Karly's Dress (No. 2)

Karly attended two proms, two different years, requiring two different dresses.  I say "require" because this is something some dads do not understand.  Most teenage girls will tell you it is unacceptable to wear the same prom dress two years in a row.  It's just not going to happen ;) .  Moms understand.  They don't like it (for monetary reasons), but they completely understand about the wearing-the-same-dress-twice rule.

I already reviewed her second prom dress, but this was the first one she purchased for the prom she attended during her Junior year of high school.

Here she is in her lovely dress:

The was the first prom dress I altered several years ago, and I can't remember if I had to alter the straps, however, the dress needed hemming and a bustle.  It also had another issue that needs to be discussed in a bit.

The dress hem had two layers: the lining and the dress fabric which is typical.  Lucky for me, both were free hanging meaning they were not attached with the exception of a couple of swing tacks that could be easily clipped to separate the two.  Her heels were about 3" high, and she opted for a floor-skimming hem length for the dress.  The lining, however, was hemmed a good 4" higher than the dress hem.  Rather than have two hems that could get caught in a heel, the only concern was the dress itself.

This shouldn't be done for every dress particularly if the dress fabric is somewhat sheer and delicate.  That's when I would hem the lining just a smidge shorter (1/4-1/2") than the dress.  Sheer fabric needs the protection of the lining.  The dress fabric for Karly's dress was a medium-weight knit fabric which wouldn't be excessively damaged by a heel.  So, to recap the hemline length, the dress hem skimmed the floor, the lining was hemmed 4" shorter than the dress.

Once the dress was hemmed, we could tackle the bustle.  We experimented with a few options, and she chose this lovely bustle style which added further emphasis to the beautiful beaded, crystal design right above her bum.  The photos don't do the bustle style justice.  The fabric had beautiful drape and fell in soft folds which produced a very elegant look.  She received several compliments on her bustle, and this was the dress that inspired Kristin to ask me to bustle her dress.

There is one issue I'd like to discuss regarding this dress bustle.  The bustle design we used produced side seams that swing to the back.  On a perfectly fitted dress, side seams should hang straight.  Is anyone going to notice and tell her, "Gee Karly.  Your side seams are swinging backward."?  NO!   Not unless they're an Alterations Specialist or a home sewer that knows a thing or two about the fundamentals of fit ;) .  Is it going to matter?  Let's see.  Does the side seam issue affect walking?  No.  Does it affect the overall design and silhouette of the dress?  No.  Is it noticeable?  No.  Now that we both know this is happening, does she care?  No.  Now I'm going to ask you readers--did you notice the side seam issue right away, or did you pick up on it after I mentioned it?  'Nuf said.

The bustle alteration verdict:  the side seam swinging backward did not matter to the wearer and did not affect the overall fit, silhouette, and movement in the dress.  Therefore, it was a non-issue. 
 
There is yet another issue with this dress, and I'm not sure if anyone picked up on it right away.  The bust cups do not match the shape of her breasts.  She decided to tape everything in place with body tape, but in retrospect I should have padded the cups to angle the girls inward to fill out dress or take in a seam for a closer fit.  This was the first dress I altered and at the time, and when we discussed taping to fit it should have been as a test during a fitting.  It wasn't, and looking at these pics post prom, I see the cups would have benefited from additional padding.  It was further confirmed when she told me the tape became itchy while she was at the prom so she was ripped it off and discarded the tape in the trash.  This was a learning moment for me.  If it doesn't look right during a fitting, address it during the fitting and do the alteration.  Don't assume tape will produce the right look on prom day.  Leave nothing to chance.

Overall, the dress looked lovely, and Karly looked beautiful the day of the prom.  

"Chicken Wings" and Other Things: The Strapless Dress

Girls, listen up.

