There's no denying a vintage wedding dress's allure, what with its air of nostalgia and classic beauty that newer gowns can't quite match.
Whether inherited from a relative or purchased secondhand, vintage wedding dresses can become cherished heirlooms or unique keepsakes. However, as time passes, these fine garments can become worn and faded, requiring special care to restore them to their former splendour.
This article will explore the fascinating niche industry of restoring and cleaning vintage wedding gowns. From fine lace to satin and silk, we'll delve into the methods restorers use to breathe new life into these heirlooms.
Learn the ins and outs of vintage wedding dress preservation and restoration so that today's brides can celebrate their heritage on their wedding day without sacrificing style.
Problems With Vintage Wedding Gowns
Common problems with vintage wedding gowns include:
- Turning yellow from a white or cream colour.
- Subverted integrity of the fabric (rips, tears, etc.).
- Broken zipper, missing sequins, etc.
- Badly sized.
- Smelly or wrinkly skin.
Restoring A Wedding Gown To Pass Down To Future Generations
Many clients come to us to restore a wedding gown for sentimental reasons. They don't have any plans for the dress at the moment, but they do want their daughters and granddaughters to be able to treasure it as part of the family and, if they so choose, wear it again at a future wedding.
They realise that if they don't take action now, it could be many years before the dress can be salvaged from the rot and decay that has set into the fabric.
1. Wearing A Vintage Wedding Dress As Fashion
Wedding dress trends come and go just like any other aspect of the fashion industry. It seems that every 10–20 years, everything from plunging necklines and lumpy sleeves to high-going-to-waste empire cuts makes a comeback on the spring runway.
Many brides who have found their wedding gowns in boutique consignment shops, thrift shops, or online have sent them to us for restoration. The wedding gown has no initial personal significance beyond its ability to reflect the style.
2. Honouring A Loved One With A Vintage Family Wedding Dress
The sentimental value of re-wearing a vintage wedding dress that someone you care about wore on their most precious day in the past adds to the dress's elegant and chic retro aesthetic.
While it's becoming increasingly common to wear a family heirloom wedding dress again, there are a few things you ought to understand before you start digging through your attic.
3. Wedding Dress Re-Wearing For Vow Renewal
It's a special treat to wear your wedding dress again, whether for a renewal of vows to commemorate a milestone anniversary or a smaller, more intimate ceremony because your original wedding plans fell through.
We have restored hundreds of wedding gowns for use in vow renewal ceremonies. Our Wedding Gown Clean-Only KitTM with restoration service can help restore your dress to its original brilliance and beauty.
A Vintage Wedding Dress Maintenance Guide And What To Avoid
This huge and annoying change in our lives has also made us realise we must clean the house, which we've been putting off for years. Many people have been asked to decide what to do with a vintage wedding dress belonging to a family member as they clean out closets, attics, underground bunkers, and garages.
Our professional wedding dress restoration service has seen a dramatic uptick in demand as more and more people value preserving this special moment. If you haven't already decided to pass down your wedding dress to the next generation, we've compiled some helpful hints for keeping your vintage gown in pristine condition until it can be expertly restored.
Tip 1 – Avoid Cleaning Your Vintage Wedding Dress
It's a phone call that happens far too frequently. Someone close to you has probably tried to bleach your grandmother's wedding dress with regular soap, bleach, and other household chemicals.
When the garment is hung to dry, the wearer notices that the fabric has become hard and brittle, and in some cases, the wearer may even be left with fabric lint on their hands.
Don't try to clean and restore your grandmother's wedding gown. If you want to preserve your dress so that future generations can wear it, it's best to have a professional restore it rather than try it yourself.
Did you know that your old wedding dress goes through up to twenty checks regarding our restoration services? The restoration team can then use what they learn from the analysis to devise a special way to fix your old dress and bring it back to its former glory.
Tip 2 – Avoid Bright Light On Your Vintage Wedding Dress
It's widely believed that only ultraviolet light (like sunlight) can damage fabrics, but this is not the case. Fabrics can deteriorate over time when exposed to visible light, including fluorescent, LED, and incandescent bulbs.
Avoiding exposure to ultraviolet light is essential because it is the most harmful of the common wavelengths. Because of this, you should keep your antique dress in a location, like the guest bedroom closet, that doesn't get as much light as other rooms in your house.
Choose a restoration service with a viewing window with a UV-filtering preservation chest if you want to show off your vintage wedding dress to friends and family.
