Let's Talk - The Perfect Fit

Let’s talk through tailoring & otherwise known as alterations!

When 

The common misconception is starting as soon as the gown arrives, which is not entirely false. Sometime the gown comes in a few months earlier than expected; side note, we LOVE when this happens! If the gown arrives four or five months before the wedding, please hold off on alterations. I’ll explain why. I know it is so exciting when the gown is in and we just want to get it fitting perfectly so we can wear it all over the house, but the recommended timeframe to start alterations is six to eight weeks before the wedding date, or date of departure for the wedding. More on that in the FAQ below. If the gown arrives 4 weeks before the wedding, don’t stress out! You have plenty of time! It happens and it will fit perfectly as well!  

Where

Give The Bustle a call or text when you're ready to book your first fitting appointment and we'll help you connect with our recommended seamstress. She is right next door to us, how convenient!  

What you'll need

Most importantly bring your shoes to all the appointments. If you forget them at home, turn around and grab those shoes girl! The seamstress can’t do two of the most important alterations without the shoes, a hem and a bustle. Next up, bring any undergarments you plan on wearing the day of your wedding, spanks, panties, etc. If the gown has a low back and you’re wearing spanks, you want to be sure they don’t show, bring three pairs if you need to. Undergarments can alter your measurements.  

Cost

Alterations is a separate fee from the cost of the gown. The Bustle can give a rough estimate, but don’t quote us because we aren’t altering the gown. There is a broad price range based on what you'll need altered, the fabrics of the gown, how many layers are in the gown, etc. The typical price range is anywhere from $400 to $1,200.    

What to expect

Typically, most brides will visit the seamstress three times, some only need two visit and some need four. The first appointment is where the bride should let the seamstress know what they would like done aside from what the seamstress sees already. If the bride is wanting to lower the back, add fabric, make a sleeve, add a slit, etc., they should say so in the beginning of the appointment. This is not the time to be shy! Let the seamstress know exactly what you want, what you like, what you don’t like, how you feel. The seamstress will be honest with you and say their opinion or if it is not doable. The first appointment will just be a pinning appointment, pinning the hem, bustle, sides, straps, cups and anything additional. It is a process, so if you feel it isn’t tight enough, just wait until the second appointment because the seamstress can always take it in more but can’t always let it out. It does not cost more if you want her to take it in more, but it will cost extra if you need her to let it out because it is too tight now. The second appointment is again a place to voice concerns, adjustments to the fit or length, and the third appointment is as well but for most the third appointment is pick up day!

EXTRA FAQ

Why do I have to wait until 6-8 weeks before the wedding to get my gown fitted? Well, you do not ‘have’ to, it is recommended and there are two reasons why. First, we are women, we fluctuate in weight, even if you think you don’t, you do. Reason number two, you will end up paying more if you leave with the gown fitting perfectly and then need to come back two months later because now it’s too tight or too loose. You want to achieve the best fit as possible, so you want to be as close to the wedding date as possible!

Why is the price of alterations so high? Truly it isn’t high. I know you’re saying “uh yes, it is” but just hear me out. Imagine having to sit down for 24 hours or more, squinting are small pieces of threads and beading, using your fingers to perfectly restitch someone else stitching (the designers). It not an easy task and requires a lot of patience, endurance, and skill.

Does everyone need alterations? Yes! Everyone needs alterations. Unless you are the one in five hundred that is just the perfect sample size, height with your shoes and doesn’t want or need a bustle. Chances are, you will need all the typical alterations, which includes, hem, bustle, side seams, cups, and straps. On the off chance you don’t need a few of those, the bustle is one thing that you can’t run from unless you have a second dress for dancing and greeting guests. The designers do not send the gowns with bustles because a bustle is different on everyone, it is based on your height.

It's Time to Talk Bridal!

Let’s run through some things together!

Frequently asked questions & questions brides might not think of asking as a first-time bride.

Hi Bustle Babes!

For most women it is there first time getting married, first time planning a wedding and first time being a bride. There are so many little details that go into planning a big event and a wedding is no different! I am not here to go through the wedding planning details this time, but I am here to talk through a few questions brides might have, or more importantly questions brides perhaps would not have thought of asking. I know it can be shocking and overwhelming when brides start finding out things they had no idea about, when it comes to purchasing a wedding gown.

Feel free to comment if there are questions needing more clarification, or questions I did not answer.

WHEN SHOULD I BUY MY GOWN?

Here is a pro tip, gowns take ‘around’ six months to come in, but don’t forget alterations! The alterations recommendation by most if not all seamstresses is two-months. Now the simplest answer to the question is to purchase eight months before the wedding or date of departure if the wedding is abroad.

Here is the best answer, all bridal shops will recommend 10 to 12 months. This is the best timeline for purchasing. It allows room for issues with shipping, production, and overall, less stress, not only for the bride, but for the bridal shop, the designer’s production team, seamstress and others! A year is perfect and stress free. Make your bridal experience less stressful, you’ll thank me later I promise.

SIZING & CUSTOM MEASUREMENTS

When purchasing, brides have two options when ordering with certain designers. Not all designers offer both options.

