Caring for your wedding wardrobe
As we unpacked box after box of shiny, new bridesmaids’ dresses this week, we got to thinking about what happens to these beauties after they leave our showroom. We LOVE getting photos from our brides’ big days; seeing the dresses come to life and fit in with all of your other gorgeous wedding details. But what about before the wedding day? We realized that maybe it was time for a little crash course in “I just received my bridesmaid’s dress, now what??”
Just a small sampling of the dresses we unpack on a daily basis. Side bar, this is going to be one beautiful, blush bridal party!
So you pick up your dress, you’re all excited, and then you get it home and kinda freak out a little. This is a super important dress and you have to keep it safe and in perfect condition until the wedding day (which for some people is months away). Don’t panic, here’s what you do:
1) Try it on…ASAP! – We’re going to start off by saying that 99.9% of the time our dresses leave the store in perfect condition. However, there is that other 0.1% to consider. If you get your dress home and you think something isn’t quite right, we have to know about it right away. Most likely, it’s not an actual problem and we can talk you through it. In the event that there is a true issue, though, our designers will only consider fixing a dress if they know about the problem quickly. The longer it’s in your care, the more likely the problem occurred on your end, and the less likely they will be to remedy it.
2) Find your dress a home – Once you’ve tried your dress on and are happy with it, it needs a place to live. Find a nice, dark place (like the back of your closet) to keep it safe. Avoid anywhere that gets direct sunlight, as prolonged sun exposure overtime can affect the color slightly. Also, make sure the dress isn’t smashed/crushed; giving it ample space will avoid wrinkling. Last but not least, always keep your dress in the bag we provided it with!
3) Plan your tailoring – Most dresses will need some adjustments, so use this time to research where you want to take yours. Of course, Flair has a preferred, amazing tailor, but ultimately you can take your dress wherever you like. We strongly recommend choosing a reputable tailor with great reviews (ideally someone you know has used/loved them). Remember, the cheapest option is likely not the best option. This is not the place to cut corners!
4) Let out some steam – While many tailors will offer to steam your dress for you, it is likely to get a few wrinkles between pick up and the wedding day. See if the venue where you will be getting ready has a steamer on hand for last minute adjustments. If not, most dresses can be steamed in the bathroom during a nice, long, hot shower. Just avoid actual water contact with your dress; keep it far enough from the stream to just get a nice, little steam.
Perfect steaming form! Pull the fabric out and get the steamer close, but not touching the garment. Fab photo courtesy of Calvina Photography
See, nice and easy! If any other questions come up between pick up and the wedding, though, just reach out to Flair, we’re always here to help!
