Traditionally, a wedding dress was seen as a precious item that you wore for one day only before putting it in a box to safely stow away in the attic for future generations. Here recently, we’ve seen changing attitudes toward bridal gowns, from the “trash the dress” trend to wearing multiple looks on the big day to having several receptions in various locations depending on where family and friends live with looks to match. Nowadays, the tide toward wedding dresses is turning against the wear-it-once-and-done bridal gowns. With wedding season in full swing, let’s look at ways you can re-wear or re-use your wedding dress here this summer and in years to come.
One irrevocable way to extend the life of your wedding dress is by dying it. Taking your white dress and reinventing it as a pink, blue, yellow, or purple dress gives you a unique special occasion frock to wear as a guest at future weddings or for any black-tie affair. There are even specialized companies like Renegade Bridal that offer professional dying services for wedding gowns. I also love the idea of going in the complete opposite direction and dying your dress black or having an ombre effect created for some extra drama on a full, floor-length skirt. Depending on your fabric and embellishments, it’s definitely best to leave dye work to a professional. You may be able to get away with a DIY project only if your dress is a simple, minimal design made with natural fibers that are more absorbent and readily take to dye.
In addition to dying, you can also have your wedding dress altered to make it more wearable. Unlike alterations for the right fit, post-nuptial changes can range from shortening the skirt/removing the train, simplifying details like lace or beading, recutting the neckline, or even converting the overall dress into a matching set or separates of a top and skirt. There aren’t many times in life when a full gown is required, so you may find that hacking off the skirt to a midi or knee length can extend the life of your dress beyond your big day. A professional should again handle any further modifications. A seasoned seamstress will be able to help you reconfigure your dress and may even have ideas the on the best and most realistic redesigns.
Upcycling or repurposing your wedding dress is another option for getting more use out of your gown. Services like Unbox The Dress provide custom designs to transform your dress into a variety of alternative garments and items. You can have the filigree from your neckline applied to a handbag, have your train made into a table runner, take material from your dress, and have a christening gown fashioned. You can also create keepsakes, like ornaments, cufflinks, or jewelry. If you have an embroidered or detailed overlay or veil, consider applying that decoration over a more everyday garment, like a denim jacket or patchwork over a cardigan or t-shirt, for an eclectic nod to your daily uniform. But, be warned, upcycling/repurposing will involve major deconstruction of your dress. Sure, dying and alterations are also big changes, but the integrity of your original dress will be somewhat, if not completely, compromised.
If your big day was more on the casual side aesthetically speaking, and you donned a simple, non-floor length dress, you may be able to re-wear it without any changes to the color or silhouette. Style your wedding look as you would any little white dress. Flat sandals, tote bag, rounded sunnies, and a straw hat for summer days. Drape a cashmere sweater around your shoulders with pearls and pumps for a dressier feel. Contrast the romance of your frock with some cowboy boots and a denim jacket for afternoon adventuring come autumn — style with tights and a turtleneck for cold-weather wear. Don’t be afraid to experiment with layering, both under and over top of your dress, and feel free to dress things down with sneakers and simple accessories.
A growing number of brides are breaking with tradition by skipping the big white dress and buying dresses of all shapes, colors, and sorts with the intention of re-wearing them for future occasions. Designers like Simone Rocha and Erdem offer dresses just as romantic as the standard white gown but are much more versatile for re-wear while costing about the same as a bridal dress. And even if you do splurge on a designer, wear-again dress, you may still want to have it reworked or altered post-ceremony in order to wear it again. Whether you go with a big, poufy white gown or a fun and flirty number, for any alterations, try to have a solid vision of what you want before taking it to a professional. Communicate with your seamstress/dressmaker/dye service and be clear that they understand what you’re asking for. Check in with them as often as you feel comfortable doing so and have a clear plan of what they will do before color is applied or any seams are ripped. Your wedding gown should be a fairy tale dress on the day of and forever after, not a nightmare.
Speaking of nightmares, consider your dress for a costume! Vampire bride, Frankenstein’s bride, undead bride. You can re-wear your dress this Halloween with a wig and some spooky makeup; no alterations needed!
