How to Alter Your Mother's Wedding Gown

Some brides would like that nostalgic approach by wearing their mother's wedding gown on their own wedding day. Some mothers who were brides once, keep their gowns intact and preserve them for their daughter's wedding day giving it as a gift. However, due to style and fashion changes, wearing the gown as is may not be suitable for today's fashion. Altering the wedding gown to suit today's fashion will help with keeping the tradition set by some mothers and daughters without sacrificing the looks. Read on to learn how to alter your mother's wedding gown.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mother's wedding gown
• Tape measure
• Dressmaker's scissors
• Dressmaker's chalk
• Pattern
• Sewing machine
• Thread and needle to add beads
• Beads and other embellishments (sash or ribbons will do)
• Extra fabric
• White gauzy fabric for veil
• Tiara, hairpins, headband for veil

1. Decide on whether you really like the idea of wearing your mother's wedding gown. Tell her honestly if you don't.

2. Ask your mother for her approval for you to alter her gown. Hopefully she agrees with you.

3. Try your mother's wedding gown if it fits you. If it does then it is is easier to alter, but if it doesn't, you would need extra work to make it fit you. The important parts for measurement is the arm, shoulder, waist and hips. Make adjustments by loosening and re-sewing to size. Some wedding gowns would have extra allowances if you need to make the size bigger or you can add extra fabric if needed. If you need to make it smaller, you can sew down to your size. Use a tape measure to measure the size of your neckline, waist, upper and lower hips, upper back, upper front, bust line, armpit, arm length, wrist and length of skirt.

4. Lay down the dress on a flat surface, preferably a long clean table. Keep the front of the dress on top.

5. Examine the over-all look of the dress and try to eliminate anything that you do not like. It can be an extra ruffle or lace that doesn't suit your taste. If you want to wear short sleeves or off-shoulder dress but your mother's gown has long-sleeves, you can remove the sleeves to shorten or remove the sleeves all the way up to the neckline to make it off-shoulder. If you want to add sleeves then you can make a couple of sleeves then attach them.

6. Draw a pattern. Use a pattern paper first and mark your pattern there, then transfer later and mark with a dressmaker's chalk. Using pattern paper eliminates major errors.

7. Cut-along the lines, be careful to add allowance for seams.

8. Sew the pieces together.

9. Try it on for size.

10. Add embellishments or accessories. An elegant way to improve the look of the gown is by adding small white pearl beads on the upper bodice and lower part of the gown. Use a thread and fine needle to attach them to the fabric. You can make a wavy pattern at the bottom or just add beads along the hems of your skirt and along the neckline. Add sash or ribbons along the waist. If the gown is pure white, you can add a sash or ribbon in pale champagne color or ivory color for a bit of contrast.

11. Do not add too many embellishments. The trick to a beautiful design is using the concept that less is more. Besides, you don't want your dress to be overly decorated that it can ruin your overall look and and distract people's attention from a solemn occasion. Also, you should be the focus of attention and not just your gown.

12. Create a veil from a gauze white fabric or alter your mother's veil if it is still in good condition. Add a simple tiara, hairpins or headband to finish it off.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not attempt if you do not know how to sew. Get a professional dressmaker to do the alterations if you cannot do this project on your own.