https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:49:40 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858495 Mon, 06 Nov 2017 11:57:48 +0000 karen13 1858495@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I so wish I had kept some of my mom's clothes.You are lucky to have this.What a great story and your photo is lovely. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858438 Mon, 06 Nov 2017 05:36:02 +0000 Anonymous 1858438@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a treasure! Target and Walmart and Kohls probably have inexpensive slips in different lengths. I've heard that some museums or even art galleries, have experts on preserving fabrics. You might try contacting one. I would not try pressing the dress without a pressing cloth. My mother always used one, sometimes sprayed with water to steam. A steamer may be more gentle. Then keep on the dress form to see if the wrinkles will fall out. Or move it into a steamy room like the bathroom after a shower or with a humidifier running. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858362 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 21:25:27 +0000 AndiB 1858362@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a wonderful story, Mary!&nbsp; I cherish the things I have of my moms (no wedding dress though).&nbsp; and my grandma's, a vintage pin and some embroidered fabric, also china.&nbsp; I have the china displayed but do not use.&nbsp; Maybe I'll pull out when I host TG in a couple weeks.&nbsp; No advice on the dress preservation, but the dress is lovely.&nbsp; Your Mom, too!&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858352 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 20:30:15 +0000 MsMaven 1858352@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you Isabel. I hadn't thought of a press cloth or that steam might damage it.&nbsp;</p> <p>I like your idea as well, Jane. I can try it several ways. And LAvintage--another good recommendation. I'll ask around to find out if anyone in family or even in the neighborhood might have a long slip. I can photograph it several ways. I might be able to find a model on our Next Door as well.</p> <p>I had a few of my grandpa's letters written in the late 1890s. I scanned them but before I donated them our house was burglarized and the safe with them was stolen. This happened five years ago. These things are few and precious. I'm motivated to get these things taken care of soon.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858340 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 19:08:41 +0000 LAvintagestyle 1858340@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm sure a historical society would love to have it. It's a beautiful treasure. I like seeing it without a slip because you can see the seamlines. If you had a slip to include with it, great, but you don't have to make one. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858333 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 18:04:47 +0000 Jane 1858333@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think this is beautiful. If I had a spare room, or a spare corner in a corridor, I think I would hang the clothing on a pretty hanger on a gorgeous hook (perhaps even on the back of the door to a spare room), with one or two carefully chosen photos near by.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858321 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 16:44:56 +0000 merwoman 1858321@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No answers either, but thank you for sharing this. What an exquisite dress! And what a relief for you that it made its way safely to you! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858305 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 14:11:39 +0000 Gail 1858305@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So lovely and such a special find.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858269 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 05:35:33 +0000 Barbara Diane 1858269@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wow, so special. Not the one to answer your questions.<br />I wore my mother's gown.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858243 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 01:20:46 +0000 Anonymous 1858243@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I&nbsp;would probably try pressing it very slowly and carefully with a pressing cloth and low heat. No water in the iron and no steaming because I'd be afraid it might shrink.</p> <p>It's very sheer and if my goal was for someone to wear it again I think I'd increase the chances by providing the slip. Maybe you could ask someone who can wear it with the slip to model it for the photos?</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858233 Sun, 05 Nov 2017 00:32:25 +0000 anne 1858233@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No answers to your questions. But how special! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/help-moms-wedding-dress-long#post-1858228 Sat, 04 Nov 2017 23:54:07 +0000 MsMaven 1858228@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Not long ago I saw post with brides who wore their Mom's and even Grandma's wedding dresses. Can't find it now.&nbsp;</p> <p>My parent met in high school when she was 14 and he 16. They eventually got engaged, and as Mom said, it was on and off for 7 years. They married June 5, 1935 in the midst of the Depression. Mom's Dad died 4 months earlier. These were hard times, and no one had much money. We have no photos of her in her wedding dress. After the ceremony they had a little get together with punch and I think she said cookies. Maybe cake. My folks were married 64 years when my Dad died in 1998.&nbsp;</p> <p>My sister emailed me to ask if I was okay with her selling Mom's old Necchi, (serviced and nice wood cabinet) which replaced the Singer treadle machine my Mom had when I was a little girl. Go ahead, I told her, but do you still have Mom's wedding dress? I've seen it twice, once when Mom lifted it out of the cedar chest in the basement and showed it to us. Even as girls we knew we'd never fit in it. The next time was when my Mom had moved in with my sister just before my Dad died. She had the Necchi and the cedar chest. She found the dress and mailed it to me.</p> <p>The dress had a close call. My sister is the one I posted about--lives in Mendocino County, the firestorm burned around their property in a sort of part circle but they had no damage. They had minutes to evacuate at 3:30 am.</p> <p>I was afraid the dress would be stained and falling apart, but it's in good shape. I thought it was silk, but I think it is rayon. I didn't recall that it was 2-pieces, three counting the belt. I got out my old adjustable dress form from my last sewing spree in 1992, and adjusted it down as far as it would go. The form shoulders have arm buds and I couldn't pull the dress over, I had to carefully pull it on from beneath, only three snaps on a side seam. Maybe with pliers I can minimize the hips again.</p> <p>I didn't wait to press it. So I present it in wrinkled glory. I'm going to press or steam it and take nice photos for the family website. I'll ask if any of the grandchildren want it. I don't know if a historical society would take it. I have a clothes brush with my great-grandfather's initials I should donate somewhere.&nbsp;</p> <p>I do want to preserve it. Here are my questions--please, I don't want to ruin it. I think it was home sewn. Not sure by who. Mom worked at a milliner's during the Depression and either she or a friend could have made it. The snaps look hand sewn. No label.</p> <p>Should I press it or try to steam it? I could leave the dress on the form and steam it. I suppose there are preservationist cleaners, but it doesn't need to be cleaned.&nbsp;</p> <p>The belt measured 25" and the clasp was damaged but DH fixed it. It doesn't fit on the form through the belt loop.&nbsp;</p> <p>It is quite sheer, so Mom certainly wore a slip under it. I don't even own a slip, nor do my sisters. Should I buy some silky fabric and try to fashion an under layer for photos, or should I try to find a slip? While a slip would make it easier to slide on, I can add no bulk without opening a side seam. What do you think?</p> <p>Mom was pear shaped--you can see it from the shower--but I had to minimize the hips to get the dress on. Should I try to pad the hip a bit so it doesn't just hang?</p> <p>Help, any ideas or suggestions? In the meantime I hope you enjoy.</p> <p>#1 Mom's shower. Seated is her mother, next standing to her is her MIL, then middle and end are SIL, my aunts. Her mother was 63 in the photo, the MIL is a few years younger. The silver pitcher and tea pot, along with a creamer and sugar bowl, were wedding presents, and now reside with my son and his wife.&nbsp;</p> <p>#2 is dress with cape<br />#3 is back view<br />#4 is without cape.<br />#5 close up of belt clasp </p>