General Bustle Questions

added April 2010

Leanna,

I just went for my first dress fitting and afterwards I looked at your website which was very helpful. I was surprised by how much my bustle cost was and I was just wondering if you could let me know if it was a reasonable charge or not. 

http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49978992¤tIdx=39&subCategory=-49999486|-49998999|-49978992&catentryId=6097269&sort=

That is a link to the dress it's david's bridal style #t9466

They ended up doing a 15 point bustle underneath for $75 and then they did something with the top layer for $50. They didn't really say anything about what they were doing or give me any options and I didn't know what the charge would be until I had taken the dress off and was ready to leave. 

That just seemed to me like an excessive amount of points for that train compared to what I saw on your website. Was just wondering if you had any input on if this was necessary or not or what a bustle for that type dress should cost.

Thanks so much! Meghan

Hi Meghan,

Yes, 15 points sounds like more than necessary. I looked at the link you sent and do think I could do that bustle in 6 or maybe 8 points. I do see that there might need to be something on the top layer that needs to be done once the lower layer is up. I would need to see the gown on the bride to determine what is necessary. I would guess my charge for your bustle would be not less than $100 and could be more, so they aren't far off the mark. Bridal stores are generally a little higher priced than independent alteration people like me.

~Lea

added January 2010

Hi Leanna,

I just found your website and saw many valuable sources on how to bustle the gown. I purchased Maggie Sottero 'Harlow' wedding gown few months ago and thinking to bustle it. I'm just wondering if you can give some input on how to do it. My wedding is end of this month. I know this is quite last minutes :(

Here's the link on the gown:

http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?keywordText=harlow&keywordType=any&page=0&pageSize=15&style=A3286

Jeni

Hi Jeni,

When the train has a design that is uniformly distributed over the train area I tell brides that most any style is good. Your gown has an evenly distributed lace pattern, but the waist seam is dropped very low on the hip. Though you can do a French bustle I do think you will like the look of the Ballroom style better because the riggings should be placed at that dropped waist seam for best support. A French bustle at that location might look odd if the resulting puff is set right below your butt, but the fabric does also look very soft so it might drape nicely so if you like the French style, it might look good too. 

~Lea

Hi Leanna,

Thank you so much for the quick respond. 

My mom wants to help me to do the bustle, but she has never done wedding gown before. She used to own garment business and just sew regular Women, Men, Boys, Girls clothing. Do you think if I purchase the DVD from your website can guide my mom to work on the bustle? Also, how long do you think it take to do this kind of bustle?

Jeni

Hi Jeni,

I made the DVD to be aimed at the person with the most beginning sewing knowledge but I have had professional bridal people tell me it helped them. I tried to explain everything in great detail. With your Mom having all the experience with sewing she has, it should be very easily understandable to her. 

The DVD does not explain the exact bustle for any specific gown but the three gowns I use as examples. But using these three basic gown types, it does give the process for the 3 styles of bustle I most use. A creative sewing mind can figure out many variations on the 3 basic processes. For your gown all she'd have to do it set the points for the lower waist seam instead of one that is nearer the waist. The rest of the process is the same.

I was once asked about my pricing for doing a bustle and I responded with an outline of the time I spend designing a bustle. It's here: http://www.leanna.com/Bridal/BridalQA/Cost.htm#gouging 

~Lea

Hi Leanna,

I went to the alteration store and was quoted $100 for doing just the bustle. Do you think it's fair price or too high? I'm not an expert, so just want to know the average price out there.

Jeni

Hi Jeni,

My bustling price starts at $40.00. If the bustle needs more than 2 points it is an additional $10.00 per point. In my system a $100.00 bustle would have to have 8 points. That would be a very long and full train. I think your gown would need at least 4, maybe 6 points at the most. I really don't know what an average price would be. Bridal alteration prices very greatly in different economic areas. I can only answer for my own experience and pricing system.

~Lea

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

added January 2010

Hi,

Is is appropriate to bustle the lining of a gown train separately from the overskirt of a wedding gown. (If so is there a best way to do that?) The lining on the gown's train is long but narrower and smaller than the center-gathered overskirt and is not attached to the overskirt except at the at the low hip. I will be doing a number of gathered (French?) pickups from underneath to bustle the outer skirt.

