Dress Alteration Question

justpeachy81

I'm just wondering has anyone had their wedding dress changed from a corset back, to buttons/zip? I've found a dress I really like but it has a corset, and I prefer buttons. The lady in the shop said it could easily be changed but just wondering if this is the case, and roughly how much that would cost?

Thanks!

MrsC....tobe

Sorry I can't answer your question, but I am kinda the same but looking to go from buttons to corset back if it's possible? Any advice welcome!

lindaatno9

Buttons to corset is easy/straight forward. Not so sure with the other way around as you would need to take out the center back panels, match fabric, undo skirt if there is a waistline and then re stitch everything back together.
Have to say, I've never come across this unless you can have made to measure when they'll simply make your dress with a button back.

justpeachy81

Linda that's what I thought... How could there be enough material on a corset back dress to pull together and put buttons on, that's why I asked!

Makes me so annoyed that dress shops are saying this to people when it's not strictly true :mad:

MrsTinks

Well it depends I guess on the dress and if they order it for you from the factory - it may be that they can order it with the option?
Also if it's an off the rack dress I guess you could ask them what it would cost to get it changed to buttons?

justpeachy81

The lady said it would be altered by a dressmaker that they would recommend I think. Off the rack apparently isn't an easy change to make - spoke to a dressmaker today and she said that you could either order the dress too big so that there would be more fabric but that wouldn't be advisable because of the alterations that would be required to the rest of the dress. Or to ask the shop to order me in an extra piece of the same fabric the dress is made from, so that a dressmaker could insert that where the crset should be!

Too much hassle, will just find a dress that already has buttons already!!

Thanks for the replies

lindaatno9

justpeachy81 wrote: »

Linda that's what I thought... How could there be enough material on a corset back dress to pull together and put buttons on, that's why I asked!

Makes me so annoyed that dress shops are saying this to people when it's not strictly true :mad:

Ok, the problem in alot of cases is, the bridal shop ladies have little or no experience in sewing. They think 'anything' can be done when it simply cannot!
I have gowns come to me with 'can you put darts in this to make it lie flat' when the gown has no darts and adding them would completly spoil the original line of the dress. Sometimes with 1 pin in the hemline to take it up!

As a seamstress, if a shop gave me a gown to change from corset to zip (when custom make isn't an option) I would have to charge for sourcing the relevent shade of fabric. The back would have to be taken apart from the skirt (which I would then be praying the corset back hasn't been cut down to far into the skirt reducing fabric there) re cutting center back pieces, stitching them to the side backs and so forth and so forth. MEGA job which could (without seeing the dress) just cost you an absolute bomb!

lindaatno9

justpeachy81 wrote: »

Too much hassle, will just find a dress that already has buttons already!!

Exactly!!!!

justpeachy81

back to the drawing board for me

clearing_out_my_pockets

What was the dress? Maybe some of the magic google fairies that live on this board might be able to help find a similar dress with a button back?

lindaatno9

justpeachy81 wrote: »

back to the drawing board for me

There is a company called Alter Girls in your area. Had you thought of designer/dressmaker to make the similar dress with button back?

1 King St
Glasgow, Glasgow City G15RB
0141 552 1233