Here comes the ... gown
By Michele Linck, Journal staff writer | Posted: Sunday, January 23, 2005
When it comes to being a beautiful bride, it's what's on the inside -- of the dress -- that counts.
Body shapers, bra cups, steel boning -- even inexpensive surgical tape and millinery ribbon in the hands of an experienced alterations professional -- can make a ready-to-wear dress fit like a custom creation.
"A lot of brides can be unknowingly unrealistic," Joi Mahon, a professional designer, pattern maker and custom bridal gown maker, says. "They see a mannequin or open a bridal magazine and see this beautiful, perfectly-fitted dress. They imagine in their minds 'That's what I'm going to look like.'
"But they don't know all the styling they do to make the models look that way." Photographers use tricks such as standing the model on a box to make the skirt look elegantly longer, or use pin-fitting and tucking, which they digitally edit out of the photo later.
Mahon, who holds a fashion design degree from Iowa State University and owns Dress Forms Design Studio in Sioux City, is on a mission to educate brides-to-be in the art of dress-fitting. They must realize their height, proportions, body shape and bust-line are different from anyone else's. She suggests dress shoppers be open to suggestions from the trained staff at the store on what styles look best on them.
Bodice fit is important
Mahon is especially keen on a proper-fitting bodice, the part of the dress from the shoulders to the waist. She said brides should know that nearly all gown bodices are cut for a B-cup woman and that it takes more than letting out the extra 3-inches in the side seams to accommodate larger bust sizes. ""A good bosom is not born, it's made," she says. "For each size up you really need a dart or a seam line."
Proper alterations can eliminate the common problems of "mono-bosom" and "arm squish." Those result from wearing the wrong undergarments or a poor fit. A mono-bosom, or "roll," results when the bride shortens her bra straps, using the shoulders to lift and support her breasts, a move that causing them to appear as one roll of flesh.
Instead, Mahon said, the support should come from beneath and from the sides, for a more natural, two-breast, look. That can be accomplished with the proper placement of insertable bra cups or with a band of soft, millinery tape stitched strategically into the gown. Some women can get by using an old beauty pageant trick -- a band of surgical tape applied to the skin, wrapping around the sides and beneath the breasts to lift them. Depending on construction of their dress, they may not even need a bra.
Arm squish occurs when the top of a strapless or sleeveless dress fits too tightly at the top of the bosom, causing the soft flesh below the underarms to overflow the dress. More support from below the bust and a looser top can help. Mahon also advises brides hold their arms slightly out from their sides, especially for photos.
Steel boning in my dress?
The midsection of the dress is another concern. Even a properly fitted dress may show horizontal creases across the middle. If the dress is well-constructed to begin with, those can be smoothed by fitting the inside with sections of spiral stainless-steel boning, a corset component. The boning keeps the dress shapely while flexing naturally in many directions.
Mahon uses as many as 25 pieces of boning in some of her custom dresses. She warns that ready-to-wear gowns typically come with six pieces, usually plastic, which can melt into unwanted shapes if the dress is steamed.
How successful alternations can be in transforming a bridal gown into the bride's dream dress depends in part on the quality of its construction. Generally, the more layers of fabric, interfacing, lining, etc., the better; Mahon uses about six layers, most very thin, in her custom gowns. She advises that price is not always an indicator of quality. A $500 dress may be better made than a high-status brand costing thousands.
Not your jeans and T-shirt
"A wedding gown is not jeans and a T-shirt," Mahon reminds brides. Brides should expect to be a little uncomfortable in their gowns. For dresses that need a bra, buy a new one rather than wearing an old stretched-out favorite. Mahon recommends the selections at Younkers, JCPenny and Victoria's Secret for their variety and quality. Absolutely no sports bras allowed, not even for bridesmaids.
And, below the waist, plan to wear control-top panty hose along with either a crinoline or hoop-skirt slip. Hoops are stiff and spread the dress evenly around the body, while a crinoline is multi-layered but more fluid, following the lines of the dress.
Tips for choosing an alterations professional and getting the right fit:
Budget for alternations.
Ask at the store where you buy your gown what type of alterations are available, what they will cost and who will do them. Or, ask for a referral to an alterations professional/stylist.
Select a professional experienced in bridal and formal gowns and who is familiar with current styles.
Experience is more important than price; a higher price doesn't necessarily mean better work.
Be open to the stylist's recommendations.
Select good quality undergarments and expect to pay for them.
Contact the stylist when you order your dress, about six months before the wedding, then set up the first appointment when you receive it.
Expect multiple fittings, the final one a week before the wedding.