We're going to have a talk about strapless dresses today!  I love them.  They're so elegant IF they fit right.  The problem is I see a lot of strapless dresses that just don't fit all that well on girls going to the prom.  The single most irritating issue is that of CHICKEN WINGS!   What are "chicken wings" you ask?   I'll tell you, but you have to promise me that you are going to look for them!  It's a virtual guarantee you will see several cases of chicken wings during prom dress season that range from mild to severe.  In this photo from the Burdastyle.com website, I give you your daily visual serving of "chicken wings" for the day.

Source: http://www.burdastyle.com/blog/invisible-details-of-a-couture-garment-the-waist-stay

Chicken Wings:  (my definition)  The constant pulling up of the top, front edge of a strapless dress with one's hands with the elbows pointing outward and up.

Look around at girls shopping for strapless prom dress or girls wearing them at the prom.  You will see it.  I can handle occasional chicken wings.  However, when it happens every minute or two (or even less), it drives me insane.  There is something wrong with the dress and/or fit.

There are two things I want to tell you about strapless dresses that most people who don't sew or alter probably aren't aware of:

1.  The entire dress should be anchored with something called a waist stay which is, you guessed it, located at the waist!   Strapless dresses are NOT held up on the body via the top edge of the dress.   It probably seems strange that this is so, but the structure of a strapless garment includes a waist stay to anchor the dress at the waist.  Think of it as the foundation for the garment.  The waist stay supports what's above and what's below that point.

Here is a pic of a waist stay.  It can be made in a wide variety of colors.  Source:  http://www.burdastyle.com/blog/invisible-details-of-a-couture-garment-the-waist-stay

2.  Boning (plastic in casing, Rigilene, or spiral steel) is typically inserted at several vertical areas in the lining from the waist to the top edge of the dress to provide support for the bodice of the dress.  I'm sure you know what boning is or at least what it feels like.  Most females will be familiar with it especially with bustiers being very popular lately.  You can feel boning in the bodice of a strapless dress or bustier on or near the vertical stitching lines in the lining of the garment.  It's a long, somewhat hard piece of plastic (or steel) with a bit of flexibility. 

Here is the problem I saw last season with the two strapless prom dresses I altered and didn't realize it until prom season was long over.  The strapless gowns did NOT have a waist stay.   I wouldn't make a strapless dress without one, so for some reason I wasn't thinking about it because it *should* have the stay. The waist stay has to be made to measure so it fits a particular body snugly and securely.  When dresses are being manufactured for the masses, perhaps it is just not practical nor cost effective.  It is going to be the first thing I check for in strapless gowns from here on out, and the first alteration to perform.  I like to use the top-down approach, but a strapless gown doesn't have neck and shoulder issues because of the obvious--it's strapless.  Therefore, before any other changes or alterations, that waist stay must be installed first.  IMO, it's not a maybe but rather a must-have alteration.

A waist stay is located inside the dress where it hides unseen from the rest of the world while it performs it's very important job as the dress anchor.  It can be made out of grosgrain ribbon or petersham, fits snugly to the waist, and has a hook closure at the center back waist.  It is anchored to the dress at the seams and/or important areas the dressmaker or alterations specialist feels is important for a proper anchoring system.  It does not interfere with the zipper closure.  The creation and insertion of a waist stay is a simple, cost-friendly alteration on most dresses.

Once the waist stay is been inserted into a gown or if it was there to begin with, the top edge of the dress needs to be examined.  Is there any gaposis on the top edge and where does it occur?  My preference is to examine the bodice back first then move on to the front.  I find that gaposis usually occurs in two places--at the side seams and/or in the vicinity of the armhole crease.  For prom dresses, I opt for the cheater's method and consult the parent and teen on the why's and how's of the alteration.  The cheater's method is often very effective at removing gaposis and is wallet friendly.  Any jogs in fabric from the cheater's method can be remedied with my seamstress "patch" which camouflages the jog.  It is not the correct method, and I'm quick to tell my clients about this.  The correct method would be to open up seams, remove the excess width on the interior seam allowances and close everything back up with hand and machine stitching.  This takes a bit  more time, and an alterations specialist's time is your money!  I have yet to find a parent or teen that opts for the more expensive, correct method for prom dresses.  (Note:  Cheater methods are not my first-choice alteration for wedding dresses!)

