Post # 1

Member
57 posts
Worker bee
I bought a beautiful preowned wedding dress. It has a sleeveless silk bodice with a an illusion back. Its drop waist poofs out into 13 layers tulle with a crinoline underneath and then a silky skirt. The gown is in need of cleaning and needs repair/removal (preferably replacement) of the two top layers of tulle. I know this might be costly but I am in love with this dress. Please help! Need advice.
Post # 3

Member
625 posts
Busy bee
Well, if the tulle has wholes in it I would def suggest you just remove them. Tulle is pretty much impossible to repair and when it is repaired it is obvious and looks horrible, impo. If you have 13 layers of tulle I would imagine it won’t hurt you too badly to loose the top two. And if you feel like it’s not puffy enough afterwards you could probably just have 2 more layers added to the bottom. This is assuming there is not beading on your top layer of tulle. It’s alway horrible to get wholes in the skirt of a heavily beaded layer of tulle.
As for cleaning… what kind of "dirt" is on the dress? The funny thing about formals is that the hardest thing in the world to get out of them is actual dirt. Like drug on the ground, soiled bottom, dirt. There’s a trick for almost every thing else. I’ve seen my aunt (who owns a consigment formal shop) take a dirty dress and hang it with the skirt laying in the tub with some oxi-clean. She just let it soak there and then hung it high over the tub to drip dry.
This may be something you’re not willing to risk and I wouldn’t blame you. In order to find a proffessional cleaner with the ability to safely handle something like this I would ask the local shops. They can give you an idea where they might send thier own merchandse. Think boutique style shops.
Unfortuneatley I’m from another area so I can’t get you an actual name but make sure you ask around and talk to the proprieter before entrusting your dress. Make sure they sound knowledgeable and they can garuntee not to ruin your dress.
Good luck.
If you have any Q’s feel free to pm me.