Key Takeaway
Wedding dress bustles easily hem a train after the ceremony so a bride can seamlessly move among guests and dance into the night. Three bustle styles are commonly created by seamstresses to achieve this effect.
If you’ve always dreamed of wearing a gown with a long train down the aisle, you’ll need to become well-acquainted with wedding dress bustles. A bustle is a system added to a gown in the alteration process that allows you to hem your dress in minutes to reduce the length of a long train. Brides who plan to wear their wedding dress past the ceremony often opt to add a bustle to their gown so they can easily move through the party without the dress getting damaged or having guests stop you in your tracks by stepping on your train.
As someone who had their own wedding dress bustled, I’m well aware it isn’t the simplest process. They often come with sheets of visual instructions, require time out of your schedule, and also need a helping hand to put into place on the day of. However, the results are worth it. My long train that created drama in the ceremony was transformed into a tailored hem that had me cruising around cocktail hour without the fear of being jolted backwards by a wary shoe.
Considering giving your gown a midday hem? Ahead, we break down everything you need to know about wedding dress bustles, from common types to what to do if it breaks on the dance floor.
What Is a Wedding Dress Bustle?
A wedding dress bustle is a system added to a gown made up of hooks, buttons, ribbons, or loops that lifts up fabric of a skirt. This movement of the fabric can shorten a hemline and secure a train so someone can easily move about without tripping or having extra fabric dragging on the ground. These are often added within the alterations process by a tailor and are customized to the height of the dress wearer.
How to Choose the Right Type of Bustle
Just as there are multiple wedding dress silhouettes, there are also a few bustle styles to fit these gowns. “We often say that the dress sometimes dictates the bustle,” shares Melissa Lynn Oddo, owner and master seamstress of bridal alterations studio deMelis Atelier. “Factors that go into what bustles look best are a person’s height, the gown materials, layers, and length of train.” In the end, choosing a wedding dress bustle comes down to what works best for the bride and their dress. She continues, “I typically show my clients each style and have them choose, explaining the pros and cons as we go.”
Common Types of Wedding Dress Bustles
French Bustle
Photo: Calenrose