I've talked a lot about the waist stay and gaposis.  Now I want to discuss style.  People, not everyone can carry off the strapless look.  It's like everything else regarding fashion.  We need to be honest about our bodies, our overall shape, what areas we would like to highlight, and which areas we prefer to cover up.  Strapless dresses have different edge treatments that can enhance or detract from one's shape.  Let me give you examples.

Some girls are large-sized and curvy.  I once saw a girl large-sized girl with broad shoulders and thick arms, and she was wearing a strapless dress with an almost perfectly horizontal top edge.  It took a wide silhouette and made it even wider.   Not only that, the gown had a Cinderella style skirt--very large, poufy, and again...wide.  It was a beautiful dress.  The girl was large and beautiful.  However, the dress simply did nothing for her.  The horizontal strapless edge gave her the appearance of having linebacker shoulders.  The voluminous skirt added many visual pounds she didn't need.  The two just didn't match.

I don't want anyone to think I'm picking on curvy girls wearing strapless dresses, because, let me tell you, their thinner counterparts have issues going on as well.  For example, one of my pet peeves is when a strapless dress falls too low on the torso.  Some girls have long torsos and the dresses just aren't made to accommodate their extra body length.  You'd think they would look great in a strapless dress, but it doesn't always happen like that.  (Remember, prom dresses are typically made for the masses with an average torso length.)    Therefore, the top edge of the dress falls too low on their bodies and makes it look like it's pulling everything south.  The right type of strapless dress should make the twins look perky and round, not long-ish and stricken by the forces of gravity.  That eventually happens on its own lol.  These girls often feel overexposed and will resort to "chicken wings" to cover themselves back up.  Long torso girls have to pay attention to where that top edge falls on their bodies.  The dress might not be working for them.  It's best to have a parent along to give them a better perspective and an honest opinion about the fit of the dress.

Another thinner counterpart may have the issue of broad shoulders, broad chest, and/or thicker upper arms but overall be relatively thin.  In this case, if the girl is dead set on having a strapless dress, I would recommend one with a curvy top edge.  See Julia's Dress.  Her cups curve in and down at center and are very flattering.  A straight, horizontal edge is visual width (think added visual pounds), and curvy edges of a strapless dress will soften the silhouette in the shoulder/chest areas.

In conclusion, I'm trying to impart a few points I feel are really important:

1.  Think about your figure.  Is a strapless style right for you?   Take along mom or dad and ask them for their honest opinion if you are having trouble formulating your own opinion on the matter.

2.  Does the strapless dress have a waist stay?  If not, consider having one installed on the dress.  It anchors everything above and below the waist.  If you want your strapless dress to stay up comfortably, it's NOT done at the top edge--it's done at the WAIST!

3.  Examine the top edge of the dress.  Is it a perfectly horizontal line?  Does it have curvy cups?  Is it working for your overall silhouette?  Is it flattering your neck, shoulders, and arms?

4.  Look for gaposis on the top edge, those gaps where the dress edge stands out from the body instead of hugging it.  Gaposis is annoying, not very pretty, and the dress will need to be altered to fit your upper chest.

I hope this post has empowered you with some basic knowledge on the structure of strapless dresses as well as an awareness of fit issues regarding strapless dresses.  Now get out and start trying on some prom dresses!  Pay attention to what is going on in the mirror and drag along at least one of your helpful parents for an honest assessment of styles appropriate for your figure.

Happy Prom Dress Shopping!

--Kat

Pre-Prom Dress Pointers

Often we head to a store to try on an article of clothing we absolutely adore. I mean, it really looks great in the window on the mannequin. Or on a display hanger with the back cinched up with pins that you can't see. The mannequin has THAT kind of figure. Perfect. Nothing saggy or droopy. No extra flesh on the tummy, thighs, or backside. No bra or panty lines. And no shapewear necessary.

