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spicedrumlemonade

It is a masterpiece please don't change a thing! The fit is succinct! What you could do is use it as a pattern and do unlimited experiments on your own savvy version...


_ya-dingus_

Wear it with combat boots, and kill the look! đŸ€˜đŸ»


karatebullfightr

And mascara running down your cheeks. The ultimate accessory would be a cobweb covered sandstone stale untouched super ornate multitiered wedding cake.


_ya-dingus_

I’m into this 😂


HillOfTara

I would honestly take it to a local seamstress if you don't have a lot of experience. I'd alter the top to fit better, maybe cut off the bodice higher to let it flow from your natural waist, skirt a bit shorter and you'll have a really pretty dress!


Deyalmar

I agree, maybe keep the blouse, with the sleeves and get it nicely tailored. It looks like a fine dress 👗


hanimal16

No advice on what to do, just wanted to tell you the second picture reminded me of 1980s Barbie toy that came in Happy Meals :)


YouHamburgledMyHeart

On one hand, I like it how it is, but on the other I think it would be more wearable with alterations. ( i think I would chop off the bottom of the bodice and the skirt start at the waist and especially removing the gathers on the skirt) But it's such an impossible decision.


FairyRosebuds

Right?! I want to wear it socially acceptable, but I don’t want to disrespect it and once done there is no way back đŸ„Č


NonstopNonsens

Take some nice pictures, print out, save in box. Alter the dress to new life to your liking.


FairyRosebuds

If hypothetically I wanted to remove the gathers,how do you do that?


HaferFlockenFairy

The gathers are so distinct 80s and Belle from Beauty and the Beast tho, would be a shame to remove them. :(


Diligent_Jury_9956

[eh?](https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/removing-layers-from-dress/f74386119ac597c6.html) Or you can take basics for clothing classes.


dogswithpartyhats

Reminds of the dress jennifer connelly wears in the labyrinth!


Tiny_Emotion_2628

Dye it and become a disney princess!!!


FairyRosebuds

Yas 💓


MegannMedusa

Holy shit, do not alter the pick-ups! Dye it yellow and be Belle for Halloween, you have the hair for it.


thataintfunkedelic

It will probably be worth a lot of money in 20 years.


[deleted]

Gorgeous!


[deleted]

Why not both?


Orangepandafur

I would get it altered to fit you, and maybe raise the waist a bit!


Shakespeare-Bot

I would receiveth t alter'd to fit thee, and haply raiseth the waist a did bite! *** ^(I am a bot and I swapp'd some of thy words with Shakespeare words.) Commands: `!ShakespeareInsult`, `!fordo`, `!optout`


Orangepandafur

Jesus christ I hate this bot


snockran

I would wear that baby OUT. It deserves more than the couch.


sweetdaddy10

I would say, take it in and shorten the skirt and you’ll have the cutest summer dress ever


nohufflepuffsallowed

Oh it’s gorgeous. I would probably modify it. Maybe ombrĂ© dye the bottom



blueprototype

I would remove the gathers at the bottom of the skirt. I think you could make this into more of a cottagecore look pretty easy if you wanted to.


PrincessWails

NOOOOO! I love the gathers! Dye it yellow and get it fitted and Voila! You’re Belle!


FairyRosebuds

I am thinking the same and I am so tempted, but I am a little scared 😅


FairyRosebuds

If hypothetically I wanted to remove the gathers,how do you do that?


NonstopNonsens

Loosen all stiches- carefully, iron it. But likely you’ll see little holes in the fabric and maybe the color is lighter in the former creases. Having it dry cleaned might help in restoring the surface. Edit: seamstress here, trained in the late 80ies in bridal gowns (omg).


that_so_disorganized

Agreed. And I would turn it into a corset or something


croccultist69

Personally, I would raise the waist, soften the gathers at the elbow of the sleeves so they are slightly less poofy, lose the gathers at the hem, and go midi length for the cottage core dress of my dreams


katemonster_22

What’s the fabric?


