How to Make a Traditional Bustle

Bustle a long train to prevent stepping on it during the reception.

It is rare that you will find an off-the-rack wedding dress that does not require alterations. In addition to taking in the waist, shortening the sleeves or replacing crystals with pearls, you may want a bustle added. Avoid the additional alteration cost and consider sewing in the bustle yourself. Creating a stunning wedding bustle is uncomplicated and more cost-effective than paying someone else to do the work. The bustle, which is a gathering of the wedding train, will sit just below the lower back. Fix the bustle yourself to get the perfect wedding style you crave.

Things You'll Need

• Buttons or hooks
• Dress form
• Flexible measuring tape
• Needle
• Thread

Instructions

1. Visit a craft and fabric store to pick out the type of buttons or hooks to use on the back of the dress. Take a swatch of fabric with you to the store to help match up colors and styles. Covered buttons will hold the bustle best, but the buttons may not coordinate well with the dress. Buttons will need coordinating fabric loops, and hooks will need coordinating eyes.

2. Place the dress on a dress form. The dress form gives the illusion of what the dress looks like when on your body. Spin the form around to work with back of the dress.

3. Find the center of the back of the dress train. This area is typically 4 to 6 inches below the lower back area. Insert a small pin at this point. Move 3 to 5 inches to the left of the center pin and place another pin. Repeat with the right side. The buttons will attach to the back of the dress.

4. Pull the train up to the pins. Secure the train to the pins and adjust to the desired style. Mark the areas on the train with pins. This allows you to know where to place the bustle points.

5. Detach the train from the dress if possible. Spread the train on a flat surface. Look at the pinned bustle points and make any adjustments to ensure they are equidistant from the sides and bottom of the train.

6. Reattach the train to the dress. Test the bustle points once more to ensure that the final look is correct. Pin the train to the bustle points using fabric pins. Make adjustments and release.

7. Sew the hooks or buttons to the back of the dress using a coordinating thread. Always test each button or hook by slightly tugging on it to ensure that it will hold the weight of the train. Sew the eyes or fabric loops to the back of the train. The eyes will attach to the hooks and the fabric loops will attach to the buttons.

8. Test the bustle to ensure that it is correct. When complete, release the bustle and hang the dress and train.

Tips & Warnings

• Longer trains will need more bustle points to accommodate the weight.

• Request the help of a friend to lift the train to the bustle points and pin.

References

• Heritage Gown: Bustle Your Wedding Gown
• Blue Orchid Designs; Wedding Dress Bustle Tips; Liene Stevens; February 2009
• Perfect Wedding Dress Finders: Picking the Right Wedding Dress Bustle for Your Wedding Gown