Train or chop it off?!

Miss_Communicate

Hi,
In my dream wedding dress in my head I never had a train because I don't really like them- I just wanted a big skirt. Anyhow I came across my dress on ebay and brought it for £62 (originally over £1500) and its lovely but it does have a big train and its not actually that nice.
http://www.ribbonsandpearls.co.uk/catalogue/wedding_dresses/rap351_400/rap00391.htm

Thing is because the bodice is asymetric I can't get it made into a bustle as it would just look wrong- so the only option is the hand loop (which I can't for the life of me figure out and it is soooo unwieldy but maybe I am doing it wrong!)

So I was thinking about getting it chopped off and just have a big skirt so I can dance about all evening long and not get really irritated by the bloody thing. But then there is a part of me that is thinking I shouldn't do it to such a beautiful dress and I should just stick with how it is.

its a dilemma! In an ideal world i would have it for the wedding and then chop it for the reception! I don't think I will get it chopped and then get a detachable train because of the expense and the asymetric problem making it look odd.

Maybe I will just do a "trash the dress" at the reception and get my guests to each cut part of my train off in some kind of "marriage is more improtant than the dress ceremony" thing so I can actually dance!?

The other thing is I am loath to spend more altering the dress than the dress actually cost! I know it would still be substantially cheaper than any other dress but still! (Although I do have a mate who is a trainee dressmaker- but bit scared about letting a trainee loose on my dress)

So the dilemma- Train or no train?
What would you do?
Nargh!

morganb

I wouldn't chop it off or wreck it .. you could then re-sell it.
HOwever, I do agree that it will be a pain for dancing. My dress had a HUGE train, about four times the length of yours, but it also had loops on one end which I then held in my hand so that it bunched up the train somehow and I could dance, giving the dress a new look for the evening ... I hope I've explained that properly!!!

Emms

Are you sure you couldnt bustle it? I did mine myself by sewing a few loops and buttons inside. It worked great

Emma

Nenen

It is such a beautiful dress (btw I love all your wedding ideas on your other thread) and personally I love trains and had one on my dress (complete with loop to put over the wrist when dancing). However, a train is a bit of a nuscience (even if you love it) so, if it was mine and it wasn't what i really wnated and I knew it was going to really irritate me all night then I would probably risk having it chopped in advance! I would have thought that a trainee dressmaker could do it... hopefully guided by an expert!

In my experience, the only things I now regret about our wedding day (almost 26 years ago) are the things I changed to fit in with other people's opinions/expectations/demands. For example, I've always loved red roses (cliched I know) and wanted them for my wedding bouquet but my mother persuaded me the colour would look too "stark" (her words) against my white dress and pressurised me into having pink. I had also wanted a 'teardrop' shaped bouquet but unbeknown to me my mother told the friend making it to go for circular. When I saw my bouquest I knew it wasn't 'right' for me and felt disappointed. Whenever I see photos of a bride with a red rose teardrop shaped bouquet I really wish i'd stuck to my guns. I suppose this is a long winded way of saying... go for your dream of your perfect day (no one else's). If that doesn't include a train (however beautiful other people might think it is) then chop it off!

Miss_Communicate

Cheers guys.
We tried to bustle it yesterday but because of the asymetric style of the bodice it just looks weird.

Mine does have the hand loops i just can't work out how they work to bunch it up as when I do it still looks odd! Perhaps I should go to a dress shop and find out that might make me want to keep it.

I am very tempted to keep the dress as it is for the ceremony then trash it in the reception- (well cut the train off so I can dance.)
http://trashthedress.com/

I will keep having a think- but you are right- I should do what I want- and I really don't like trains other than for about 5 seconds while walking down the aisle.

Molanole

Given that all the detailing is really in the bodice of the dress I think I too would go for cutting off the train. I've seen a few dresses which from the front look gorgeous but then have a bloomin great train which I don't want. I wasn't sure that it would be possible to get rid of the train but I guess anything's possible!!

Destined_to_be_skint

I personally hate trains (I am a 21st century bride !!!!!!!) As I have a degree in fashion, can I suggest that you sew some press studs under the edge of the train and sew the other part further up the skirt. NOT a bustle effect but literally folding the train in on itself underneath. Then after the reception cut it off and use as a ballgown!

hardpressed

As your friend is a trainee dress maker could she ask her tutor to show her how to do it? It would be good training for her and if her tutor supervised it would be done properly.

Miss_Communicate

Awww two fantastic ideas.

I am hopefully seeing my mate this weekend so she can see the dress for the first time and have a look at what can be done.

showtunesgirl

I say chop it! That's what I'm doing with mine! It's a mermaid style dress and the train really just look plonked onto the end and I'm barely 5 foot so a train looks silly on me. Also, we are having a swing band at our wedding where I'll be getting up to do a number as well and don't want to faff around with a train.

Vote no train so that we can both run around!

Also, I know what you mean about your dress, it's like the train is "left over" material. I think chopping it off and making it into a true ball gown would make it look nicer. Also, you might just be able to get away with wearing it again at a posh do!

Miss_Communicate

Thanks- think thats me decided then! It goes! Am seeing my friend on saturday night so we can plan how to chop it off! It also needs a button replacing and some small repairs to the sequins but nothing major. It is a tiny bit too tight at the min too but it either means losing half an inch around my midriff or moving the buttons half an inch so no big panic.

The skirt is so big I am not sure I would ever wear it on a non-wedding day type event as it screams wedding dress, but I will either resell it or keep it for my kids to play dress up in.

I adore dancing (shame Mr C doesn't!) and I plan to be on the dancefloor for much of the night (with or without new hubby! Ooops!) so yeah it would drive me insane so its gone.