Where/how to fix a broken wedding dress?

Jewelleryfan

Hi

I've found a gorgeous Mori Lee wedding dress on eBay that's ex display/sample but has some damage to it. Two hoops where the lace threads through has frayed and pulled off and the ivory button cover has come off of the button.
Does anyone know of these are easy to fix at dress shops? I have no idea about alterations etc.
The dress is only £170 much lower than my budget!

Thanks

MaggieBaking

Button will be no problem as you can replace it or all the buttons if it matches others. I think the holes where the loops have pulled out might be a bigger issue, but if it were me I'd buy it and then see if I could fix it - if I couldn't you might be able to sell it for a little less than you paid for it... And possibly more if you sell it during a "peak time" for dresses, say January or spring?

Jewelleryfan

Thanks, I might call round a few shops tomorrow and see what they say. It's a size 14 which I am at the moment but hoping to get down to my usual 10/12 by the wedding in 2013, do you know if shops can alter dresses that you haven't bought from them?
Thanks!

Pont

Loops can usually be replaced by using spare fabric from the inside hems/turnings as can the self covered buttons. I don't know where you're located but if you've got a local college that teaches fashion/design there would usually be somebody about that can advise you.
If there is no 'spare' fabric to use, both loops and buttons could be replaced with alternatives such as velvet, satin or silk ribbon and perhaps pearlised buttons (depending on the original fabric/style etc).
Self covered buttons is no more than a 10 minute replacement job. The loops could be a little more time consuming - £20 - £30 tops IMO for the total work (used to do such jobs all the time).
Also, most towns have competent dressmakers that can take in wedding dresses. Just be warned that altering down from a 14 to a 10 may be a problem as the original pattern cutting will not always 'work' with different sizing.
Good luck.