Bustles in Dresses

Recently I did a wedding where the bride had a gorgeous Maggie Sottero dress. The bodice was beaded and the skirt was bubbles with accents of beading. After the ceremony and photo she was ready to dance at the reception. She asked me to bustle her dress and I gladly lifted up the upper part of the skirt and searched for loops and hooks. I didn't find any. I didn't find anything, no ribbons, no buttons, no threads, nothing. I simply asked the bride what seamstress she took her dress too and what alterations she had done. She explained to me she had them take in the neckline and hem the dress. I asked if the seamstress showed her how the bustle worked, she said No. I then had to ask if she had even talked to the seamstress about a bustle and she said "No, because this dress came with a bustle."

Brides please note wedding dresses do not usually come with a bustle built in. A few companies come with a "pick-up" or "American" bustle which consists of a button and a simple small thread. The thread is usually located down the middle seam of the skirt and simply loops around a button or hook at the bottom of the bodice.

from: www.infolizer.com
This is a bustle but not a reliable one. It easily falls and usually doesn't hold the weight of A-line skirt. Plus if you are wanting to dance it won't hold. If you opt for this bustle have it reinforced or other hooks added to give it a more elaborate look and it will hold thru your wedding.

from: southernweddings.com

The other most popular bustle is a french bustle. It is done by a series of loops hooks or ribbons located on the under skirt of the dress. It is not seen unless the outer skirt is lifted. A bridesmaid, planner, or dedicated friend needs to practice bustling the skirt in the proper way because it can get confusing if you don't know what you are doing. It is simple, some people just get overwhelmed when they see the loops and ribbons and don't know how they go. A full skirt, or A-line will definitely be the best kind of dress requiring this bustle. A seamstress will have to install this kind of bustle. It is sturdy and will hold no matter how much you dance.

from projectwedding.com

Which ever bustle you choose make sure it will hold up to your expectations!