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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-02-04, Page 20PAGE 20. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1987. $7 Proper care will preserve your wedding gown Because buying a wedding gown is costly. taking care of the garment after the wedding is extremely important. The bride should arrange to have her gown taken to the dry cleaners as soon after the wedding as possible. There is a much better Wearing grandma's wedding gown Many brides are wearing wedd­ ing gowns which were once worn by their mother or their grand­ mother. Some of these older gowns are stained, damaged or discolored. But these are not reasons to abandon the gown, says Margaret Loewen, clothing and textiles specialist with the Ontario Mini­ stry of Agriculture and Food’s rural organizations and services branch. Minor problems such as small holes, tearsorstainsmay not be noticeable in a full-skirted gown. If the bodice is damaged, sections can be replaced with new fabric or with parts of the original fabric from ruffles, train, etc. Use lace or ruffles to cover holes. Lace appliques either new or old can be used to cover damaged areas or seams which have been let out. If the bodice is too small, side pieces or underarm gussets can be inserted. You could also cover the entire bodice with new lace to conceal flaws or let-out areas. A. - MOLLYS SPECIALTY SHOP A DIVISION OF 540736 ONTARIO INC. Magnificent Gowns for the Entire Bridal 113 DOWN IE ST., STRATFORD 271-6291 chance of totally getting rid of dirt and grass stains which often show up around the hem the day of the wedding if the dress is cleaned immediately. Aecidentsdo happen, even at weddings; so for spot removal, such as wine or food stains, the If the skirt is in good condition but the bodice and sleeves are badly damaged, then you may want to create a whole new dress by adding a new bodice and sleeves to the original skirt. Parts of the original bodice and sleeves may be used to trim the new ones. If an old gown has yellowed evenly, it can still be worn providing you don’t use new white fabric with it. Instead, choose ivory lace or try dying pieces of white fabric with tea to get the desired off-white shade. Before cleaning an old dress, seek some advice from an esta­ blished dry cleaner. Cleaning can be costly because special treat­ ment and pressing are necessary. To preserve a dress for a future bride, have it cleaned but not pressed, and wrap it in a clean old cotton sheet and pack in a box. Some stores and dry cleaners offer a special wedding dress service -- cleaned, stuffed with tissue, and packed in a box for storing. Investigate this if you plan to keep the dress in usable condition. Our racks are full of excitement for the beautiful bride, maid or matron of honour, allthe bridesmaids and mothers of the bride and groom. We have the top designers representedin our collection and we ’ll fit them to perfection. area should be blotted immediate­ ly withapapertowel. Oneofthe worst things you can do is to try to remove the stain with water - it only spreads the damage. Again, the sooner the dress gets to the cleaners, the better. Silk or rayon may be the bride’s choice for her wedding gown, but they are difficult fabrics to care for, especially if the dress is to be saved as an heirloom. Silk is extremely delicate and requires special care; both perspiration and anti-perspir- ants will stain and deteriorate the fabric. f Our New Bridal Centre Is Open! -Silk & Fresh Bouquets -Over 35 different wedding rentals -Complete rental delivery, set-up & pick-up service All Forever Yours & Rainbow Wedding Invitation ; 357-2626 25% “ 357-2626 i wedding flowers If you wear silk, use a quick-dry­ ing anti-perspirant and under-arm dress shields. Do not put on the dress until your anti-perspirant is well dried. Storage in a plastic bag is not recommended, because thebag will retain moisture and invite mildew and atmospheric fading. Mostdry cleaners can provide a special heirloom box for the dress, which can be sealed with air-tight tape and stored in a cool, dry place at home. Brides are encouraged to have a look at the dress before it is sealed away in the box, and many brides place wedding keepsakes, such as the bible that was carried, or the bride’s garter, in the box as well for safekeeping. Once the box is sealed, it can of course be re-opened at any time, as long as the proper air-tight tape is used to re-seal it. The whole process of getting a wedding dress cleaned and boxed may cost between S60-S70, but considering what the dress cost, and that it may well be worn by a future bride, it’s not that much money to invest to keep it safe.