A vintage long-sleeve gown, rebuilt as strapless
A vintage dress with long sleeves became a strapless gown, with the structure of the dress seen to so it held without them.
What was doneSandy Springs, Georgia
Custom Bridal Alterations & Restyling
Sometimes the gown is nearly right, and sometimes it needs to become a different dress. Adding sleeves, changing a neckline, rebuilding a mother’s gown for a daughter. This is the work Nina enjoys most, and the work that takes decades to do confidently.
Restyling a gown you already own
A gown can be changed far more than most brides expect. The limits are set by the seam allowances inside, the way the lace pattern runs, and how the bodice is structured, not by imagination. Nina will open the dress up, look at what is actually there, and tell you honestly what is possible.
- Adding sleeves. Long, cap, bishop, or illusion. Lace can often be sourced to match, or lifted from a hidden part of your own gown so the match is exact.
- Changing the neckline. Sweetheart to straight, plunging to modest, or adding an illusion panel.
- Changing the back. Adding a keyhole, lowering a back, or converting a zip to a corset lace-up, which also buys you sizing flexibility.
- Changing the silhouette. Removing volume from a ballgown, adding structure to a slip, reshaping a skirt.
- Adding pockets. Depends on the skirt seams, but often possible, and consistently the most-loved addition.
- Moving lace appliqué. Lifting motifs and re-placing them so a newly cut edge looks original.
Heirloom and vintage gowns
Wearing your mother’s or grandmother’s dress is one of the most meaningful things you can do on a wedding day, and one of the most technically demanding jobs a seamstress can be handed. Old fabric behaves differently. Thread weakens. Silk yellows. Seams that look sound can give way the moment tension goes through them.
Nina has worked on gowns older than most seamstresses have been sewing. She will assess the condition first and tell you plainly what state it is in, what it can take, and what would be a risk, before anyone commits to a plan.
Two gowns from one
A ceremony gown and a reception dress do not have to be two purchases. A detachable overskirt, a removable train, sleeves that come off after the ceremony, or shortening a gown for the reception can give you two looks from the dress you already love.
How custom work is priced
Custom work is quoted per project, because no two are the same. Nina looks at the gown, talks through what you want, and gives you a price before anything begins. Where a plan carries risk, say fragile fabric or an uncertain lace match, she will say so up front rather than discover it halfway through.
Evidence
This work, actually done
Lace added to a neckline that was cut too low
A gown the bride loved but did not feel covered in, brought up with lace and appliqué matched so closely that the change does not read as an alteration.
What was doneNina is the absolute BEST. I brought in a vintage dress and asked to turn a long sleeve dress into a strapless dress. She was able to go above and beyond by making sure the structure of the dress was well and to accomplish my wishes. So grateful to have found someone who was able to see my vision with my wedding dress! You ROCK Nina!
Nina does AMAZING work!!! The wedding dress I wanted was a little too low cut and I did not feel comfortable. Nina was able to add lace and appliqué to the dress to provide more coverage. Just looking at the dress you would never know that alterations were done because her work is so good. I LOVE the dress and now am feeling very comfortable and confident in walking down the aisle in a couple days. I would recommend Nina to everyone. She has a gift!
Questions
Custom & Restyling: what brides ask
Can you add sleeves or change the neckline?
Yes. Adding sleeves, illusion panels, straps or a different neckline is some of the work Nina enjoys most, and lace can often be sourced or lifted from elsewhere on your gown so it matches perfectly.
Can you alter my mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress?
Yes. Heirloom gowns are delicate. Fabric ages, thread weakens, and yellowing can need addressing before anything else. Nina has worked on gowns decades older than most seamstresses have been sewing. Bring it in and she will tell you honestly what condition it is in and what is realistic.
Can you add pockets to my wedding dress?
Often, yes. It depends on the skirt construction and where the seams fall. It is one of the most requested additions and one of the most satisfying.
Do you work on beaded and lace gowns?
Yes. Beading and lace are the reason many alterations shops turn a gown away. Beadwork is removed by hand, the seam is altered, and the beads are hand-sewn back so the pattern still reads as continuous. It takes time, and it is where decades of experience actually show.
Other things Nina does
Wedding Dress Alterations
Hem, bustle, bodice, straps, cups and lining. The full fit, done by the same hands from first pin to final press.
Custom Veils
Made by hand to match your gown: any length, any edge, lace lifted from your own dress if you want it.
Bridesmaid Dress Alterations
Group fittings, hems that match across the whole party, and every dress finished on the same schedule.
Let’s get your gown fitting properly.
Bring the dress and the shoes. Nina will tell you exactly what it needs and what it will cost, before anything is cut.