having trouble visualizing what I want.

The style I''m going for is very sleek and modern. I am not wearing crinoline in order to keep my dress more sleek. I would really like to avoid a French bustle because I think they''re too frilly/poofy. Ideally I would like a ballroom bustle or simple overbustle, but I''m not sure how it will look with the back of my dress. The complication is that I have a split-back skirt and a corset tie. Here''s a picture of the back of my dress:

David''s Bridal link - click on "alternate view"

And here I am in the dress, but you can''t see the whole train:

Thanks in advance!

 

[Clairitek]

Hmm... Thats a tough one. After looking at the alternate view on DB''s website I think that a French (under) would go best with the structure of your gown. I''m not sure the insert on the train will sit correctly if you do an over bustle. I think a good amount of the beading on your train will still be exposed if you do the French as well.

 

[jstarfireb]

C-tek, that''s what I was afraid of because I really didn''t want a French bustle. I just think they look too poofy. Do you have any examples of underbustles that look sleek and non-frilly?

 

[Clairitek]

I think traditional bustles look more poofy than French ones.

Let me dig up a pic from my friend's wedding. She has a good French bustle.

I'll be back!

ETA: I don't have photo editing software on this computer but I've asked for assistance in posting the pic.

In the meantime I found this pic of a French bustle that looks like it isn't too poofy, IMO anyways.

French Bustle

I think if they do it low enough and in just one layer it will lay flat.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks! The way the one in the pic is done looks too poofy to me, but I can see what you mean about doing it low and in one layer.

I looked through the David''s Bridal photo reviews and found one semi-clear pic of a bustle with my dress. What I don''t like about this one is how far the stuff on the sides sticks out...

 

[jstarfireb]

On the other hand, I was googling different types of bustles and came across this one, which I kind of like! Do you think it''s doable with my train?

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 3/12/2009 11:18:18 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Thanks! The way the one in the pic is done looks too poofy to me, but I can see what you mean about doing it low and in one layer.

I looked through the David''s Bridal photo reviews and found one semi-clear pic of a bustle with my dress. What I don''t like about this one is how far the stuff on the sides sticks out...

I might be seeing this wrong but I''m pretty sure thats a traditional bustle (over).

 

[FrekeChild]

This is C-tek''s friend''s bustle.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 3/12/2009 11:20:06 PM
Author: jstarfireb
On the other hand, I was googling different types of bustles and came across this one, which I kind of like! Do you think it''s doable with my train?

Yep. That''s what I''ve been talking about.

That would be a French bustle. I think it lays nice and flat.

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 3/12/2009 11:21:44 PM
Author: FrekeChild
This is C-tek''s friend''s bustle.

Thanks Freke!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks Freke and C-tek! Your friend''s bustle is really nice and simple. I always thought overbustles were flatter/sleeker, but now I''m seeing how French bustles can give me the look I''m aiming for too. Any other ideas?

 

[Clairitek]

Date: 3/12/2009 11:48:15 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Thanks Freke and C-tek! Your friend''s bustle is really nice and simple. I always thought overbustles were flatter/sleeker, but now I''m seeing how French bustles can give me the look I''m aiming for too. Any other ideas?

Glad to help. I don''t really have any other ideas. I am not too creative in the bustle department! Its really just over or under in my world. I prefer the look of the French bustle as well but I think my dress looks really weird with it and I will probably end up with an over bustle. I suppose some gowns just aren''t meant for both!

Have fun at your fitting! Your dress looks great on you in those pics.

 

[Sparkalicious]

jstarfireb - I really like the look of the bustle you found online and of Ctek''s friends bustle. That should look great on your gown.

Have you inquired with the person doing the alterations? They might have the perfect bustle for you given your criteria.
I hope that the fitting goes well and you decide on a fabulous bustle for your lovely dress!

 

[jstarfireb]

Sparkalicious - thanks! We haven''t really talked about the bustle yet since the first fitting was pretty much just for the halter straps. But of course, I''ll definitely get the tailor''s opinion, because I trust her a lot from other work that she''s done for me, and she''s experienced enough to know what will work with my dress. Tomorrow (well technically today since it''s past midnight here) will be the fitting for the bustle, and once that''s done, we''ll put it all together for the final fitting.

