
To make sure your night goes smoothly without any trips or rips from guests stepping on your wedding dress, it is important to have a bustle sewn into your wedding dress! A bustle refers to the sewing process of transitioning a wedding gown to function as if it has no train. There are many different types of bustles, depending on the fabric and style of dress. By doing so, it is easier for you to walk post ceremony and move around throughout the night. Each type of bustle works differently, so we’re here to explain the most popular and how each one works!
American Bustle (or Over Bustle)
The most common, this is a type of over bustle. The buttons or hooks are attached to the exterior of the gown.

French Bustle
Also known as an under bustle, attachment points are under the dress and fabric is folded in.

Austrian Bustle
A ruched design with ribbons (think of the way theater curtains cinch upward)

Ballroom or Train Flip Bustle
These styles give the illusion of no bustle at all. The fabric is folded strategically to make it seem like you had a floor-length dress the whole time!

A few additional tips on bustling:
-Budget for the bustle: Be sure to ask about this when purchasing your dress, as this is typically an added expense. The cost will vary depending on the style of bustle you need.
-Take Notes: Someone will need to know how to do the bustle on the wedding day, so be sure to take notes or a video of the seamstress showing how to do the bustle so you can have a friendly reminder the day-of (especially if there are many steps involved). This is a perfect duty for the maid of honor or mother of the bride to learn!
-Bustles can break, so be prepared! No matter how carefully you bustle, there is a slight chance it might break. Dresses can be very heavy, and the very delicate bustle points may not hold, so be sure to have extra safety pins just in case! If you have a wedding planner, not to worry, we’ve got you covered with our emergency kit!
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