Picking Antique Dress for your Wedding Day

There are many websites that boast that they have the best in antique wedding dresses, but the Internet is not going to be the best source for finding your dress. Depending on what era you are buying, the sizes are not going to be the same as they are today. Just think, Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 and Audrey Hepburn was a 0, so you have to be careful about the measurements of any dress. Also, many people who list clothes on the Internet will lay the garment flat in order to provide the buyer with measurements, and this is not the most accurate way to do any sizing. 

Dresses that have zippers in the back are going to provide more give than a dress with buttons. A dress that is described as hitting just above the knee could mean on a woman that is five feet tall, and that could be a problem if you are five foot ten. The best thing to do when you are looking for an antique wedding dress is to deal locally. Find a store that is close to your area that has different styles and an assortment of antique wedding dresses that you can see, feel, and smell (that is right, you never know).

When you find a store that has the wedding dresses that you are looking for, make sure to devote some extra time to shopping for this type of dress. You will need to look for certain things with antique dresses that you wouldn’t be looking for in a newer, modern dress. Don’t buy any dress that has to be cleaned or needs repairs of any kind. If you have ever tried to get a stain out of a shirt after a couple of days, you can imagine the pain it will be to try to get a stain out that has been setting into the fabric for twenty years. The truth is that you probably not be able to get the stain out at all. Repairs are something else that you don’t want to deal with because the vintage fabrics are almost impossible to match. 

The odds that you will be able to repair a vintage, antique gown are slim to none. If you find a dress that you cannot live without and it is in need of repairs, you will have to find a great seamstress that can repair the gown for you. However, repairs are not going to be cheap, so be prepared to pay a minimum of $200 to $300.  You should also be looking closely at the fabric. The problem with older fabrics is that they will become weak over time. Antique wedding dresses have been worn less, and if they were preserved properly, they haven’t been handled often either. Therefore, you may want to look at the fabric and stretch it to see how fragile it actually is. You may also want to avoid any sort of dress that has been made before the 20th century simply because it could literally fall apart at any time. 

If searching for the real thing seems like it is more trouble than it is worth, you could always have a dress that is made to look antique. Reproductions will hold up better and they will have an authentic look, you will know that it is not the real thing, which may or may not bother you. There are websites that offer patterns for antique dresses that you can purchase and take to a seamstress. However, you should realize and stick to a budget for your dress so that you will know what you can or cannot purchase. 

Many vintage garments cost a lot of money because they are so unique. A reproduction could help you to achieve the same look without the heavy price tag. The great thing about antique wedding gowns is that they can stand out from the rest of the bridal party without looking awkward or making you adjust your day to have a themed wedding just for your gown. Enjoy your day and make whatever wedding dress you pick be exactly what you want for your special day.