Wedding Dress Bustles explained
It’s Thursday in my bridal studio and I am putting the finishing touches to one of my custom wedding dresses. The bustle is something I leave to the very end, as it’s important to create a bustle that flatters not only the dress but also the style of the bride. If you’re unsure of the different options available for your wedding dress, let me explain them for you along with their benefits.
How do I bustle my Wedding Dress
This is a question often asked by brides once the wedding dress has been collected, but it is worth knowing what your options are before you even begin your bridal journey. The bustle is the technique that lifts your train to floor height to allow you to move around and dance in a stress-free way! The style of your wedding dress, as well as the type of fabric used in your skirt, will play a huge role in deciding which style is right for you.
As there are so many different ways to bustle a wedding dress, each with its own benefits, I want to share with you what the most popular styles are:
- American Bustle (over-bustle)
- French Bustle (under-bustle)
- Ballroom Bustle
- Bow Bustle
- Royal/Victorian Bustle
- The Austrian Bustle
Bustles and how they’re made
The American or over-bustle is the most traditional type of bustle. The train is folded up and secured to the back of the dress with buttons, bows, or other decorative elements. This style is easy to put on and take off, and it’s a good choice for dresses with a lot of detail in the train.
The French or under-bustle is similar to the over-bustle, but the train is folded up and secured underneath the dress. This style is less bulky than the over-bustle, and it’s a good choice for dresses with a lot of movement.
The Ballroom bustle is created by folding the train up underneath the skirt and securing it to the back of the dress with buttons or bows. This style is a good choice for dresses with a lot of volume in the train and if you do not want the bustle to be obvious.
The Bow bustle is perfect if you have a bow or sash at the back of your waistline and creates an elegant but dramatic look to your dress. The fabric is ruched up on to the waistline by 2 -3 points, lifting the train hemline to floor level.
The Royal or Victorian bustle is tied up in a similar way to the Ballroom bustle but usually with a few cascading layers created by hooks/ties underneath the skirt. It creates an actual feature of the otherwise plain train. This is ideal for plain fabrics, to add the extra detail for the after party.
The Austrian bustle is created by gathering the train in the centre and securing it to the back of the dress with buttons or bows. This style is a good choice for dresses with a lot of detail in the train.
3 benefits of a bustle
- It’s more comfortable, allowing you to walk around and dance the night away with the train of your skirt lifted off the floor.
- The bustle will protect your dress from being damaged or soiled more than it needs to be.
- It can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your wedding dress or even create a whole new look for the reception.
If you get to the end of this article and decide that you just don’t like any of the bustle options, but really want the drama of a long train then I would suggest that you go for a removable Overskirt with a long train. This will allow you to remove the entire overskirt for your grand entrance into the reception and your first dance. Overskirts are also great paired with a pair of elegant trousers or a sassy little mini skirt.
If you get to the end of this article and decide that you just don’t like any of the bustle options, but really want the drama of a long train then I would suggest that you go for a removable Overskirt with a long train. This will allow you to remove the entire overskirt for your grand entrance into the reception and your first dance. Overskirts are also great paired with a pair of elegant trousers or a sassy little mini skirt.
I hope that this has helped clarify what a bustle is and the best one for you. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me on my socials @jrwbridal if you need more clarification on the BEST one for you!
Till next month, stay true to yourself and love the ones you’re with!
With love, Jo xx