ballgown care

[elisedance]

maintenance methods!

to start off: I heard that you can wash your gown without loosing the stones (correct me if thats wrong) but is it also OK to put your ball gown in the dryer?  Or do the stones fall off...

[QPO]

V washed my gown. use a wool wash in the bath the hung it to drip dry. It  only lost a few stone....

[ttd]

I hand wash mine in the bathtub and lay them flat to dry up, then hang them up to finish drying while they're still slightly wet, that takes care of most of the wrinkles. Never tried machine washing in a pillowcase or drying in a dryer.

[skipper]

I gently wash the body suit ---keeping skirt out of water, towel dry --has never hurt the dresses. Keeps them fresh for resale too!

[elisedance]

Ended up just washing the pits by hand and hanging in the garden to dry.  Pretty clever that, wonder why noone thought of it before

[QPO]

I WONDER IF IT IS FABRIC SPECIFIC?

[elisedance]

I have always taken mine to the dry cleaners - it was fine with my first dress but the second one is missing a lot of stones.  I read here that washing is best - but you are right, it must depend on the fabric.  Will have to get specific instructions on my new new dress.

[ZPomeroy]

When do you get the new dress by the way?

Zac

[standarddancer]

I washed my gown by hand in a tub, using a soap, then lay flat dry, lost only little bit of stones. I don't like to hang them, since if bodice or skirt are made of stretchy fabric, hanging might make dress longer.

[samina]

I'm wondering what would happen if I washed my feathered gown -- what would the feathers come out like? They are glued in clumps all over the skirt...and the dress is white and will sorely need a washing before being worn or sold.

[elisedance]

When do you get the new dress by the way?

Zac

funny you ask: I was originally supposed to get it today (I'm in Montreal) but instead we had another fitting.  Which is, as they say, just as well...
So in the next two weeks...

[elisedance]

I'm wondering what would happen if I washed my feathered gown -- what would the feathers come out like? They are glued in clumps all over the skirt...and the dress is white and will sorely need a washing before being worn or sold.

Well, I saw a duck get wet once, its feathers seemed to be just fine.  I'd guess ostriches have to endure rain once in a while...

OTOH, far as I know there is no agency sticking feathers on ducks or ostriches...

[QPO]

its liek leather, you never had to protect it whenit is on the cow..but you have to use something to prevent it from cracking on the chairs.

[samina]

I'm wondering what would happen if I washed my feathered gown -- what would the feathers come out like? They are glued in clumps all over the skirt...and the dress is white and will sorely need a washing before being worn or sold.

Well, I saw a duck get wet once, its feathers seemed to be just fine.  I'd guess ostriches have to endure rain once in a while...

OTOH, far as I know there is no agency sticking feathers on ducks or ostriches...

hah...good point. and my thoughts exactly. perhaps they will blow-dry nicely with a gentle hand.