Tip 3 – Smell Your Dress... We're Serious
Strange as it may seem, the scent of your vintage wedding gown can provide valuable information about the condition of the fabric after years of storage. If there is one odour you absolutely must not pick up on, it's a "funky" or musty one.
This should serve as a warning sign and indicate that mould spores are wreaking havoc on the fine fabrics of your dress and can only be removed by having it professionally cleaned.
The most common cause of a vintage dress being beyond repair by even the best garment conservator is mould growth. Mould spores can cause irreparable fabric rot in the fibres of your dress instead of leaving unsightly stains on it.
Tip 4 – Store Your Vintage Wedding Dress Comfortably
Let us define "comfortable" for you. What we mean is that you should store your heirloom wedding gown in a climate-controlled space.
Your wedding dress should be stored in your main bedroom closet or an acid-free wedding dress preservation box placed under your bed if you found it while cleaning out only a chest in the attic.
For several reasons, you should keep your vintage clothing in a climate-controlled storage unit.
- Keeping your vintage dress in a cool, dry place at home will extend its life. Textile fibres are particularly vulnerable to damage and brittleness in environments with fast temperature changes, such as an attic or garage.
- Keeping your vintage gown in a cool, dry spot at home will extend its life.
- Why this is so important will be explained in our third recommendation.
- A filtration element in the HVAC system that controls the temperature in this room also gets rid of dust, pollen, and mould spores, which are common allergens.
- To protect your garment from pests like mice, carpet mealybugs, silverfish, and clothing moths, hang it up in a cool, dark, and comfortable area of your home.
- You should expect less damage in these areas of your home in the event of a "natural disaster" such as a fire or flood.
Tip 5 – Avoid Plastic Or Untreated Cardboard Boxes For Vintage Gowns
Avoid storing your delicate wedding dress in a cardboard box or plastic dry cleaning bag at all costs. For long-term preservation of textiles, acid-free storage boxes are the way to go, according to the nation's top conservators.
Dresses stored in plastic for long periods can absorb the chemicals released as the plastic degrades. The same goes for cartons, as the chemicals used in their production will eventually seep through your dress if they come into contact.
To preserve the fabric of your vintage wedding dress from harmful environmental factors like aerosol cleaning solutions and other common household chemicals, it is essential to store it in an acid-free container. If you expose your wedding dress to these chemicals, the fabric will break down and turn yellow faster.
Should You Try To Restore Your Wedding Dress As A Do-It-Yourself Project?
Restoring an old shoe pair or refinishing an antique chair are two examples of do-it-yourself restoration projects that can be aided by a video tutorial found on YouTube. However, despite its sentimental value, restoring a vintage wedding dress is not a project you should attempt alone.
There are a lot of things that can go wrong when you try to restore your wedding dress, and many of them are permanent. Unfortunately, inexperienced dry cleaners, even those who claim to offer wedding dress restoration services, can ruin your dress.
Our experts have carefully restored wedding gowns to their former glory using cutting-edge restoration technology and museum-quality identification and cleaning procedures for delicate fabrics. If you decide to use any other service, you are taking a huge risk that could ruin your vintage wedding dress.
What Is The Average Lifespan Of A Professionally Restored Wedding Gown?
We offer a 100-year warranty, the longest in the industry, beginning when your restored gown is returned to your doorstep. This contrasts with the typical "lifetime guarantee" other restoration companies offer.
Restoring your grandmother's wedding gown at 40 will ensure it remains free of yellowing and stains for the next 140 years!
We guarantee that your restored gown will not be yellow or stained for at least 100 years, but it can be re-restored after that if necessary so that it can be passed down and enjoyed for another century.
Conclusion
Whether inherited or purchased secondhand, vintage wedding dresses can become cherished heirlooms or unique keepsakes. However, as time passes, these fine garments can become worn and faded, requiring special care to restore them to their former splendour. This article explores the niche industry of restoring and cleaning vintage wedding gowns, from fine lace to satin and silk.
Common problems with vintage wedding gowns include turning yellow from white or cream, subverted fabric integrity, broken zippers, missing sequins, and badly sized and wrinkly skin. Many clients come to us for sentimental reasons, wanting their daughters and granddaughters to treasure the dress as part of the family and wear it again at a future wedding.