Thank you for your wonderful web site and any help you can give me.

-Nancy

Hi Nancy,

I have often found that it is necessary to bustle the lining of a train separately from the overskirt. There are several pictures on my site of gowns that had to be done this way. How to do it depends on many fractures. Since your lining is narrow it might need a low Pick-up bustle. I tell brides to pin the bustle several ways and decide which way you like the best. The site has many pictures to give you ideas. Start here: https://www.leannastudios.com/the-pick-up-bustle#gsc.tab=0

~Lea 

added September 2009

Hello, 

I was just looking at all the beautiful bustles on your website. 

My gown has a red border of about 3 inches around the entire hem. 

Can you offer any great suggestions as to how it should be bustled the best? 

Thanks so much, 

Beth 

Hi Beth,

I have of pictures of options for color here: https://www.leannastudios.com/same-difference#gsc.tab=0

When the decoration is mostly at the hem, I usually advise a Ballroom Bustle. But, since yours is a 3" border either French or Ballroom will look great.

~Lea

added September 2009

I have bustled many wedding dresses, but never one that had a full lining under the bustle.

This train is approx. 47 inches from the normal length of the dress.

Can you suggest anything before I mess it up???

Any help will be appreciated 

Thank you in advance

Helen

Hi Helen,

I'm not sure what you are asking. The lining and anything else that is beyond the hem of the back of the dress has to be either caught up in the bustle you plan to do, or bustled separately. I have done both depending on the look the bride is going for. Sometimes, if the lining has netting on it and catching it up in one bustle makes the whole thing too fluffy, doing it separately will make it less fluffy. If the outer layer is lace or some other see-through fabric, bustling them separately may look really odd.

~Lea

added August 2009

Dear Leanna,

You have a wonderful and really informative web-site!

I wish you lived in the Northeast.

I have a bustle question for you. I have a feeling that a bustle is not possible, but thought I would ask.

I bought a size 10 sample dress that has a skirt made of 5 layers of silk organza and an inner layer of something just slightly thicker.

It is a really flowy dress and I am short (5'0").

The dress is being altered with the front being shortened, so the back has ~1foot train.

How would you bustle this?

Is it even possible?

Thank you,

Laura

p.s. the back looks like the front with a zipper in the middle.

Hi Laura,

That's a tricky one. On a dress like this I put it on a dress form and play with the train until I get something I think the bride will like. I am assuming that a simple one point Pick-Up bustle won't work as in most short trains, because of the skirt's fullness. Several points will be needed to get the whole back off the floor. The added complication of the pleating makes point placement difficult. 

You could try forming tuffs in several scattered places over the train and see how it looks. Or maybe an Austrian Bustle would look nice.

~Lea

added April 2009

Hi Leanna -

I was looking for information on bustles on the Internet and I found your Web site. I love the pictures. Very helpful.

I have been sewing professionally for almost thirty years so I have had my share of dealing with all sorts of bustles. 

The problem that I run into is a bride requests a French bustle and she is only 5'2". I design an individual bustle by considering the height of the bride and the design of the gown. Nowhere have I seen it written that some bustles work better on tall brides and some work better for the shorter girls.

You comment about the tormenting by the designers is a fact. I had a bridesmaid gown last week made in Vietnam. It was a five-gore below the knee with a front drape. The problem is that the gores were sewn in individual hems and then the gores were attached to each other. A $40 hem became and $85 hem because of the design. Ugh!

Thank you so much for the information that you have on your Web site. Now I will have pictures to make suggestions to my brides.

Wishing you a prosperous Spring-Summer season.

Jeanie

Yes, some styles of bustle will look better due to the height of the bride, but that's not the main factor in deciding which bustle design to use. Even if I think the design a bride wants looks horrible, I do what she wants. I will explain the choices she has and the pro's and con's for each, but it is totally her decision. I had a bride just this week who wanted a French bustle for her gown to be rigged for the whole day, ceremony and reception. Her Mom was very upset that she wants to do this but I still support her right to do as she wishes. I did tell her she was giving up some really cool photo shots that are traditional and really neat to have but she was insistent about her decision. I told the Mom that the bustle is not a permanent thing and she just might change her mind at the last minute and it can be easily dropped for the ceremony. 

