How to fix my wedding dress?

[RosieAngel]

My wedding dress has an organza overlay that got ripped in the back near one of the bustle points in the back, and a looooooong strip parallel to the hem :sob: while I was dancing at my wedding. Is there any way I can have the dress repaired?

I know it's after the wedding, so I really shouldn't care, but looking at the garment bag just makes me sad!

[rockchalkchick]

If the organza fabric itself has torn, there's not going to be a lot of ways to fix it that will look appropriate. Torn-out seams can be easily replaced, but a tear in the middle of a piece of fabric requires a new seam and/or a patch to put the two back together. Especially with sheer fabrics, a new seam is going to add an opaque layer where there wasn't one before, which will draw attention to the repaired area.

Given that these tears were a result of the wedding, I'd think about considering them reminders of the fun you had that night and just consider that you won't be wearing the dress again. However, if you're planning to donate the dress or hope that someone else may be able to wear it, or plan to wear it at a future anniversary, or whatever you may want to do that warrants repair, here's my thoughts:

Depending on the dress, there's a few things you could do. If it's got a pickup skirt or a fair bit of ruching/gathering near the bustle tear, you might be able to add a small seam at that point, probably tacking the overlay down to the lining for support (if it tore once, it'll tear again if you wear it). Near the hem (and the bustle if it's just sheer), the tricky part will be to keep the integrity of the line without causing opacity. You can try laying the two pieces side-by-side without overlapping, and use an invisible seam with strong clear thread (best would be to do a "whipstitch" across the tear with clear nylon filament), keeping the two sides of the tear parallel but not on top of each other. Keep in mind that the tension must be kept light, since any puckering's going to highlight the spot. If this were pre-wedding or you were planning to loan/donate/sell your dress to someone else, I might suggest a lace applique or some other detailed add-on that would cover the tear, depending on how wide/long it is.

Hope this helps!