Attire & Accessories Forum

Dress Dazed and Worried!

Hi Ladies.  So I ordered my Maggie (Michele).  Don't bother looking it up on their website.  Every Maggie bride knows their photos are awful, but this dress is beautiful, at least, across the sparkling bust and cynched in asymmetrical waist -- beyond lovely.  I hate the bottom.  It's satin, uninteresting (except for a scattering of crystal, or glass, beads, here and there), just straight and dull with a nothing hemline.  This, among the fact that I'll need to shorten the bodice and bust cause I had to get one size larger than the sample), is driving me nuts.  So I'm thinking -- and would love some feedback -- what IF I had the hem of the satin scooched up a big higher than the pretty crinoline petticoat underneath (not at the train obviously) but all along the front and sides, so at least there was some depth, dimension, INTEREST! Then, though there is some pathetic lace border at the edge of the crinoline, perhaps I could even jazz that border up with a more defined lace border? and my second thought/question -- could I cinch up the satin (sort of tack it up) slightly here and there along the bottom of the gown.  What do you gals think about either of these ideas, and is it possible to turn a dull a-line gown bottom into something prettier? this is keeping me up nights and the dress isn't even due in 'til December! No returns, exchanges or refunds at the store, and you have to pay for the dress in full once it's ordered, and it's ordered.  my sat nite evening wedding is at a fabulous loft in the west village/tip of the meat packing district and i can't have the space outshine the bride!

Re: Dress Dazed and Worried!

  • Why did you purchase the gown if you dislike so many things about it?At any rate, these are questions for a professional seamstress or dressmaker. Go to your local board and do some research online to find a great one in your area. Then bring her a photo of the dress and ask what you can do to jazz it up a bit.
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  • you ask a great question - why did i buy the gown if i dislike so many things about it! the truth is -- it flattered me beyond belief! It glistened, I wore IT instead of the other way around, it made my skin and eyes and hair glow and I put on a chic satin bolero, also by maggie sottero, with a very high collar, that still fully showed off the bling-bling bustline/waist and corseted back and blew it off the charts -- i cried; the only dress of many, many more (much, much more expensive at other shops), which made me cry.  I just don't like the bottom! so girls -- what can I do to jazz it up, if anything? the store has seamstresses on site, so of course I'll seek their help first... but am told that for 350 they only do the basics, hemming and such! unbelievable in our town!
  • Sashasmommy! You are such a dear! Everything you say makes a lot of sense.  You must be a mom... so am I actually, but this dress business is giving me pause truth to tell! I will most likely take your advice but may, just may, hem the satin a tiny bit shorter to let the crinoline petticoat peak out... it's all just so smooth -- no folds, no texture  on the bottom.  taffeta is my favorite fab so you get the idea.  and satin is a far cry from taffeta! thanks.. by the way, hate the pix on the website.  my dress, the one i tried and the one i ordered, is diamond white, not gold.  hehe.  thanks again.
  • I wouldn't change it - I honestly think it's beautiful as is. And I know what it is to feel concern over areas of the dress. I went through that as well. I think that the dress is very well balanced and a clean bottom will actually suit the setting and venue. I think the best thing is to accept the situation and move on and concentrate on something else, otherwise it's so hard to get away from being fixated with the dress. That said, if you really want to change the bottom, here are my suggestions. I wouldn't add lace as I don't think it matches the rest of the dress. You could do very lose pickups that would reach 3/4 ways up on your calves, so just on the base. This assumes the dress is long enough to do this. I wouldn't reveal the crinoline. What would you feel about adding a thin line of beading like that on the top of the dress to the hem? I wouldn't do it, but it's another idea. Good luck! You felt amazing in the dress and that is the thing to remember. I think it's lovely.
  • Thanks so much lacebride and the others for your support! (by the way, just ordered something called Golden Corsette by Ardyss to wear underneath; looks great -- will report back).  You idea about some pick-ups sound nice.  We'll see once it's in.  I'm feeling better about this.  Maybe it was cold feet about the dress.  Maybe they'll continue to warm.  Uh uh, maybe they'll come back! dunno.
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