Designers do seem to be doing their best to make the Alterationist life harder, but it's often fun to raise to the challenge. It kind-of depends what mood I'm in as to whether it frustrates me of gets my creative juices running. 

~Lea

added October 2008

hi,i am a bride to be in mackay australia and am in need of some help to bustle my wedding dress..the bridal shop that i ordered my dress through has since closed down and now i am looking for some one else to do the bustle on my dress.i really like how you have done the last red alfred angelo dress on your site and was wondering how i would go about trying to explain this to the lady that will be doing the alterations.if you could give me any suggestion it would be greatly appreciated,thanks so much,trace

http://www.alfredangeloanz.com/Collections/ProductDisplay.aspx?style=1708 that is the style i would like to have,thankyou heaps.

I have a DVD that gives step-by-step instructions for doing most of the bustles pictured on my site. The ones it does not specifically show can be done using the principles given on the DVD. 

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea

added October 2008

Hi

Wow, thank you for posting all of this info on bustles - there's no other website which provides this much info!

My wedding dress has 2 layers, satin with beaded lace all over it, and has a corset back. The underlay is white and the lace and beading is pewter colour so it shows a lot, and has a different repeated lace detail around the entire bottom of the dress. I'd like to bustle the dress but keep the lace detail showing. Would a low pickup (close to the knee) or Austrian bustle work on a gown like this? I'm open to anything which will keep the beautiful lace showing - but the French bustle might make me look a bit big. Here is a picture of the dress. 

http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?attrib28=257&attrib32=285&keywordType=any&page=0&pageSize=8&style=V7066&moreOptions=1

Thanks

dl

Every bride wants to show as much of the train as possible, but something has to get covered to have a bustle. Your lace design is pretty consistent all over the train so there is not one place where it is more concentrated so any style of bustle will show just as much as any other. Usually, a French bustle is used when the train design is concentrated on the upper part of the train and a Ballroom bustle is used when the design is mostly near the end of the train. 

Since it looks like the hip area of your gown is not full, you have to use a low bustle or risk unpretty bunching in the hip area. A Pick-up French or Ballroom will look very nice. I doubt you will like an Austrian for it bunches up the whole back.

~Lea

added October 2008

Does it matter French or American bustle? How do you know what's best or is it mainly a preference? I have done a French bustle, having never known anything about it before. Now I have another opportunity to bustle a gown and I suggested the French bustle, since I did not see anything suggesting there should be an American bustle. I thought there was something in the design to help place this up on the butt when it was meant to be an American. The first gown I did was a very thin girl with much less fabric than the one I am working on now. This one bells out very nicely and has the train. I showed her pictures of French bustling online. After reading some of these posts I hope I am still ok with my idea the French bustle would be better. It is a halter type dress and has a lot of beading. I have limited time but I want to do the best for the dress. The bride is happy with the French, the mom would probably like to see the American- but the mom would like to see it sewn so tight to her skin she can't move, so I am trying to be polite and help the bride. I thought I would go ahead and get the loops and ties started. It is a previously owned dress and I will need to adjust the straps in the front at the bodice. Just wanted to post this as I am second guessing myself. This is for someone in our congregation that I have known for some time. She is the same age as my daughters. I just wanted to get your input since I will have to get it done very soon and want to make the best decision. Thanks ladies 

In my opinion - this matter should be totally the bride's choice.

At the end of a first fitting with a bride I give her a bustle lesson. I will pin her gown in both Under and Over bustle styles (I call these

Ballroom and French) and tell her the benefits of each. I will also tell her many objections to each from other brides, like - "that French bustle makes my butt look big". I will take into consideration the decoration on her train and give her my opinion of how it can be best displayed with a bustle but I will not choose the bustle style for any bride. I say things like, this French bustle looks nice because your main decoration is high on the train and an over bustle would cover that up."