Be aware that the body is fluid, always changing. Salt, medications and hormones may make a difference in the fit of your gown. Be extra careful of your diet, especially if your wedding follows a holiday.
Body shapers, bra cups, steel boning -- even inexpensive surgical tape and millinery ribbon in the hands of an experienced alterations professional -- can make a ready-to-wear dress fit like a custom creation.
"A lot of brides can be unknowingly unrealistic," Joi Mahon, a professional designer, pattern maker and custom bridal gown maker, says. "They see a mannequin or open a bridal magazine and see this beautiful, perfectly-fitted dress. They imagine in their minds 'That's what I'm going to look like.'
"But they don't know all the styling they do to make the models look that way." Photographers use tricks such as standing the model on a box to make the skirt look elegantly longer, or use pin-fitting and tucking, which they digitally edit out of the photo later.
Mahon, who holds a fashion design degree from Iowa State University and owns Dress Forms Design Studio in Sioux City, is on a mission to educate brides-to-be in the art of dress-fitting. They must realize their height, proportions, body shape and bust-line are different from anyone else's. She suggests dress shoppers be open to suggestions from the trained staff at the store on what styles look best on them.
Bodice fit is important
Mahon is especially keen on a proper-fitting bodice, the part of the dress from the shoulders to the waist. She said brides should know that nearly all gown bodices are cut for a B-cup woman and that it takes more than letting out the extra 3-inches in the side seams to accommodate larger bust sizes. ""A good bosom is not born, it's made," she says. "For each size up you really need a dart or a seam line."
Proper alterations can eliminate the common problems of "mono-bosom" and "arm squish." Those result from wearing the wrong undergarments or a poor fit. A mono-bosom, or "roll," results when the bride shortens her bra straps, using the shoulders to lift and support her breasts, a move that causing them to appear as one roll of flesh.
Instead, Mahon said, the support should come from beneath and from the sides, for a more natural, two-breast, look. That can be accomplished with the proper placement of insertable bra cups or with a band of soft, millinery tape stitched strategically into the gown. Some women can get by using an old beauty pageant trick -- a band of surgical tape applied to the skin, wrapping around the sides and beneath the breasts to lift them. Depending on construction of their dress, they may not even need a bra.
Arm squish occurs when the top of a strapless or sleeveless dress fits too tightly at the top of the bosom, causing the soft flesh below the underarms to overflow the dress. More support from below the bust and a looser top can help. Mahon also advises brides hold their arms slightly out from their sides, especially for photos.
Steel boning in my dress?
The midsection of the dress is another concern. Even a properly fitted dress may show horizontal creases across the middle. If the dress is well-constructed to begin with, those can be smoothed by fitting the inside with sections of spiral stainless-steel boning, a corset component. The boning keeps the dress shapely while flexing naturally in many directions.
Mahon uses as many as 25 pieces of boning in some of her custom dresses. She warns that ready-to-wear gowns typically come with six pieces, usually plastic, which can melt into unwanted shapes if the dress is steamed.
How successful alternations can be in transforming a bridal gown into the bride's dream dress depends in part on the quality of its construction. Generally, the more layers of fabric, interfacing, lining, etc., the better; Mahon uses about six layers, most very thin, in her custom gowns. She advises that price is not always an indicator of quality. A $500 dress may be better made than a high-status brand costing thousands.
Not your jeans and T-shirt
"A wedding gown is not jeans and a T-shirt," Mahon reminds brides. Brides should expect to be a little uncomfortable in their gowns. For dresses that need a bra, buy a new one rather than wearing an old stretched-out favorite. Mahon recommends the selections at Younkers, JCPenny and Victoria's Secret for their variety and quality. Absolutely no sports bras allowed, not even for bridesmaids.
And, below the waist, plan to wear control-top panty hose along with either a crinoline or hoop-skirt slip. Hoops are stiff and spread the dress evenly around the body, while a crinoline is multi-layered but more fluid, following the lines of the dress.
Tips for choosing an alterations professional and getting the right fit:
Budget for alternations.
Ask at the store where you buy your gown what type of alterations are available, what they will cost and who will do them. Or, ask for a referral to an alterations professional/stylist.
Select a professional experienced in bridal and formal gowns and who is familiar with current styles.
Experience is more important than price; a higher price doesn't necessarily mean better work.
Be open to the stylist's recommendations.
Select good quality undergarments and expect to pay for them.
Contact the stylist when you order your dress, about six months before the wedding, then set up the first appointment when you receive it.
Expect multiple fittings, the final one a week before the wedding.
Be aware that the body is fluid, always changing. Salt, medications and hormones may make a difference in the fit of your gown. Be extra careful of your diet, especially if your wedding follows a holiday.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
