One of a Kind

Jsax

So even though my Mom and I have TOTALLY different styles I want to wear her dress or at least incorporate it into my own to have a truly unique and original dress with some history in it. Her dress is a cream colored lace with full length sleeves, a sweetheart neckline with mesh from the bust to the neck and a lace collar... not to mention she weighed about 10 lbs. less than me, hips about 2 inches smaller, and about 1 1/2 cups smaller bust size. I'm pretty petite myself but she was even smaller with a few less curves! Needless to say if I do wear her dress its going to need some major alterations! I'm wondering if it's even possible to alter her dress enough for me to wear (and bring up to present time), or if I do get my own dress how in the world do I add pieces of hers to an already made dress? I don't even know where to start or who to ask.... any ideas?

Lovie 129

That's a tough one. You could see how much it would cost to get it altered to your liking. It may be more cost effective to get your own after you find out that info. If you wanted to wear your mom's dress to honor her, you could display her gown at the reception with her wedding picture next to it....that will also honor her and it makes a great conversation piece.

angeliza

Your mom's dress sounds a lot like my mom's dress. I thought about wearing it or incorporating it into mine in some way but in the end I couldn't imagine cutting it up and wanted something a bit more grand. In my opinion, just taking off the sleeves and the mesh above the bust will modernize it significantly. A seamstress might be able to make the dress into a corset back to make it fit you better. HTH!

angeliza

oh and also, If you buy your own dress and want to incorporate hers in some way you could maybe use the mesh to make a veil or if your mom's dress has beading you could buy a plain dress and have a seamstress take the beading from your mom's dress and put it on the bodice of yours, or use some of the material from the sleeves to make pretty cap sleeves for your dress, etc. etc. Some designers sell 2 piece gowns, you could buy a skirt and find a way to attach it to the top of your mom's dress after modernizing it in the ways I mentioned in my last post. There are lots of options!

BubbaLovesHim

Hmmm.. considering im not a seamstress and just shooting this out of the top of my head. I think it would probably be better to incorporate some of her dress into your new dress. By the time you alter her dress to modernize it and fit you correctly its going to look like a whole new dress anyways, I personally would shop for a dress you love and try to incorporate a little piece of your moms dress into it for sentimental value. If there is enough lace on your moms dress you could maybe add it around the bottom of your dress for a scalloped hem. or you could add it at the waist for some embelishment, or you could add it peaking out at the top by your bust area if you end up buying a dress with a sweetheart neckline.

Jsax

Thanks everyone! Lots of great ideas, I feel like I have somewhere to start when I talk to a seamstress now!