If the bride does not like either Over or Under styles, I will go on to show her the various other styles I have done for other brides either pinning them on her gown or showing her pictures on my site. I tell her she does not have to choose today but I am just giving her plenty of options to think about. After her hem is correct she will need to give me her decision and I take it from there. 

This past year I have had several brides that have not liked any options I have shown them at the first fitting. In these cases, I ask her lots of questions and get creative and think up other ways to display her train using her values of how she wants her butt to look. It gets frustrating at times, but I would sometimes rather just tell her what is "best". I just can't. I am so very serious about this being her decision. I do a lot of explaining of the mechanics of bustling and what methods are more secure than others, but in the end it just has to be her decision. 

~Lea

added September 2008

Hello-

I came across your website which was very helpful regarding bustles for a wedding dress. I am wearing a cathedral length mantilla and would like to bustle it and wear it all night. Do you have any pics of a cathedral length veil bustled?

Thanks,

K

I do not have any pictures of veils because I do not recommend that any one bustle a veil. The veil fabric is much too frail and would not support the bustle riggings and it is much too shear and the riggings would be right out in the open and look very bad on what is suppose to be a shear veil. 

If a bride wants a veil for the reception I recommend that she buy a second one that is shorter than her ceremony veil.

~Lea

added July 2008

Hi Leanna!

I'm so glad I found your site because I've been stressing a little about the bustling of my gown.

I had originally wanted a gown with no train, so bustling wouldn't have been an issue. But I fell in love with "Sugar" by Amy Michelson, which has a short-ish train (looks longer on the model than it does on me.) It is multi-layered silk organza, with no seam at the waist (in front) and a ribbon of Alencon lace that trims the back. The thing I love the most about the gown is the silhouette, which (in my head) would be ruined by any bustle I can imagine - creating a pouffy meringue-like skirt, which was exactly what I wanted to avoid: I am very petite, size 0 - I don't want a dress that wears me!

Is there any style of bustle that you would recommend for a dress like mine?

Thank you!!

Caroline

All bustles break the line of the train. You can certainly have the train hemmed and you will have what you originally wanted, or you can do the Train Flip. Or you can just not bustle it. It isn't a must to bustle. It's just a convenience for your guests who won't want to be stepping on your dress as you walk around. 

~Lea

added July 2008

Hi! First of all, thanks for having this page. My daughter just returned from getting her gown after it was bustled by and Alfred Angelo designer and she is concerned because some of the semi-cathedral train is still draped across the floor. The saleswoman in the store assured her that her $200 was well spent as the man who did her bustle was from LA (we live in a Philadelphia suburb) and he was the "best". Should a bustle have all of the gown just touching the floor?

Her gown number is Alfred Angelo #1612 and the thing that makes the gown complex is the contrasting color. Her gown is beautiful in white with the accent in "pool".

Can you give us any information to help us? Thank you so very much.

Judy

Anyone who tells you something "has to be this way" because it's their way is not the best at anything. I'm sorry but just because someone is from LA doesn't mean he knows diddly squat. 

When I design a bustle it is my goal to get the whole train off the floor just like when I do a hem I want it off the floor. Some brides like the look of the hem and bustle brushing the floor. For them I do it that way. I never tell any bride what her dress "has to be". That's just shear pride. 

I have had some brides like having a little train even drag some on the floor. It's all her choice. If your daughter wants the train up than they should do it that way. AND I have never charged such a price and not given a customer what they want. I would love to talk to this guy and give him a piece of my mind but he is obviously not worth my time. 

If you didn't get what you want I'd ask for my money back or for it to be done again until it's the way I want it to be. 

WoW! Thanks for getting back to me so quickly with your honest opinion. What area of the country are you located? 

I will take some pics and send them to you for your opinion if that is okay. I'm not telling my daughter that I've contacted you because she just doesn't need one more thing to stress about but I want to make it what she wants if that's possible. Right now, she's buying the "that's the way it's supposed to be" even though I think she will have major problems dancing at her reception and she loves to dance!

Thanks again, Leanna!