 

[jstarfireb]

In case anyone is interested, the outcome of today''s fitting was...
...
...
...
No bustle yet.

My straps didn''t lie right, so she''s redoing them, and I have to come back in a week for the bustle fitting. This is getting too complicated for me! And too expensive...she quoted me at the very least $150 EACH for the straps and bustle. When it''s all said and done, the alterations will cost almost as much as the dress!

 

[Winks_Elf]

If they do an overbustle, it will get looped up underneath the carriage section. It would look like there was never a train, and the details at the bottom would sit right between the split, as it should.

 

[violet3]

Oh no jstar! i am sorry you''re having to go and do the alterations over and over - but i am sure it will all be worth it!!! If it matters at all, i think the overbustle and the underbustle will both look great....i am sure they can make it streamlined for you in the back too. love to see a picture of you at your next fitting

 

[newsboysgrl777]

She's charging you $150 JUST to add a halter??!!! That sounds outrageous to me!! I mean, it's just a little bit of material, right?? And $150 for a bustle, also? Is that normal? Oh gosh. I've had issues with my first seamstress, so I'm going to another one that my wedding planner has worked with and now I'm scared to find out how much it's going to cost. (That on top of the fact that I paid for my first seamstress to alter the dress (hem & bustle) and she screwed them up and didn't do what we talked about, etc. !!!

So I'm basically going to be paying for the same thing twice.

)

Good luck, hun, and I'm so sorry the halter didn't even work out. Maybe you should have Freke make it for you - she's really good with photoshop, maybe she can do the real thing?? LOL. (I'm still amazed that she was able to make it look like it was always a part of the dress and she said "oh. it only took me 2 minutes." LOL!! It'd have taken me hrs )

 

[FrekeChild]

Ack! I''m really not that good newsboysgrl!!!! I think I did that when I was working on my design for my ering reset, and compared to THAT, the halter was super easy. (Seriously, trying to achieve METAL on photoshop?! SO HARD!!!!)

 

[jstarfireb]

Hey girls, I''m back from my final fitting with great news! The second try of the halter strap was perfect! I have a picture of them pinned on from the last fitting:

Unfortunately didn''t get too many pics today, since the seamstress was super-busy. So I don''t have a current pic of the straps now that they''ve been sewn in and tacked down into a perfect shape. But I assure you all, it looks great!

I do have a pic of the bustle (not on me though, just hanging up). It''s not really a great pic, but it gives you the idea. Simple 3-point French bustle for the underskirt, combined with a snap on either side for the overlay, so it all ends up being floor length.

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 3/16/2009 12:15:53 AM
Author: newsboysgrl777
She''s charging you $150 JUST to add a halter??!!! That sounds outrageous to me!! I mean, it''s just a little bit of material, right?? And $150 for a bustle, also? Is that normal? Oh gosh. I''ve had issues with my first seamstress, so I''m going to another one that my wedding planner has worked with and now I''m scared to find out how much it''s going to cost. (That on top of the fact that I paid for my first seamstress to alter the dress (hem & bustle) and she screwed them up and didn''t do what we talked about, etc. !!!

So I''m basically going to be paying for the same thing twice.

)

Awww, NBG, that sucks that you have to pay for the same thing twice! I agree that it sounds really expensive, but I think my seamstress''s prices are pretty much the going rate in the business. I''ve also had to have quite a few fittings to get it right (2 for the straps, 1 for the bustle). The seamstress gives me a really good, honest vibe, so I don''t thing she''s trying to pull one over on me. I''m also willing to pay a bit more for perfection, especially since I kept my dress pretty inexpensive by wedding dress standards ($550). When you consider the dress, veil, and alterations, it''s around $1000, which isn''t too bad at all.

 

[violet3]

Jstar - that is a PERFECT bustle for that dress. I love that your little detail is showing through, but it''s laying nice and flat for you - from your posts about it, you don''t seem like a poufy bustle kind of girl

p.s. straps look great too!