Image via In Style
Choosing to wear your mother’s wedding dress for your big day is not only one of the most meaningful ways to express your gratitude and love to her, but there are also so many great benefits behind it. One of the biggest advantages in choosing to do this is the amount of time and money you save. When you start to think about all the shopping trips, fittings, several alteration costs, and the amount of time and money taken to find your dream dress, it seems like a no brainer to just borrow your mother’s wedding dress.
You might be thinking: But what about my personal style? We’re not going to lie here, there is a high chance that your mother’s wedding dress will look very outdated and just generally out of fashion to you! Luckily, there are so many ways to make your mother’s wedding dress suit your style and personality, just talk to her about it first to make sure she’s on board with the idea! So whether you’re choosing to wear her dress for sentimental or thrifty reasons, here are some great ideas on how to make her dress adaptable to your tastes:
Dye it
A couple of trends that are growing more and more popular are the dip-dye and ombré wedding dresses. Dyeing your mother’s dress can instantly make it look more contemporary and fashionable, and there are so many DIY tutorials available if you choose to do it at home. Of course, you can also ask a professional to do it for you or even hire a designer to help you create a truly one-of-a-kind dress.
Change the neckline
Whether you want to show off your shoulders by choosing a sweetheart neckline, or you prefer something trendy and would like to have an off-shoulder style, something as simple as changing the dress neckline can really make a huge difference!
Add Embellishment
If you find your mother’s wedding dress to be too plain or simple, a great option is to add some embellishment to it. Maybe you’d like to add some sequins and beads to the bodice or make the lace sleeves look more elegant by adding some crystals. Whatever you decide to add, embellishing it can really transform the dress into something more suitable for your style.
Get rid of excess fabric
If your mother got married in the ‘80s, there’s a high chance that her wedding dress will probably have an abundance of fabric from shoulder pads to the skirt. You don’t want to look like you’re competing with your wedding cake, and that’s totally understandable! If you decide to do this, ask your local seamstress to dig through all that excess fabric (before asking Mom, of course!) and you’ll both be surprised with what you may end up with.
Alter it completely
http://www.instyle.com/news/instyle-editor-i-reworked-my-mothers-wedding-gown-and-wore-it-my-rehearsal-dinner
If none of the above options appeal to you, you could just ask Mom for permission to completely alter her dress. This can mean a lot of things, from completely redesigning it into something else to taking it apart and using the material to make something new. Whatever you decide, always let Mom know first (after all, it is her dress!) and you’ll be on your way to the wedding dress of your dreams, without all the added costs.