Ballroom Bafflers

added July 2007

Hello Leanna,

I stumbled across your website quite a while ago and found it most helpful. I am writing in hopes that you might give me your opinion on a matter that is bugging me. The concern is with my bustle. It looks bad to me. I don't if that's because the train is so long and with the fabric that this is the best it gets, or if it should have been a different style, or what. When she showed me what it would look like she only showed me three points. Much different than 7! Anyway, I feel like the dress is wearing me, and I'm not happy with it. I'm a short person. The train is almost longer than I am tall, but she refused to cut it. What do you think? Is this bustle going to look better than I'm thinking or should I start pursuing other avenues?

Thank you so much for your time,
Kelly

You have a very wide train. I'm not surprised that it takes more than 3 points to get it all up. You can tuck the extra fabric under the points a little nicer, but the fabric has to go somewhere. The points could be placed closer together but I doubt that will make much difference in the way you feel.

You said "she refused to cut it". Did you ask her to hem the train and she wouldn't ? The train can certainly be shortened. It's a bit of a task but totally doable. Maybe she didn't know how or didn't think she had the time.

added July 2007

I AM VERY WORRIED THAT I WONT BE ABLE TO BUSTLE THIS GOWN BECAUSE OF ALL THE
EMBROIDERY, ITS A DAVINCI GOWN AND THE EMBROIDERED AREA IS ORGANZA I THINK
ITS TOO DELICATE TO BUSTLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I have bustled many organza gowns and the fabric holds up well. The embroidery is not a factor in the bustle rigging since it is not involved in the pick-up points. For your gown I would probably try a Ballroom style bustle first and see how you liked it.

added June 2006

This is a great site and helpful too. I have a Jade Daniel Style #2009. I love it it's almost as if it walked out of my dream. Except I wanted a ballgown with no train and a corset back and it has neither. I don't want to wear it with a train, but there's a swirl of Swarovski crystals above the hem so it can't be cut and hemmed to be changed into a ballgown. I would like an "Over Bustle/ Ballroom Bustle" but I want it to look like this is a ballgown. I'd like to make the bustle just look like it's just a gathered waste as opposed to seeing buttons holding up parts of the train. Do you have any suggestions that won't cost a fortune? Any help would be great.
Thank you. Joanne

A ballroom bustle will look great and many people won't know it's a bustle.

You can actually open up the back waist seam and shorten the train there, but it will cost quite a bit to do it. I doubt I would be charging less than $200 for such an operation and I might go higher once I saw the gown and how the seams are constructed.

Is sounds like you know what you want. You have to understand that it often costs much to get exactly that. You may be able to find a seamstress who will ask for much less, but this is a good indicator that she is not very experienced. Do you really want to risk your precious gown to a cut-rate seamstress?

added January 2006

Hi Leanna,

I love you website. You really are talented. You have the cleanest bustles I’ve seen.

I never liked the look of bustles and thought they were strictly to serve a purpose, but your ballroom bustle is so seamless and beautiful, you almost can’t tell. If you were closer to me, I would ask you to do my bustle and I don’t think $10/button is too much to ask. You are most certainly talented.

I’m attempting to do the hem and bustle myself to save in cost. I was searching the net to find helpful tips. How far from the ground should the hem be? I was going to use pearl looking buttons and loops. I wanted to use 4 points. Do you have any tips on the placement of outside hooks? I’m trying to reduce the “bunchy” pull up on the fabric from the front. Also the lining seems to separate from the train and turn out when dragging, as you can see in the photos. Please advise.

I start pinning a hem at 1 " off the floor and let the bride walk around in it pinned that way. If she likes it I baste it that way and have her test it again. If she still likes it I finish it there. Most brides like the 1", but a few want it longer. I don't recommend any longer than 1/2".

Your gown may just need a good steaming or the lining is sticking to the carpet you are walking on and making it turn out. It's really hard to say without being about to look under the gown.

I can't begin to advice on where to put the hooks and loops for the bustle. I have to see the gown on the bride and it's a trial and error process that can take quite some time. I have been working on a dvd to teach how I do bustles. The filming and editing is done, but the cover art is not and I doubt will be for several weeks. When is your wedding date?

Thank you so much for your response. I was so inspired by your website, that I attempted the bustle and hem. I’m happy to say that it seems to have worked. I did the hem at approx. 1” and I tried to emulate your images for the bustle. Attached are some photos of the hem & bustle.

Good luck on your video. I’m sure it will be fantastic. My wedding is in April in Mexico.

Thanks again for your website and your help.

added January 2006

Thank you so much for this wonderful website. I just got into period costuming a few years ago so I am comfortable in corsets, ball gowns and used to wearing (and making) bustled gowns. However, when I picked out my wedding dress, I was completely at a loss as how to create a bustle on such a skirt.

http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/store/Jennifer.asp
Any advice.

Constance

Sorry it's taken my so long to get reply to you. It's been real busy and then I got sick. BUt I have been looking at your picture now and then to try to get ideas. This is one of those situations where I'd have to play with the gown until I find something that looks good. I would try to find points that would hold the train up at the places where the skirt is gathered. It probably would not be as I normally set the points but it would end up looking much like a ballroom bustle. However it is done, the bustle will be quite fluffy because of all the fabric in the gathered flounces.

Without seeing the gown on you. It's really hard to give you advice, but I hope this little bit helps.

added July 2005

Do you know of any bustles that look like a bow?

There is a way to do this. You have to have a lot of fabric in the hip area. What you do is a normal Ballroom bustle and instead of tucking the excess fabric under, you pull it out the edge of the points. It sort-of looks like a bow. I've not found a bride that likes the effect though. Anytime I've tried doing it the bride decides to just tuck the fabric under after see sees how it looks on her butt.

added August 2005

Thank you for responding. Everyone I ask in alterations don't seem like they know how to do a bustle. I have one place that says they would put a button on the outside of the dress so the loop can hang around the button. Are you suppose to see the button? They plan to put it on the outside of the dress. Is that correct?

Thanks
Heather

If you are not having a French bustle all the loops, hooks and/or buttons go on the outside. Have you looked at the pictures on my site? The bustle buttons are not obvious. I often have to explain to brides that this is not a bad thing. Your guests are not searching your gown for oddly placed buttons and if they do notice the bustle buttons they will know what they are for.

Bustling is not a refined art. There is really no central standard for stating what should and should not be done to create a bustle. I'm trying to change that. Plus brides have no idea what they should be looking for or asking for. It's not like you will be needing another bustle next time you buy a dress, so it's not something we think to learn about.

I've seen a lot of ugly bustles that could have been easily fixed. Your worries are normal. It's important what your bustle looks like and that it functions like it should to protect the dress from the damage of people stepping on it. From what you have said though, I think you are getting a good bustle.

EmailLink

Got any questions or comments?

Main SSI