Are you a bride dreaming of wearing a big beautiful ball gown on your wedding day? Are you shopping for your wedding dress and wondering how you can add more volume to a wedding dress skirt to really achieve that princess feeling? In the past we have shared our bridal stylist tips on wearing a wedding dress with an overskirt and now we are going to share tips for wearing a wedding dress underskirt or petticoat.
We have gotten a few questions from brides recently shopping at Lovella about how an underskirt can change the appearance of their wedding dress. Many brides want to have that princess feeling on their wedding day and want to wear a ball gown wedding dress or a bridal dress with a full skirt. Let’s dive in to everything brides need to know about wearing a petticoat or underskirt with their wedding dress and how that will change the appearance of their bridal gown.
Video: How Wearing a Petticoat/Underskirt Changes The Appearance of an A-line or Ball Gown Wedding Dress
If you are a bride who is wedding dress shopping and considering how to change the appearance of your wedding dress or are curious how to add or remove volume from your wedding dress skirt, be sure to tune in to our advice video where our wedding fashion expert showcases a stunning lace ball gown wedding dress by Ines Di Santo featuring a removable petticoat. You will get to see first hand how wearing a petticoat changes the appearance of an a-line or ball gown wedding dress.
What Is A Petticoat?
First things first, what is a petticoat? You might be familiar with dress petticoats after binge watching 'The Crown' or 'Bridgerton'. You might be envisioning Victorian era hoop skirt dresses, and you are not far off. A petticoat is essentially an undergarment worn under a dress or a skirt. They can be very full and voluminous or more slip-like. In bridal fashion, a petticoat or underskirt is an additional layer of fabric worn under your wedding dress to add more volume and shape to the dress skirt.
When you are wedding dress shopping, you may find many ball gown style wedding dresses have petticoats to give that full bell shape to the bridal gown. Some may even have a hoop skirt for that very princess-y feel.
Wedding Dress Construction
It’s important to keep in mind that not every wedding dress is going to be able to be worn with a petticoat or underskirt. The way that the fabric of the dress skirt is cut is going to determine what changes can be made to a particular dress. Many ball gown style wedding dresses will be designed with an underskirt to give the fullness of that classic bridal silhouette. But maybe you fall in love with an a-line wedding dress or want to add more volume to your ball gown wedding dress. In some cases, you could just add a few layers of tulle under the gown to give the skirt more lift and fullness.
What limits the amount of volume you can add is how wide the dress skirt is cut. As you add volume under the skirt, it creates a balloon like effect so the fabric has to fall out and then down instead of just straight down.
Keep In Mind The Length
In the past, we have heard brides say they would like to wear their dress full for the wedding ceremony and then remove the underskirt for the wedding reception. While we love a wardrobe change up on wedding day, it’s important to keep in mind the length of your wedding dress will drastically change when removing an underskirt. The fabric of your skirt is going to fall outward overtop of the petticoat. Once the petticoat is removed, the skirt fabric will just fall straight down and your dress could instantly become inches longer which poses an issue for walking around and dancing at your reception. Your wedding dress would have been hemmed with the petticoat in, so it will be much longer once that extra layer is removed.
If you plan to remove your dress petticoat on wedding day, plan on changing your shoes to a taller heel to accommodate the extra length. In our bridal stylist opinion, it will be much easier to just stay in the same style dress for ceremony or reception. Forgo the stress and make life simpler on wedding day by leaving the petticoat under your gown for the entire day. By the time you get to your wedding reception, you will have likely been on your feet all day and may not feel up to changing into a taller heel. It would be an easier solution to plan on a separate reception bridal dress or little white dress for the reception or after party, if you are set on a bridal outfit change.
Removable Petticoat
Many bridal designers create their ball gown wedding dresses with removable petticoats or underskirts. This allows for a certain dress to be available to a wider variety of brides with just a simple modification. If a bride is looking for a less dramatic wedding dress or something a little more figure hugging than a ball gown but not as fitted as a column dress, opting for a gown that more a-line once the underskirt is removed can be a great option without dramatic alterations.
Some petticoats may also include a hoop skirt to give that dramatic ball gown look without all of the bulk. Adding additional layers of tulle or crinoline can quickly become very bulky and heavy, not to mention hot. The hoop skirt gives the volume without the need for so many layers of fabric, while also keeping your legs clear from tangling up in tulle.
More Helpful Bridal Fashion Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful when it comes to understanding wedding dress underskirts and how a petticoat can change the appearance of a wedding dress. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress and finding your bridal style, be sure to check out our past posts:
- How to Wear an Overskirt on Wedding Day
- Overskirt Styles And Prices For Your Wedding Dress
- What Wedding Dress Style & Shape Should You Wear For Your Body Type
- How to Move When Wearing a Wedding Dress
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