Wearing a vintage family wedding dress adds to its elegant and chic retro aesthetic. While it's becoming increasingly common to wear a vintage family heirloom wedding dress again, it's important to understand the importance of preserving it for future generations.
A vintage wedding dress maintenance guide and what to avoid include avoiding cleaning your dress, as it can become hard and brittle when hung to dry. Instead, have a professional restore it, as your old dress goes through up to twenty checks during restoration services.
To preserve your vintage wedding dress, avoid bright light and mould spores and store it in a climate-controlled space. Exposure to visible light, such as fluorescent, LED, and incandescent bulbs, can damage fabrics over time. Keep your dress in a location with less light, such as the guest bedroom closet, and choose a restoration service with a UV-filtering preservation chest.
Smell your dress, as it can provide valuable information about its condition. A "funky" or musty odour indicates mould growth, which can cause irreparable fabric rot. Store your dress in a cool, dry place at home to protect it from pests like mice, carpet mealybugs, silverfish, and clothing moths.
Avoid storing your dress in plastic or untreated cardboard boxes for long-term preservation. Acid-free storage boxes are the best for long-term preservation of textiles. Plastic and cardboard boxes can absorb chemicals released by plastic degrading, causing the fabric to break down and turn yellow faster.
Restoring your wedding dress as a DIY project is not recommended, as it can be risky and can be ruined by inexperienced dry cleaners. We offer a 100-year warranty on professionally restored wedding gowns, ensuring they will not be yellow or stained for at least 100 years. However, they can be re-restored if necessary.
Content Summary
- Common issues include turning yellow from white or cream, subverted fabric integrity, broken zippers, missing sequins, badly sized, and wrinkly skin.
- Many clients come to us for sentimental reasons, wanting their daughters and granddaughters to treasure it as part of the family.
- Restoration is often necessary to prevent the dress from rot and decay.
- Wedding dress trends change every 10-20 years, and many brides send their gowns for restoration.
- The wedding gown has no initial personal significance beyond reflecting the style.
- The sentimental value of re-wearing a vintage wedding dress adds to its elegant and chic retro aesthetic.
- Many wedding gowns have been restored for use in vow renewal ceremonies.
- Our Wedding Gown Clean-Only KitTM with Restoration service can restore your dress to its original brilliance and beauty.
- Avoid cleaning your vintage wedding dress, which can become hard and brittle.
- Professional restoration is recommended for preserving your dress for future generations.
- Your old wedding dress goes through up to twenty checks during restoration services.
- UV light, including fluorescent, LED, and incandescent bulbs, can damage fabrics over time.
- Keep your dress in a location with less light, like the guest bedroom closet.
- Choose a restoration service with a UV-filtering preservation chest for a more visible display.
- The scent of your vintage wedding dress can indicate the condition of the fabric.
- A "funky" or musty odour should be avoided as it indicates mould spores wreaking havoc on the fabric.
- Mould growth is the most common cause of a vintage dress being beyond repair.
- Store your heirloom wedding dress in a climate-controlled space.
- Keep your dress in a cool, dry place at home to extend its life.
- Protect your garment from pests like mice, carpet mealybugs, silverfish, and clothing moths.
- Avoid storing your dress in a cardboard box or plastic dry cleaning bag.
- Store your dress in an acid-free container to preserve the fabric from harmful environmental factors.
- Restoration projects are not for beginners and can be ruined by inexperienced dry cleaners.
- We offer a 100-year warranty on professionally restored wedding gowns.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Dresses
1. What Precautions Should I Take When Handling a Vintage Wedding Dress?
Always clean your hands thoroughly before touching the dress. Avoid excessive handling, and store it in a protective covering to prevent damage.
2. Should I Consider Wearing a Vintage Wedding Dress, or Is It Better to Keep It as a Keepsake?
It's a personal choice. Some people wear vintage dresses for sentimental reasons, while others preserve them as family heirlooms.
3. Is It Safe to Store a Vintage Wedding Dress After Cleaning and Restoration?
Storing the dress properly in a cool, dry, and dark place, preferably in an acid-free box or garment bag, will help preserve its condition.
4. Is It Possible to Remove Yellowing From an Old Wedding Dress?
Yes, yellowing caused by age can often be reduced or eliminated through professional cleaning and restoration.
5. How Much Does It Cost to Clean and Restore a Vintage Wedding Dress?
The cost can vary widely based on factors like the dress's condition, fabric, and the extent of restoration needed. Expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.