A simple dress cut from a single fabric is shortened with a single hem. A dress with a train, a crinoline or several layers of tulle and chiffon works differently. Each layer has its own length, and after the alteration the layers have to sit in the same relation to one another as before. So before you say ‘let’s take it up by two centimetres’, it is worth understanding what actually lies beneath the edge you can see.
Why it isn’t a single hem
From the outside in, a structured skirt may have an outer layer, one or more middle layers of tulle or chiffon, the crinoline and sometimes a lining. If only the top layer is shortened, the one beneath may show or get in the way as you walk. If every layer is shortened by the same amount, the difference between them can be lost, and that difference creates the volume and depth the cut is meant to give.
The atelier usually looks at each layer separately: how far the lower layer should fall below the one above it, and what happens to the hemline when you walk and when you sit down. This is also when it is decided whether a change in length reaches the crinoline or stops at the visible layers. There is no fixed rule. It depends on how that particular dress is made.
Your shoes and how you stand at the fitting
The length is set with the shoes you will actually wear, not with a pair that is ‘roughly similar’. The difference between a high heel and a low sandal shows straight away in where the hemline meets the floor. If you haven’t chosen your shoes yet, say so at the fitting. It is better to postpone the decision than to make it on the wrong measurement.
During the fitting, stand up straight with your weight evenly on both feet, and give yourself time to move. Take a few steps, turn round, and step up onto a stair if there is one nearby. On a full skirt, you shouldn’t tread on the front hem as you walk, and at the back the train should follow your movement without catching on your heels.
The train: its length, and what to do with it during the evening
A dress with a train raises two separate questions. The first is how long the train is in relation to the dress, meaning how far it falls behind you. The second is what happens to it after the ceremony, when you want to dance and move freely.
Some dresses have a detachable train. On others the train is part of the skirt itself, and then the question is whether it can be gathered up or fastened for the party. What each design allows is answered at the fitting, on the dress itself, not from general rules. You will find an example of a train that detaches from the dress in the article on the 2-in-1 mermaid and princess wedding dress.
If the train fastens up, ask where the fastening points are, how easily they close and whether you can manage them without help. Try it at the fitting to see whether the skirt gathers evenly or forms unwanted creases.
Hemlines with lace, ruffles or organza
If the hem of the skirt is finished with lace, a simple hem is no longer possible. Lace has a repeating pattern, and cutting through it can break the rhythm of the motifs. Sometimes the dress is shortened from the top, at the waist or along a seam line, so that the decorated hem stays intact. At other times a different approach is taken. The choice depends on the dress and is discussed with the seamstress while you are wearing it.
The same goes for organza ruffles or overlapping layers. The order of the work matters, because whatever is moved first affects everything else. It helps to ask to see the hemline in the mirror before the final change is made, not only afterwards.
Reading the dresses in the collection
Several dresses in the shop illustrate the different constructions described here. The Lux 01 dress is described as a princess style with a train and a built-in crinoline, so it is a skirt whose length depends on several components. Love A46 has a full skirt with a train and organza ruffles, and its hemline is constructed in its own way. For prices and current sizes, visit each dress’s page.
A photograph or the description on the website won’t tell you what can be altered on a particular dress. That is decided at the fitting, with the dress in front of you.
What to note down for your fitting
- The shoes you wear to the fitting, the same pair you will wear on the day.
- Whether the underlayers show when you walk or sit down.
- How the train behaves when you turn round and when you step up onto a stair.
- Whether the decorated hem (lace, ruffles) stays whole or a different approach is needed.
- Whether the train can be gathered up or detached for the party.
- Which other parts of the dress the alteration affects, such as the waist or a seam line.
When you come to the atelier
Altering the length looks simple, but on a layered dress it affects several parts at once, and the time it takes depends on how many layers are involved. For a broader picture of what can be changed on a wedding dress, read our guide to alterations. For the service itself, see the page on wedding dress tailoring.
If you already have your dress and would like to discuss the length while you are wearing it, you can book a fitting. Bring the shoes you will be wearing.
TO BRING TO YOUR FIRST MEETING
- The images that inspire you, and your questions.
- A sense of the occasion and of what makes you feel comfortable.
- The details you would like to discuss with the atelier.