Judy

A little bit of dragging should not impede her dancing fun. Besides, most people take off their shoes at the reception anyway and all the dresses are then too long so everyone is in the same boat. It's when she is standing still with people walking around her that I worry about. The point of a bustle is to get the dress up off the floor so the guests don't step on it. 

Bottom line is it's up to her what is comfortable and looks good. If she's ok with it the way it is and trying to change it will only add more stress to her happy time, than I'd tend to leave it the way it is.

~Lea

added March 2008 

I picked up my daughter's wedding dress which is a Symphony dress with claret (red) below the bust and near the hem. I need to shorten the dress by 2" in the front and bustle the back. I think a pick up bustle or ballroom bustle is what is needed to showcase the trim in the center back of the train. They told me not to lift the train by the buttons down the center back of the dress and train. Do I place a white eye between the buttons near her waist then place the hook halfway down the train at the appropriate length. How do I hook the sides flat out to the side without the hooks showing. I feel I have to put a hook and eye on each side near the top of the pick up. The hem is fully enclosed on the inside with 1" horsehair braid at the hemline. Can I roll that braid under the hand sew it in place? Can I open the dress at the side the cut the braid at the side seams and then resew the opening?

Do you sell white hooks and eye for the train?

I have never done this but would like to do it myself for my daughter. 

Thanks for your assistance. Cris 

I usually put the loops on the train pick-up points and the hooks or buttons at the anchor points. I would not put hooks and eyes at the sides, but if you want to you can slip them into the seam and hide most of the hook that way. 

I do not roll over horsehair. I take it off, move it to the new location and finish the hem as needed.

I do not sell hooks and eyes. You can get them at your local fabric store.

~Lea

added February 2008

HI there,

I have a quick question about bustles. I marked the overbustle for my bride the other day. But when she went on her way I let her take the Crimolin under slip with her .

Will I still need that to make an accurate Bustle?

thank you so much, Judy

It should not effect your sewing on of the riggings (hooks, eyes, buttons etc.) But you should have her bring it back to test the bustle before she takes the dress. She will not know how to make her bustle and you should teach her before she takes the dress. I get so many letters from brides asking me how to rig their bustles and I have no idea because I didn't design it. It really bothers me that so many sewing professionals don't take the time to teach the brides how to do this.

My DVD is geared to beginners and brides trying to do their own bustles. It might not teach you anything you don't already know if you have been doing this for some time.

~Lea

Thank you so much for such a quick reply. I do try to make sure that the Bride or the Maid of honor knows how to rig it up. 

On time I had to ship a dress, due to a bride that could not travel back, so I sent detailed drawings of the bustle.

Again thank you so much for your help. I always love to learn as much as I can about the dresses. I also appreciate your comments about your DVD.

Have a great week, Judy

added February 2008

Leanna,

I was wondering if you could give me some information. My daughter purchased a bridal gown on-line, however it is not bustled. It only has a wrist strap to hold the train. I was wondering if you could give me information, or preferably a website, that would give me details on how to actually bustle a gown. I am a good seamstress, and have made a few gowns in the past, so if this isn't too difficult, I'm sure with a little information I could do it myself. 

Thank you! 

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea

added January 2008

Hi,

My bridal gown was just altered. The French bustle is beautiful for my taffeta gown with pick ups.

Qt. Once busted, I noticed that the back of the dress was longer than the front, a good 12 inches. Is that appropriate, or should it be an even length all the way around once bustled?

I did ask the seamstress, and her answer was she couldn't make the back shorter due to the petticoat would show. But, I got to thinking, the petticoat is even all the way around; therefore, it wouldn't show.

Any advise would be helpful. Am I worrying about nothing? Should the back of the bustled dress be 12 inches longer and is that okay for a dance reception after our ceremony?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be helpful. Thanks! Libby

My goal in bustling is usually to set the back to be the same length as the front unless the bride instructs me to do otherwise. Sometimes brides do want a little drag. If you don't, you have every right to ask that it be done the way you are wanting it. A petticoat can be bustled too if it is really hanging too long. 

~Lea

added November 2007

Leanna,

I found your site and it has a lot of good information and pictures on it. I wondered if you could give me an opinion. I read most of your site and feel that I have a good grasp of the basics of creating a bustle. I am making my own wedding gown for a mid December wedding. I will include a link to the pattern from the manufacturer's site.

http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4713.htm?search=4713&page=1

If you scroll down you can see on the design drawings that there is very little in the way of design features on the back of this dress. I can see how one could bustle this in virtually any of the main styles shown on your page, but I wondered which you might think would be best?

The train is not very long, according to the pattern pieces, the center back of the skirt is only about 19 inches longer than the center front. There is just the skirt and the lining which are hemmed as one, no built in crinoline or extra layers. I will be wearing a separate petticoat. The sheer overskirt is held in place with a thread chain along the center back seam near the bottom.

This is my second marriage, and since it seems to be popular of late, I decided to add some color to this dress. The sheer overskirt and sleeves are made of a light blue sheer crepon. I had some issues deciding whether to shorten the skirt in the cutting stage or not, and was afraid of cutting it too short, then decided I should have after the fact, so I did shorten the overskirt some, and will have to cut some off the front of the main skirt when I hem it. So the difference in length between the skirt and the overskirt will be longer in the back than in the front. Add the color difference, and I wondered if this would look odd when it is bustled, because if the skirt is high enough, the overskirt would hang shorter in back than in front. I don't think the difference will look odd at all with the skirt down.

There is lace trim at the waist that could hide a hook for a ballroom bustle, and the thread loops on the outside would catch both skirts. Or it would work with the French underbustle style. Could I catch the sheer layer with a short thread chain at the anchor point for this or would it need to be stitched together more securely? Is the train short enough for a pick up style to work?

You mentioned on your site something about a reinforcing technique you have. How do you do that?

I realize that it is difficult to make suggestions without seeing the dress in person, that it will be my decision in the end, and that it will take some playing around with the skirt to find what I like, but I just thought you might have a suggestion so I could try the best possibilities first.

Thanks so much for your site, and any help you might be able to give me.

Cindy 

This style of train really does not have enough length for a French bustle to look good - in my opinion. What you need to do is make the gown and then play with the various bustle styles until you find one you like. There is no such thing as what is "Best". What is best is how you want your butt to look. 

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea

added November 2007

Hi I have purchased the same Alfred Angelo Red dress that you show on the bustle site. I love the way you bustled that dress, but i'm having troubles figuring out how you did it. The photo I'm refering to is Same Difference02 picture. If You could please tell me how you did that dress, I would really appreciate it?

Thanks, Bridgett

I get emails every day asking me how to do one or more bustles pictured on my site. I'm really sorry but I just can not write step-by-step instructions for this through email. To try to help Brides figure out how to do bustling I made a DVD.

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea

added November 2007

Leanna,

My sister has been doing all my alterations on my wedding dress. She is very nervous about doing my bustle. I am not to specific about how my bustle is. I tend to lean towards either the pickup or the ballroom. My dress does not have any buttons on the back but I was hoping that hooks might not be to noticeable. Here is a link to a dress almost exactly like mine. Do you have any suggestions on the easiest way to do a bustle? Thank you!

http://www.davidsbridal.com/bridal_gowns_detail.jsp?stid=2293&prodgroup=10

Cynthea

I can't see the back of the dress in this picture. There are many pictures of bustles on my site that you can look at and find a dress that closely matches yours. 

https://www.leannastudios.com/The-Bustles-Studio#gsc.tab=0

~Lea

added November 2007

I found your website while trying to find information on bustling my wedding dress, it's amazing and makes me wish I could take a trip to America and get you to bustle my dress!

I wanted to ask you about bustling my wedding dress. I'm going to be taking it to an alterations place in late November/early December, and I really want to be able to talk intelligently about the bustle. The first place I went to wanted to do a one-point bustle (like your pick-up bustle) on my dress, but I don't think that will be enough to hold it. The train is chapel length, satin and decorated. I'm more concerned about having something secure, than with preserving the decoration though. 

I wondered if you could give me any advise as to what would look best and be most secure, so that when I go in for my fitting, I can at least have some idea of what I'm talking about.

Thank you, Rebecca

No, you have way too much train for a one point bustle. A chapel length train usually needs 2 to 4 points. 

I would try a bustle like this one first:

https://www.leannastudios.com/the-ballroom-bustle#gsc.tab=0

Than I would try this:

https://www.leannastudios.com/the-french-bustle#gsc.tab=0

Slide #2

And see which one you liked better. 

The French bustle is usually the most secure because it is made with ribbons that you tie underneath the train. You can tie them in nice knots so they are very secure.

~Lea

added May2007

Thanks so much for your wonderful information regarding bustles. As a mother of a prospective bride, I am helping my very busy daughter (studying for the Florida bar exam) to wade through the enormous amount of information necessary to purchase a wedding gown ! Do I assume, that after a dress is purchased, that a bustle is then created by a seamstress? If so, are there specialty seamstresses to create bustles? I wish that we lived in your area !! any information would be greatly appreciated !

Rosemary

Sarasota, Florida

Unfortunately, many seamstresses do not know how to create pretty bustles. I have attended many weddings where the bride's butt looked simply awful. I have found that bustling is more of a Northern thing, so you being in Florida will have a difficult time finding a seamstress who knows how to do it well.

Some gowns come with bustle hooks, but they are usually not in the right places for the height of the bride buying the gown. If the gown has to be hemmed at all it's likely the bustle hooks that might be there will be wrongly placed.

I don't mean to give you a sale's pitch, but my DVD is made to focus on the novice seamstress. Anyone having simple sewing skills should be able to create a bustle by using the techniques I portray in the DVD. I don't recommend that you get one to give it to the seamstress that is altering your daughter's gown, but I do encourage Moms wishing to make the bustle for their daughters to give it a try. It's not extremely hard.

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea

added July 2006

Hi Leanna!

Yesterday my daughter and I went shopping to get an idea of what she liked and looked good in for wedding gowns. Her Aussie boyfriend will be here in December to propose, and they've penciled in 6/29/07 to get married.

The front runner dress right now is the tufted ballroom dress, which you just happen to have on your website! She tried it on at David's Bridal, and we also found it online for $350 less.

At any rate - it never occurred to me that dresses don't come with the bustles already on them! Kara noticed the sign at David's of how much was charged for every set of 3....... which was my first clue there might be something amiss. So - is this a usual normal thing for dresses to not come with bustles?

If so, guess I'll be faced with paying someone to do that -- but since I've sewn all my life (yes, I was a 4-H sewing champ!), I'm just thinking it can't be THAT hard to do it myself. Thus, more questions on how you did that tufted dress.

You said that you and the bride decided to make each tuft a bustle point and anchor them just below the tuft above them, which makes total sense for that dress - as the tufts and jeweled appliques are so pretty. Do you remember how many bustle points you eventually wound up with? And did you start from the bottom row of tufts and work up, or top row and work down? And how many from left to right?

What kind of thread did you use for the thread eyes? And are white hooks easy to find out there, say at Joann's? Are they regular metal hooks? I like to streamline my time when looking for the right materials.

I certainly appreciate any help you can give me. Even tho we're not ready to order the dress until there's a ring on Kara's finger, I have a feeling that's the one we'll wind up with. And if I can save considerable money by doing the bustle myself, which I'm fully capable of doing, that's what I'd like to do!!

Thanks - and have a great day!

Though some gowns come with some kind of bustle rigging, it's usually not useful or pretty. There is no way for the manufacturer to know the height of the bride who will buy their gown, or what shoes she will decide to wear. I have come across a few gowns with bustle riggings, but they have all still needed a bustle designed for their height and shoe selection. 

My DVD that has step-by-step instruction is now on YouTube: 

Beautiful Bustles #1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCkhWvI0y_4&t=2s

Beautiful Bustles #2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXQdXxVQow&t=644s 

Beautiful Bustles #3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhVq4a2lzVc&t=1s

Beautiful Bustles #4 - Soon to Come!

~Lea