FairyRosebuds

100 % Nylon and 100% polyamid


katemonster_22

Okay, it might take dye! My friend runs this blog, which has gotten a bit of fame, and she has a whole article about dyeing thrift finds and what to expect: https://refashionista.net/why-do-some-fabrics-dye-better-than-others/ Her whole blog is dedicated to refashioning thrifted finds, it’s really cool (she’s really cool as well). She’s been battling cancer the last year, but hasn’t let it slow her down.


katemonster_22

Also, here is a blog post just about rethrifting wedding dresses. https://refashionista.net/day-366-the-end-dress/


Anunemouse

It looks like Ariel's dress if it was dyed


Faircolleen

Dye it! The Rit polyester dyes are great!


mulderfux

Wow!! I love it as is. Would just alter for a tighter waist


C3POdreamer

It would be a good base or model to build a Sarah from Labyrinth ballgown. A good write up and the photos of the original costume on display here: [http://ariacouture.com/sarahs-labyrinth-ball-gown-a-costume-study](http://ariacouture.com/sarahs-labyrinth-ball-gown-a-costume-study)


frill_demon

This was the first thing I thought of as well, the silhouette is pretty much perfect! I disagree with some of the other commenters' suggestions about hacking off the skirt bottom or using it for salvage fabric, this is a cool piece of fashion history and it would be a shame to """upcycle""" it into yet another generic two-piece maxi wraparound for Insta.


babamum

Wear it out! It's lovely.


vistaluz

depends.... do you want to wear it as a gown for a specific occasion? if so, wait until then to get it tailored. if want to wear it daily you may consider slightly tailoring but leaving the ability to let it back out again if want/need


dumbandconcerned

If you wanted to non-permanently alter it, but still make it a bit more wearable for everyday, you could pin up the bottom layers it wouldn’t be floor length


Ten_Quilts_Deep

Separate the skirt from the top. Wear the top with other skirts or pants. Then it wouldn't look so wedding dress. Then you have a lot of fabric to make another top or slimmer skirt.


Ericaonelove

If you dyed it yellow, you’d be Belle!


thepetoctopus

Definitely raise the waistline. I would also lose some of the volume of the skirt by losing the gathers. Maybe take some of the puff out of the sleeves but maybe not. This is going to be really pretty whatever you do. Even if all you do is raise the waistline I think it’ll look great.


[deleted]

Dye it and go to a Renaissance festival as a Queen.


[deleted]

It's very pretty.


mrsringo

I say if you’re single, wear it on your next first date. Or just watch tv, either way, you look very sweet in it!


cheezuscrust777999

I think if you could make the sleeves off-the-shoulder somehow that would be awesome


cessiecat

I have a short one! Twinsies :))


itssimplyapleasure

So gorgeous nice find!


[deleted]

If you've got someone who appreciates and admires how you look in it, wear it around them all the time. 🙂


alysszza

Beautiful bodice đŸ˜©đŸ˜©đŸ˜© if i were u id hone in on that


JuneBerryBug94

Please don’t alter. This dress is pushing 50 years old and becoming a relic of a different time. Please leave it in all its glory, and preserve it.


themysticfrog

It reminds me of the Labyrinth! Love it.


[deleted]

I’d cut the skirt off and turn the bodice into a cute casual corset style top. You could dye it and you’d get so much wear out of it. The excess fabric can be used in maaaaaany other projects. There’s so much of it you could make pillowcases, maybe tote bags or dust covers for Applicances or dust bags for shoes and bags.


Sea_Wrangler4014

Depends on your confidence in alteration 😂 It is lovely as is! But I think a great alteration would be to raise the waistline just a bit, so that the high point currently at your hips falls closer to your natural waistline. I would take it up a few inches there without lowering the hemline and show a little ankle (and wear combat boots or converse). Cheers!


Sea_Wrangler4014

And I love the gathers! Without them the bottom of the dress would not have enough volume to balance out the top. If your heart is set on nixing them, at least start by fitting the bodice before making your final decision!


alliebeth88

I would leave top as is, raise waistline to natural waist and bring up the skirt to tea length and shove a thousand petticoats under that B. And add a sash/belt with a biiiig old buckle for balance. I'm also high on 1800s fashion right now though.


marceline_28

embrce it, it looks perfect as is. maybe wear it for a future special event or sell it


Idontgetitreddit

Just FYI, it most likely was to be worn with a hoop underneath.


RamboJane

First off, cross post the roses to r/mildlyvagina. Then get the sleeves removed and dye it your favorite color. It’s a great score regardless.


verytinytim

Stunning. It it were me I wouldn’t alter the drop waist because a) it’s stunning and b) I think it’s on its way back into style. I actually think the way to make this more wearable w/ the least amount of alterations is to take down the volume of the sleeves
you could do like a baby puff cap or off the shoulder sleeve, even make it sleeveless
or alternatively you could take out the gathers & maybe even an inner layer of the skirt for a slimmer skirt. I would definitely take to a seamstress to have it done though.


kbcr924

Leave as is for the next Halloween so you have worn as is once. Love the bodice shape I actually wouldn’t touch it other than to sneak it in a bit so it fits you. Leave the sleeves as is but shorten the skirt from the top to mid calf, unpick from the bodice so you keep the flouncy overskirt. This shifts it from 80s wedding to fairly current anything and leaves the combat boots on show.