Wedding Blog
I didn’t think twice about bustles before my first dress fitting. I had no idea that it would be such a difficult decision to make! I went to my first fitting alone without a camera, and that wasn’t a very good idea… I didn’t have anyone to bounce my opinions off of, and didn’t have pictures to show anyone afterward. I ended up going back to the salon a week later so my mom could see the different bustles in person.
During the initial fitting, the first bustle that the seamstress/shop owner tried was the popular French bustle. I have seen these many times, and found them to be quite lovely. I assumed that this was the bustle I would go with—another reason that I didn’t do any research before the fitting. To my surprise, it just didn’t work with my dress style. The underpinning hid a lot of the lace, and the width of the underbustle looked weird against the silhouette of the dress.
The seamstress then tried an overbustle. It started out simple, but soon had many, many points. It was way too complicated for my taste, and I began to worry. The dress would be bustled for the majority of the time that I would wear it, and I really wanted to be happy with it.
I didn’t get any pictures during the first fitting, but I brought my camera for round two.
Mr. Taffy, do not look any further!!!
It may not look too crazy from this view, but look at this close up:
It was just too complicated for me.
I don’t have a side view to show you, but it was very frilly and poofy, and not what I was looking for. The problem was, I was wearing the dress and couldn’t get back there to show her what I wanted, and was having a hard time communicating it. This was not the salon’s fault—they have been great. I just didn’t know enough about bustles to suggest something verbally.
The seamstress agreed to try something simpler, and we came up with this:
This is kind of close up and taken at a weird angle. In this side view, you can get a better idea of the bigger picture in my reflection on the left. We forgot to take a full-length image!
I am so happy with this bustle. It doesn’t hide the lace, and it maintains the simple silhouette of the dress. It will also be easier for my mom and bridesmaids to bustle, which is great.
I am so glad that I took some time to think about this, and brought my mom in for a second opinion. Don’t rush on your bustle if you aren’t happy with it! I’m so glad that I listened to my gut and tried other options.
What was the most difficult dress decision during your fitting?
|
Share this post: My First Fitting… Rushing the Bustle
I really like the complicated one, but YOU have to love it and feel comfortable with it!
My dress is going to be a bear to bustle, since the hem in front is assymetical, so the first point’ll start there!
I’m actually a fan of the more complicated one myself, but like magpie said… you have to be the happy one. The second option looks great too! Either way it will be lovely!
I do love the second one. I might have to save your picture so I can show my seamstress. The first one looks kind of Victorian. Also, I love the lace on your dress- it’s gorgeous!
I like the simple bustle that you came up with. It shows off the lace around the edge better, and I think it will create a much nicer silhouette!
Oh I lLOVE your dress. it looks so beautiful! I love the complicated one, but knowing me I would have gone with the similiar one. I don’t handle complication well:)
What designer made your dress? I’m on the look out for lace dresses 
Your dress is beautiful!
I am starting my fittings later this month, so I will have to ponder the bustle before I go. Thanks for the thought!
Your final bustle choice is beautiful. I like the simplicity of it, and the fact that it doesn’t look like you have a horse tail springing from your derriere!
My dress has more fabric on one side than the other due to gathering, so I’m hoping there’s still going to be a good way to bustle it. We’ll see!
Your dress is gorgeous!!!
I still am lost about the definition of a bustle.. so I don’t know what to look for 
I love the one you chose! How does it hook up - are there little buttons? I ask because it looks like they’re going to be right where you sit down!
I had one single button which hooked up my lacy train just above my bum.
I with you on the simplicity factor. I’m hoping whatever gown I end up deciding on I can just do a simple 1 or 2 button bustle.
I like both but I think Ill be doing a french bustle. My dress, like driftslikesmoke, has gathering from one side that leads to the other so Im interested to see how it will look with the bustle. One salon I asked told me they just did one and it had 20-30 points! Heres to hoping mine will be color coordinated
Your dress is lovely!
A tip of advice - how many points is your bustle? Your dress doesn’t seem too heavy, but if someone steps on it, if it is a singular point, it might break.
Another thing - I had a similar bustle on my dress and every time I turned while dancing I whomped my husband in the legs. He wasn’t expecting it, so it threw us both off beat. So maybe warn Mr. Taffy ahead of time!
