Welcome to Leanna Studios

Wedding Gown Care

Gown Care Advice from a Pro:


Hi, I've been perusing your web site after ordering my DTD PDF, and was interested in the gown storage section. 


You're dead right about light, especially sunlight. Exposure to the radiation erodes the fibers, in much the same way that exposure to sunlight damages skin cells. Unlike the body, a wedding dress cannot manufacture new cells and silk fibers, so the fabric degrades. Granted, the fibers of silk or more like hair fibers than skin cells. But we've all seen sun damaged hair. I think Pottery Barn is doing it's customers a huge disservice by selling silk dupioni drapes this season. They will disintegrate. But I digress.


In my experience, plastic is a major part of the problem with storing natural fibers like silk satin and charmeuse. Silk is a natural fiber and needs consistently dry, coolish (60-70 F is ideal) air for long term storage. Silk stored in plastic bags and boxes will still react to temperature change as the gasses in the bag expands and contract with the temperature: the silk fibers will expand and contract too, but never have fresh air circulating around them. Like an Egyptian tomb of depleted air. I learned this the first time the hard way: I stored a perfectly wearable, albeit delicate, sage green silk 20's party dress in a zippered plastic bag. When I took it out of storage about 5 years later, the silk literally shattered and disintegrated in my hands. Since then, I've learned from experts about silk storage and haven't had any more first hand disasters!


A note on garment bags: I make my own by purchasing 100% cotton, white twin-size flat sheets for a few dollars on sale at Target or Ross. (these are for client bags. For my own, I get cotton sheets at the thrift store). The edges are all nicely finished for me. All I have to do is fold one in half length wise, stitch up the long side and then along "top" of the bag, skipping two inches in the middle leaving a hanger opening. I leave the bottom open, but a zipper could be added. One can turn and press the seam, or not, depending on how necessary it is to have a "finished" bag.


Moths, are of course, equally nightmarish to silk. I use tulle to make little net bags for moth balls, tie a ribbon at the "neck", and hang it from the hanger, over the cotton sheet garment bag.


Finally, for all bias silk gowns, it's a *MUST* that they *NEVER* be stored long-term hanging at the shoulder, as you would hang any dress. Silk on bias, over time, hung on a hanger, will stretch so much that the dress which started off as a size 10 for a 5'6" woman will become a size 4 for a 6'5" woman. (It's not that women were so much taller and thinner in the 30's--poorly stored gowns have stretched!)


The way to avoid this is to start with plastic pants hangers, and very thickly pad the horizontal bar with terry cloth--dishtowels are great. Then drape the dress through all the of the hangers, so that there are roughly 10 vertical inches of dress draping between the hangers. Loosely secure the hanger necks together with a ribbon or some such, and then store the dress in a cotton garment bag.


I don't feel that these types of gown should be folded as the long silk fibers tend to become weak at creases over time, and it's inevitable that age will begin to show at the folds. The heavily padded hangers keeps these creases from ever forming.



Anyway, my two-cents on wedding gown storage. :-)


-Kim

-- 

www.SilkPoppy.com

Custom Reproduction Vintage Clothing

1920's, 30's, & 40's

Our Visitors ask Questions

  • Transporting a Gown

    added December 2007


    Hi Leanna,

    I just came across you website, and wondered if you could help me.


    I've got an intensely big ball gown with an 8 ft train, but my wedding is 15 000 miles away from where I live. My fiancee and I have decided to courier the dress by Fedex next day, rather than risk airport security turning it away. I'm packing my dress in a very large box, so it only needs one fold, but the train will definitely have to be folded in.


    I am worried about the dress being wrinkled, and am told that I should get it steamed before the big day. However, I've also read that steam should not be used on satin and silk, at risk of them looking mottled after. My dress has heavy beading, pearls, and swarovksi crystals, so I am also concerned about whether steaming will be delicate enough for this.


    Any advice?

    Thanks, Laura


    Calling ahead is the key to traveling with a gown. Most airlines will let you carry it on and place it in the first class closet for the trip. It's up to you, but I would NEVER mail it. I would not let it out of my sight. 


    You can have it professionally steamed at your destination. A dry cleaner will know how to take care of the fabric. Again, call ahead and reserve a dry cleaner to do this. You can do it yourself but you sound like you are not confident about the idea. It is really not as risky or difficult as you are fearing.


    ~Lea

  • Prepare a repair kit

    added September 2007


    Hi, Even though my bustle is beautiful, There is no telling that it may break during the reception if someone should step on it. Just in case, what would you recommend if my bustle breaks. What should I do as I do not want to carry my train all night. Thanks Pam


    Prepare a repair kit with needles and thread (the color of your gown) and extra hooks, etc. You can also have some large safety pins ready if you don't want to sew repairs.


    ~Lea

  • How to hang a heavy gown

    added September 2007


    Hi my name is Susan. I'm getting married on Oct 20 next month. I have a dilemma. I don't know how I can hang/store the wedding dress in the house prior to the wedding. The dress is very heavy satin material and A-line so a little poofy. The train is semi-cathedral in length. I don't have a closet that I can spread out the train to prevent wrinkles. And I don't have a hook that is strong enough to hold the dress from a door or ceiling. I was considering ordering a dressform/mannequin but they are very expensive for just this one use. Do you have any suggestions????? I'm all ears :-)


    Thank you for your time!! Susan


    Do you have a basement? Put a sheet on the floor and hang it from a rafter. There are usually many nails around for you to use. If there are no nails, you can bang one in wherever you like. Or drape it over an unused chair.


    ~Lea

  • Storing

    How do you store the gowns before the weddings? Right now we are storing them in zippered plastic bags, but some of these gowns aren't going to be worn until "98. We have heard that we should put them in muslin bags to protect them. A couple of gowns have discolored in the bags. We are getting very nervous, especially about the gowns that are to be stored for a long period of time. Any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated. 


    The key is to store them in the dark either with bags or in a closet. 


    There are lots of views on the type of wrapping that is best. I've worked on many vintage gowns that were stored in various ways: Wrapped in white sheet, blue tissue, white tissue, and professionally sealed. They all seem to fair the same. Some of the best preserved were not kept in any special way at all. So I feel the key is darkness. Therefore, your muslin bag idea is great. You could buy a couple bolts of muslin when it goes on a half price sale and make up several bags. Put a pocket on the outside for identification papers and you'll have a very nice storing system. 


    I once bought a bolt of upholstery fabric and made a dozen zipper bags for when I go to Trade shows. It looks so impressive to walk in with a rack of identical bags. And they hold up better than plastic bags. On your bags I wouldn't bother with zippers unless you really want to. You won't be traveling with them so you can easily design them to lap over for the opening in the front. And when hanging they will provide the protection you need. 


    ~Lea

Share by: