ideas for 70's vintage wedding dress alterations

I bought a vintage wedding dress that I would like to get altered into something modern, and casual for an outdoor wedding. I like simple and elegant... I'm not 100% sure this dress is going to be good for this job... any ideas?

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem& amp;ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&item=27042860324 0


I am worried Imade a mistake buying this dress!!!

link doesn't work...its the dress in my profile pic...

Absolutely get rid of the sleeves!

Hard to tell from the picture, but the hem at the bottom looked like there was some kind of trim you might also want to get rid of.

Strapless is really popular now, you could get rid of the lacy top altogether and put in some stays to hold it up.  Depends on if you think it would look good on you or not.

Possibly some rauching under the bust with chiffon over the skirt and replace the lace on the top with some interesting work with chiffon would look really good if you have a capable seamstress available.

Lace over the skirt might also dress it up a bit.

The umpire style and the train are still quite popular, so the overall look and structure of the dress is fine.

Honestly I love the dress as is.  The only thing I would do to "modernize" it might be to remove some of the fabric around the neckline if you could.

My opinion is that if you are going to by a vintage dress you should do so because you like the old style and not change it.  Kind of defeats the purpose of going vintage.

I'm thinking I am going to remove the sleeves, and try to make the neckline a little more v-neck... its kind of already got that shape... it just needs a little enhancement. I can't decide what I want to do with the length

LOL. The sleeves were my favorite part of the dress .  Guess we have different tastes.  My wedding dress is going to make me look like a tradtional fairytale princess....Grimm brothers style! :)

I like the dress as it is.  Please make sure that whoever does alter it, knows what they are doing.  Ask to see some of their work first.  I can sew quiet well, but I would never take on someone's wedding dress.

My daughter bought a vintage dress for her wedding next summer.

Get rid of those sleeves!  You could add a lace applique around the bottom, or you could put a colored sash under the bust.  I actually really like the lace on the top at the neckline and right up to the shoulder.  I think if you got rid of all of that and made it strapless it would be really plain.

Original Post by spoiled_candy:

I like the dress as it is.  Please make sure that whoever does alter it, knows what they are doing.  Ask to see some of their work first.  I can sew quiet well, but I would never take on someone's wedding dress.

agree. i would have to look at the bodice construction without the lace and then work on visualization.

perhaps it would work with the uberscoop neckline that you see so much now, the one with tank-width straps that ride way out on the top of your arm. the bodice looks like it may work with that since the support is designed pretty far out toward the arm as is (if that makes any sense).

you could construct the scoop strap out of just about anything and since its rather small, it may not cost you much to really stylize it and make it a true highlight of your dress.

I'd keep the top part of the dress as is and hack the bottom off into a modest mini.

Original Post by bagga:

I'd keep the top part of the dress as is and hack the bottom off into a modest mini.

actually i think that would look way hot with some white boots (made for walking) and then you wouldnt destroy the vintage charm. cute cute.

watergirl-

Was this kind of what you were thinking (just for the straps)?

http://www.bridalwave.tv/CircaVintage13June.J PG

I personally really like this style.

Original Post by tortoisewins:

watergirl-

Was this kind of what you were thinking (just for the straps)?

http://www.bridalwave.tv/CircaVintage13June.J PG

I personally really like this style.

 

no but that would definitely work too. the bodice will need some vavavooming if you take off all the lace.

WILL THERE BE ANY SHEEP ATTENDING THIS WEDDING? it matters haha

EDIT:tortoise i was thinking like this , kind of an updated boatneck.

I'd definitely get rid of the sleeves, especially since you said outdoor wedding. Try to incorporate the lace from the sleeves into something, like maybe a head piece. I love the shape of the lace neckline. I could see maybe making it a little lower, that would depend on how it's constructed.

What does the back look like? If it's high on the back, I'd try to lower it to at least showing a mid back. If you kept the lace neckline and had a lower back with and made the straps similar to this link http://www.bridalwave.tv/CircaVintage13June.J PG I think you'd have a hit.

I don't particularly like the trim on the hem. Maybe lace applicques made from the sleeves would work. Possibly take out some of the fullness so the dress is more straight in the front instead of so A-line.

If you want to dance and move around at your wedding reception, pay attention to the length of the skirt.

watergirl,

yeah i like that too!!

Well, I'd like to suggest that the sleeves are an integral component of the overall design and essential to maintaining the vintage appeal of the dress.  The sleeves are decidedly evocative of the 70's, and to remove them would be to strip the dress of its design integrity.  Without them, it might look like a Victorian nightgown. 

To alter the garment for an outdoor wedding, I'd suggest having the train professionally removed, and shorten the skirt to ankle length.  That would lessen the formality of the gown, and allow it to fall naturally and echo the all-important silhouette of the sleeves.  Add some strappy pale yellow sandals, a few daisies in your hair, and you've got a beautiful, updated look!

*style police sirens weeeeeoooooo weeeeeooooo*

its empire

not umpire

(pronounced ahm peer)

I would remove the sleeves and keep just a simple lace cap for shoulders and get rid of train.  That would make it more casual for a garden wedding but still keep the feeling of the dress intact

Original Post by watergirl:

*style police sirens weeeeeoooooo weeeeeooooo*

its empire

not umpire

(pronounced ahm peer)

Maybe it's got a chest pad and a face mask....?

I'm so confused. If you want a modern dress why did you buy a vintage dress? You're more likely to get exactly what you want if you start from scratch and you must get exactly what you want. I say, put that dress back out there for someone who's looking for a vintage dress, and keep looking. It doesn't have any of the elements you say you want.

I like the lace, maybe remove the sleeves but leave the rest of the lace intact? Shortening the skirt could be cute too, either the modest mini or knee length.