Great choice!! and beautiful lace detailing!! but yeah, how will u sit without pulling??
Oh wow, you have some GORGEOUS lace and it’s hard to bustle that without hiding the detail! Your seamstress rocks!!
I agree with MissBean on the breaking part- so my advice is try it on one last time before you take it home and bustle it.
When I went in for my fitting and discussed the bustle the seamstress pinned it up- we agreed it was great and I didn’t want to get it dirty before the wedding so I just took it home. Well I didn’t realize that the dress still dragged on the floor a bit and it was stepped on quite a few times during the reception (and torn)- my MOH sewed it up right before cocktail hr ended and my DH stepped on it at the beginning of dinner again- I ended up holding the wrist loop later into the night to avoid more stepping and further tearing.
Gorgeous dress btw
Your dress reminds me of mine because I had lace detail at the bottom that I didn’t want to cover up either. And my bustle looked just like yours. And at my fittings it looked great. Then at my reception everytime I sat down it came undone, and almost everytime I started dancing it came undone too. It was terribly frustrating. My seamstress had done many wedding dresses before, but I was really disappointed that my bustle didn’t work well. So anyways my advice is to make sure your bustle secures really well before your wedding, instead of at your wedding like I did I ended up trying to safety pin it about 10 or so times, then just decided to use the wrist loop to hold it up for the last hour or so of the reception.
Love the simple bustle you came up with. I agree that the first one is a bit much. =]
i like your choice. keep the bustle plain and show off the lovely lace of your gown.
glad you got a bustle you like, and remember to get your mom/bridesmaids to practice!
@MagPie518: @liane4tino: Thanks, ladies! The first one is pretty, but I loved the simple look overall.
@Miss sea spray: The dress is Jasmine Couture style T834.
http://www.jasminebridal.com/J_1_1_1_1.aspx?sqno=JPN2008092510757&j_style_no=STYL20080821003&j_line_no=LINE20080821009&j_line_season=B
@LzzNYC: It is basically loops and buttons or hooks that are sewn onto your dress to bring the train up for the reception. Check out the wiki here on weddingbee!
@Ruby Slippers: @missbean: @DrDazey: @MrsF: @buttercup: I know there will be at least 3 points, but possibly 5, so hopefully that will hold the dress up. I believe that she will be putting round buttons on the train, with loops to hook. Hopefully that will be stronger than a hook / eye sort of thing. Thanks for the heads up about the trains falling, I will make sure to check it before I take the dress home! The lace is actually quite heavy.
@naangel55: Color coordinated, ha! That would be helpful. 
I really love french bustles, and was so surprised when it didn’t work out with mine!
@karilynn6: @janet: @BeachBrideT: @driftslikesmoke: @Amber1279: @Miss Peep Toe: @MightySapphire: @talymo: @Miss Quiche: Thanks! I am so excited to have it settled. Now we just have to work on that hem…
It’s gorgeous!!! I love how the bustle emphasizes the delicate quality of the lace.
Mrs. Taffy,
I just had a very similiar experience with my first fitting last weekend. I really prefer the simple bustle too.
Question: Did your seamstress say anything about fewer ‘points’ weighing down the lace and maybe falling
OR, having to hem the sides because they would be longer than the front?
Thanks!
@Mrs. Berry: My bustle had three points, and it did not weigh me down, or budge all evening! Some people that commented above were worried about the bustle falling out with only 3 points.
They just hemmed the front of the dress, I think… the sides were ok once the bustle was up. Good luck!
@Mrs. Berry: I should mention that my dress wasn’t hemmed at all in the photos above… they must have hemmed part of the sides, they look so long in the photo!
| Visit our sister sites | Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Fertile Thoughts Infertility Support |
Mrs. Taffy, Ann Arbor
Age and Occupation: 28, Color and Materials Designer
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Automotive Designer
Engagement Date: May 9, 2008
Wedding Date: May 2009
Blogging Since: September 14, 2008
Venue: University of Michigan Union
About Me: I’m a girl who is crazy about Mr. Taffy, sewing, dancing, almost all types of sweets, and our cute pet canaries. I dislike touching fuzzy fabric of any kind, eating somewhat squishy food, and Michigan winters. Mr. Taffy and I are having a blast planning our Ann Arbor wedding, and cannot wait to share our day with friends and family.
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 |
Latest Gallery Pics