Wedding Reception Forum

Should I chop the dress or not?

Hi all!

Anyone ever chop their wedding dress at the knees for the a later reception? As in 6 months later?  We were married in November out of town and have a reception coming up in June. I am deciding between altering the original dress drastically, or just having the train removed. I never liked the train dragging around or bustled, but it came with the dress.  I'm pretty accident prone, so the shorter the better!




I really like this dress, and am lucky to get to wear it twice.

   
We're not a very formal crowd...


But I don't love how the bustle looks like I'm pooping a triangle:


I'm bold and would love to chop it into a cocktail dress, but don't want to miss having a long dress at the "formal" reception.

Any one reading this ever re-purposed their dress into a shorter one?
Regrets? Recommendations? 

Thanks all!


Re: Should I chop the dress or not?

  • If you don't like the bustle but love the length why not just change the bustle to maybe a french bustle?  That way it won't look like you are pooping a triangle (hahaha...love that!)

    It is hard to see your dress in the pictures to really tell you whether or not it will look good cut short (you are just too far away in the pictures) but I think your best option would be to talk to your seamstress to see if it is possible.  Some dresses just can't/shouldn't be shorten because they just won't look or lay right.

  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:a9454fb6-1111-43af-bf86-bce70ac56c87">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]If you don't like the bustle but love the length why not just change the bustle to maybe a french bustle?  That way it won't look like you are pooping a triangle (hahaha...love that!) It is hard to see your dress in the pictures to really tell you whether or not it will look good cut short (you are just too far away in the pictures) but I think your best option would be to talk to your seamstress to see if it is possible.  Some dresses just can't/shouldn't be shorten because they just won't look or lay right.
    Posted by Maggie0829[/QUOTE]

    <div>Thanks Maggie! </div><div>
    </div><div>I will ask my Alterations pro about the French bustle. My parents paid for it, otherwise I'd be DIYing the thing right now. FYI You guys look great!</div>
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:16349506-6bed-44f1-bcea-6e96bcaeb92c">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]In Response to Re: Should I chop the dress or not? : Thanks Maggie!  I will ask my Alterations pro about the French bustle. My parents paid for it, otherwise I'd be DIYing the thing right now. FYI You guys look great!
    Posted by andy&erica[/QUOTE]

    Thanks!

    I definitely think just changing up the bustle will change the whole look of the gown and then you will be able to keep it long which it seems you really like.

  • Chop it!!

    I vote chop it because you'll have an easier time getting around the reception easier in a shorter dress plus it will be much more comfortable having a shorter dress in the summer versus a full length dress even if it is an indoor event.

    Then if the fabric would take it, you can consider having the dress dyed another color after that so you can wear it a third or forth time.
  • I think you should chop it because it's kind of weird to wear a wedding dress when it's not... a wedding.



    Anniversary
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:07781cf5-3fe7-4bd1-81cc-6ab82e993cd7">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I think you should chop it because it's kind of weird to wear a wedding dress when it's not... a wedding.
    Posted by Dreamergirl8812[/QUOTE]

    ^^ This ^^
    image


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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:07781cf5-3fe7-4bd1-81cc-6ab82e993cd7">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I think you should chop it because it's kind of weird to wear a wedding dress when it's not... a wedding.
    Posted by Dreamergirl8812[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>This!!  I don't get it......

    </div>
  • I would keep it long JUST because unless you're a seamstress, I don't wanna see you possibly screw it up with a DIY... If you're talented and/or have an awesome seamstress, go for it
     Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:c02d6616-12a0-4172-9d95-f3c9175f6d32">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I would keep it long JUST because unless you're a seamstress, I don't wanna see you possibly screw it up with a DIY... If you're talented and/or have an awesome seamstress, go for it
    Posted by sydaries[/QUOTE]

    <div>Bah! Excellent point. If I had paid for it myself, I'd have certainly screwed it up with a DIY. I'm not messing with it this time. I'm letting Alterations mess it up.</div><div>
    </div><div>Thanks for writing!</div>
  • andy&ericaandy&erica member
    First Comment
    edited January 2013
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-i-chop-the-dress-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:86b0e264-bab5-48b4-88f6-cb49e7d58753Post:88eeff96-9176-49fe-9903-f5aaa9f61b3a">Re: Should I chop the dress or not?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Chop it!! I vote chop it because you'll have an easier time getting around the reception easier in a shorter dress plus it will be much more comfortable having a shorter dress in the summer versus a full length dress even if it is an indoor event. Then if the fabric would take it, you can consider having the dress dyed another color after that so you can wear it a third or forth time.
    Posted by Erikan73[/QUOTE]
     <div>Woohoo! I do want to chop it, but I'd rather do it for the right reasons, not just to be shocking. There's going to be a lot of old Italian Aunties at the formal reception.</div>
  • It's hard to tell, but it looks like that could be really cute at a tea-length. I really wanted a tea length dress and the few I tried on were sort of that shape. 
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