All About Bustles

Bustles are added to a gown to make it easier to walk and move around in post-ceremony. We love a good dramatic train, but they quickly become cumbersome and hard to walk in once you’re ready to celebrate with your guests. Bustling allows you to remain in your gorgeous extravagant gown AND have the freedom to move around and dance the night away! They can come in the form of buttons, hooks, or ribbons.
Every dress requires a unique bustling system that works with the elements of the garment such as train length, number of layers, and material. This is why online tutorials can’t be relied on - bustling is not one size fits all. During your fittings at Alteration Atelier, we will teach you exactly how your unique bustle works. At your third fitting, we will make a comprehensive video tutorial to set you up for success on your special day.
Yes! different dresses can implement different bustle techniques and can look vastly different from each other. At your fittings, we will see what bustle type is best for your gown, and if there are multiple options we will go through them with you.
In the case that a bustle is torn or comes off a dress, do not worry. It means your dress is not severely damaged! This simple mishap can be fixed by using a 1 inch safety pin to connect the original bustle points in the skirt.
We completely understand loving your long train or skirt and wanting to show it off the entire day, but keep in mind that all that extra length is difficult to maneuver and prone to being stepped on. Most brides bustle their dresses after photos and before cocktail hour so they have the freedom to move around and enjoy the rest of the celebration. We will install a bustling system in your gown so you will have the option, and the decision is yours on your day!