~Option one, is most common and recommended, it is standard sizing. Standard sizing is when a stylist will take a brides bust, waist and hip measurement, then look at the specific designer’s sizing chart to determine a bride’s recommended size. The way the sizing charts are set up is each measurement typically falls into different sizing, so a brides bust might be a size 2, the waist might fall into a size 4 and the hips fall into a size 6. The recommended size would be 6. It is extremely rare that a bride will fall into one size for all three measurements. Why do we recommend the size 6 versus the size 2 or 4? The reason is a bridal rule, you can always take a gown in, but you can’t always let a gown out. We go based on the biggest measurement so the seamstress can take the gown in. This is cheaper for a bride and easier for the seamstress. Even if a bride is planning to lose weight they should go based on the bigger size because it will just add stress when it is not necessary. This is not to say brides don’t know their own bodies, some brides do pick a smaller size and that is okay, only if they are 150% sure of their choice.

~Now for some designer’s brides have option two. This is custom sizing, which is not typical in bridal because as women we do fluctuate in weight, so getting custom measurements does not guarantee a perfect fit. With custom sizing a bride is paying for custom measurements and then may still need alterations once the gown arrives due to weight or shoe height. Custom sizing is best for brides that do not fall into the sizing provided by the designer’s chart, which can be smaller than the smallest size, or larger than the largest size. The other reason for custom sizing would be if a brides bust is larger than the standard size bust cups.

ALTERATIONS

Everyone needs alterations! Whether a bride chooses standard sizing or custom sizing. Custom sizing does not guarantee a perfect fit. Even if a bride falls perfectly into a size 6, the hem and bustle are needed. Or perhaps a bride is perfect height and doesn’t need a hem, the bustle is not provided by designers, the bustle is done by a seamstress. The typical alterations are a hem, a bustle, straps, cups and taking in side seams. Alterations, now a days, can be anywhere from $900 to $1,200. This is standard pricing however it can be more or less depending on what you need altered. This pricing is if you are getting the typical alterations for a gown with many layers and lace.

A common concern is that it will be more expensive if the bride loses weight and needs to take the gown in more. This is not true for 90% of brides! A seamstress must open up the side seams of a gown to take it in and that is what a bride is paying for, whether it needs to be taken in .5 inches or 2 inches that is not what a bride is paying for. It is the opening and closing of the seams. Now, there is a but, if a bride orders a size 12 and they go into alterations having lost weight and are now a size 2, yes it does cost more but this is extremely rare. It cost more at this point because the bride’s entire body has changed, and the overall construction of the gown must be remade by the seamstress.

HOW MANY GOWNS ARE TRIED ON DURING AN APPOINTMENT & IN TOTAL?

There is no set number of gowns being tried on in one appointment or in total. Everyone is very different. Some women try on three gowns at their first appointment and by the third they say yes to the first one. Other brides feel they need try on gowns at every shop near them.

The recommendation is to do research, I personally always tell family and friends to do research, figure out what style they prefer. Bohemian, classic, romantic, traditional, modern, etc. Once the style is figured out, go to a few different bridal shop websites and see if their styles is a match. Brides should really only need to go to one shop, two at most, and I will explain why. If it is a good shop, the bride will get the experience they deserve and find the gown they love even if they have to go back to that shop twice and try on a whole new style of gowns! Trying on too many gowns can lead to more stress. Why? Because all gowns are beautiful, and once a bride tries on too many, they lose the excitement and start to feel overwhelmed, numb and stressed. No shop wants that for their brides! Just try my method, like I said, everyone is different so this method might not work for you, but you won’t know unless you try. Last thing, going to one shop or two is great, those shops have hundreds of gowns, so even if a bride doesn’t find one the first time, perhaps the second visit to that store will help the bride find the one! Tip: Be open to trying on anything a stylist brings you, even if you think it is the ugliest gown you have ever seen on a hanger. It might be, but what are you loosing?

THE BUSTLE’S: PAYMENT PLANS & NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR APPOINTMENTS

Payment plans are huge! Not every shop offers a payment plan. The Bustle does offer payment plans because we know how expensive weddings are. The Bustle does not have any interest that accumulates when opting for a payment plan. We do require a one-time fee of $99 because we do pay our designers in full in order to get the gown started in production. How does it work? We require half down along with the $99 payment plan fee and the remaining half is split up into two, three, or four payments over the next couple of months. The gown does have to be paid off before arriving and the bride is all set to come in, try her gown on and pick it up.

The Bustle offers two different types of appointments. First is a standard appointment, which allows up to 4 guests including the bride — this appointment is $50. If a bride would like to bring more guests, she can pay an additional $40 per person. Second appointment type is a premier appointment, which allows up to 8 guests including the bride — this appointment is $199. The same rule applies, if a bride would like to bring more guests, she can pay an additional $40 per person. What happens to the appointment fee and guests’ fees?

APPOINTMENT FEE & GUESTS FEES

The appointment fee and the guests’ fees can all be applied towards a gown purchase on the same day as your appointment! When coming into The Bustle, the appointment fee of either $50 or $199 will be applied to the same day gown purchase, this goes for the $40 per guest fees as well!

Just remember Bustle Babes, have fun and if you start to get overwhelmed, take a minute to sit down, sip some bubbly and relax. Your bridal gown experience should be one to remember forever, and we are here to help you with that, always!

XO,

The Bustle