Need Renaissance wedding attire advice

[englishteacha]

I'm attending a Renaissance wedding in June. A good friend lent me a dress, but it's too small. She has implied that I can keep the dress. She made it in college and is an excellent seamstress...but is 8 hours away, so she can't alter it for me. She said I can alter it anyway I like, so I could put a lace up back in to get the extra couple (OK, like 3 or 4) inches I need, mainly because I'm more endowed than she is. This would take me a few hours of my time and about $10 in materials. I'm not a very good sewer. I know I can do it, but I'm nervous about it.

My other option is to buy a dress on Etsy in my size, with laces so if I gain or lose weight it will still fit. With shipping it will cost about $64. I never spend that much on clothes.

I'll add that I am in community theater and love dressing up in costume, so if I purchase the dress, it will get worn again. If I go to a Renaissance fest, I will be in garb! I guess I'm trying to decide whether I should spend the money on the dress or make due with what I have. The wedding is in June, which normally wouldn't concern me, but as I need a "specialty" dress, I need to be looking and deciding now. I can't just walk into JC Penney and buy a Renaissance gown!

Thoughts? Suggestions? Would you buy new or make due?

 

[Band mom!]

IF you know you will wear the dress again, $64 is not a bad price. Does it comes with under dress (chemise) or is it just one piece? (just curious) If you want to keep the dress you have and have it altered, try the local dry cleaners, if they can't alter it they will know someone who can, usually for reasonable price. Good luck.

 

[secretpantssam]

I would get the dress on Etsy. As someone who also loves costumes, I think that $67 is a fair amount, and if you'll get more use of of it, it'll be worth it.

 

[englishteacha]

I have the chemise and skirt to wear underneath, so there's no added expense. I'm in a very rural area...we don't have any dry cleaners! Everyone ships the dry cleaning to the city an hour away. There might be some local seamstresses around but I don't know of any personally. I asked our home ec teacher but she wasn't interested, and the people she knows are backlogged with prom and upcoming weddings.

 

[Syrreal]

You say that you are involved in community theater, do you know any costumers that might be able to help alter the dress?

 

[mrsklamc]

I'm a little baffled here. The bride and groom actually put upon their guests to dress in costume?

 

[englishteacha]

It's optional, but I'm the theater-loving, Shakespeare-nut aunt, and I will, of course, be in costume! My husband is reluctantly wearing tall boots and a tunic (with pants, of course...no tights for him!). I found my mom an outfit at our local thrift stores (Grandma of the groom). She was easy because she's tiny! I found a dress for my sister, another nutty aunt. Now I'm the one with nothing to wear!

 

[luvmyeor]

I work for a seamstress at the PA Renfaire ... $64 is a very good price for a dress. (I'm assuming it is an Irish overdress)

 

[jacqueline'smom]

sounds like a lot of fun!!!!! can you do a split down the back or front and lace it up? I can't think of what they call that but it might even add a little something to it....I have made costumes and used the heat bond iron stuff to make a hem and it worked great....hummm....if you can get the new dress that would be great and if you could make the other one work then you could have two!!!

 

[mrsklamc]

Ah, ok. I thought it was mandatory. $64 is great when you will wear it again. Go for it!

 

[tigger51276]

I do medieval/renaissance reenactments and $64 is an excellent price for a piece of garb. Simple renaissance outfits are fairly easy to make also if you know how to use a sewing machine. Getting the correct fit is the hardest part, but if you know anyone that can help, you can make something very cheap on your own. For a basic overdress you'd only need 4-5 yards of fabric tops (depending on how full you'd like your skirt...i personally always put 4 yards into the skirt).

Have fun!!!

Oh, also check out Ebay. Before I started sewing my own garb, I used to buy tons of stuff on ebay! Actually just a couple years back I resorted to Ebay for a new outfit after I had my youngest DD and I got a nice velvet renaissance outfit for like $70! Check out seller royalcoffers. Make sure you look through the entire list of items they have as they will sell a complete outfit (bodice, skirt, chemise, sleeves and hoop skirt) or you can buy just the dress and sleeves. They also make it to your measurements although sometimes they will have some already made and you can occassionally get a really good deal on those. I don't remember any of the other sellers I've bought from but if you type renaissance outfit in the search bar you'll get tons of pages of items.

 

[FINFAN]

I would spend the $64 and have the peace of mind....and would love to see phots if you could possible post them after the event! Sounds so cool!