Ahhh, the age old question. To petticoat or not to petticoat. Let's start with the basics, first. Strut carries three kinds of slips or petticoats to wear under your wedding dress: ball gown, a line, and mermaid. The primary reason to wear a slip under your wedding gown is to give the dress the shape or fullness it's supposed to have. It also helps prevent the "bridal wedgie", that dip of fabric between your legs when you walk down the aisle. Not hot, ladies, not hot.
If you want your wedding dress to look the same way it does on the model in the magazine ad or on their website, you will probably need to add a petticoat. Also, some brides just want a fuller look to their gown, even if it already has several layers of tulle.
Having said all of those great things about slips under your wedding dress, we also have to tell you the not-so-great thing: it adds warmth. Yes, it might make you hot. So it's a personal thing. Is looking super awesome worth getting a little warm for? It's like asking are stilettos worth the aching feet? Oh heck yes! (But just in case, I usually carry flip flops in my handbag–and you can take the slip off after photos.)
But don't just take my word for it. Take a look at the photos. I took one picture of an Allure ball gown wedding dress WITHOUT the slip:
And it's ok, right? But then check out the photo WITH the ball gown slip:
And isn't that way better? Some wedding dresses pool or puddle under the extra fabric in a full skirt without the extra oopmh that a petticoat gives them. Look at the difference in the shape of the gown!
Some brides may fear that a slip gives them extra bulk in an area they don't need more cushion. To that we usually say two things:
- When you define your waist (and hips, like this one), everyone just thinks it's the dress that's full, not your hips.
- That's why we can try two different slips. A line wedding dress slips start the tulle around the lower thigh or knee area. Ball gown petticoats have tulle that starts at the waist/hips. So if you're really concerned about adding bulk to your hips, just try the a line slip.
And if you think the difference between slip and no slip is dramatic under the wedding dress above, wait 'til I show you on a mermaid gown!
Anyway, don't worry about the slip. When you come in shopping at our Los Angeles area wedding dress store or in Phoenix, we'll talk to you about your different options and try your favorite wedding dress on with and without one. See you in the store!
What petticoat should i wear if my dress was irregular length? Knee length infront and full length at the back?
It depends – with a hi-low wedding gown if you leave it long in the back you’ll be able to see it from the front. I recommend taking it to your seamstress with the dress to see if you like that look or would prefer to have it hemmed all one length!