Wedding dress won't do up!!!!

squelchy69

Hello all
My partner of 9 years finally proposed on valentines day. We already have 3 kids and a big mortgage so our wedding is to be a very budgeted affair. I spotted a dress on eBay and fell in love with it. It's stunning and I got it for just £75. I was thrilled until I received it. Whilst it is gorgeous, it's no way the size 20 it was advertised as. It a 16 max. I can get the bottom part on and the hips and waist fit perfectly. I just can't zip it up from the small of my back to the top. It's strapless so this is about 8 inches in length. The gap at the top is about 5 inches. Would I be able to add a corset back? And if so does anyone know how much it's likely to cost? I really can't afford too much.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

grimsalve

Wear it with a jacket?

vickiem30

Hi

I had a corset back added and it looks lovely. Mine was done by a local dress maker. It sounds like yours will look great, because 5 inches is the required gap with a corset back (I've been told).

There is an expert who visits here, I think she is called Linda, and I'm sure she'll have some great ideas.

squelchy69

grimsalve wrote: »

Wear it with a jacket?

Haha. Nice idea but it might fall down with nothing to secure the back.

Sammy85_2

Adding a corset back will probably cost you a minimum of £50.

Ive just had mine changed to one.


x

squelchy69

Thanks vickie.
I'll keep an eye out for her. Do you mind me asking how much you paid for your alteration? And is your dressmaker anywhere near London? X

squelchy69

Cheers Sammy. £50 sounds ok to me. I was thinking it might cost hundreds. Where are you based? X

Sammy85_2

Im up north.

I think £50 is very reasonable. It must be fairly time consuming to do.

VintageBrat

Some Wedding dresses have rather 'small' sizes, always best to check actual measurements.

lindaatno9

Yep, 5" is the perfect width at the top. I charge £50 plus the fabric costs. Client recently told me (after not wanting to lose her zip back but had to due to weight gain) that after I had finished she would never have known the dress didn't come like that to start with.

Can be a fiddly job if embelishments or boning have to be removed, but well worth it. HTH x

squelchy69

Hi Linda. I'm so glad it sounds like it can be done. The dress is so pretty I was gutted when I couldn't do it up. Are you local to me? I live on the borders of Surrey and London. I can stretch to £50. Lol xx