There are very few of us like that. If you're one of the lucky teens, God bless you! If you're over 30 with kids, you're likely a genetic anomaly or simply a die-hard fitness fanatic. Most of us simply don't have that mannequin perfect figure.

Here's the lucky part though. You can dress to make your figure look almost perfect. Or simply perfect for you. Looking good is analyzing your figure and choosing clothing styles to complement it. The use of color can create pleasing optical illusions. And speaking of color, choosing the right color of clothing for your skin can really make a difference in how you look. It's the difference between vibrant and sallow.

I've seen lots of prom dresses over the past 3 or 4 years. My daughters know I have a critical eye for teens and their clothing choices, and I make my thoughts known to them. I've seen lots of prom dress fashion faux pas that teens don't seem to be aware of, but I will share them with you. But before I do that, these are your Pre-Prom Dress Pointers! What to consider before buying that seemingly perfect dress:

PRE-PROM DRESS POINTERS

1. Know Thy Figure!

Are you big bottomed? Big on the boobage? Do you have full hips? How about a round, poochy tummy? Are you short waisted (short between the waist and shoulders) or long waisted (long between the waist and torso) aka short torso and long torso? Do you have full hips? Do you have thick legs or arms?

These are important questions! Certain styles will emphasize or de-emphasize certain areas of your body. Ditto with color. Maybe, however, you are one of people with a perfect body. If so, move on to No. 2.

2. Know Your Color!

This isn't as simple as it sounds. Just because you like a color doesn't mean it looks good on you. Do some research as to what "season" you are, whether it be Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. Colors DO make a difference. Perhaps you have a particular top that everyone says looks fab on you. It just might be "your" color. One of a few that matches your skin tone perfectly. Likewise some colors will make you look pale, sometimes sickly. Avoid them at all costs. You want to project a lovely, vibrant image on prom day.

3. Know Your Style!

This is where I'm going to get in particulars over what I've observed the past 3-4 years. What I would say to them if I was their mother, although I'm sure they would be glad I'm not because of my hard, honest observations. In my next post on Picking Your Prom Dress, I will cover this in more detail so stay tuned.

4. Wear Your Shapewear!

C'mon. It really should be your first purchase BEFORE shopping for your dress. Good shapewear, if you need it (and some girls don't), can make or break the fit of a dress. It can save you money in alterations, too, if it can suck in an inch here and there. If you need to buy a strapless bra, DO IT BEFORE BUYING A DRESS. If your dress needs alterations, make sure you wear the same lingerie to every fitting! It must be the same bra/panties/shapewear you will be wearing to the prom. Forgetting to do this is not only hard on the wallet, but it might make the person doing your alterations to send you elsewhere next year. We don't like redoing our work because you forgot to wear your prom lingerie for your fittings, and you may end up paying more for your mishap.

5. Maintain Your Weight!

You've found the perfect dress. It's the perfect color as well. It fits you like a dream and it's the end of Basketball season sometime in late February. You're supremely fit, and the dress just molds beautifully to your figure. Throw that dress in the closet for two months and you just might be making a huge mistake. If you're activity level drastically changes, you might end of making a drastic change days before the prom. As in buying a new prom dress.

Do yourself a huge favor. Try that dress on every 1-2 weeks. Catch any weight gain before it becomes a problem. There is only so much that can be done, and it might not be possible to alter a dress to an increased size. Or maybe it's possible, but it's going to cost you an arm and a leg to get it done. You want to make sure your size and weight stays relatively the same from the time you buy the dress until the day of the prom.

These five are really important Pre-Prom Dress Pointers. Please be sure to remember them because the late Winter/early Spring Prom Dress shopping excursions will be here before you know it. Coming soon...Picking Your Prom Dress. Stay tuned!