The BRidal Hem
.webp "The Bridal Hem")
Forty years ago, when I first stepped into the world of altering bridal gowns, I thought I had everything I needed to succeed. I had a collage degree and had been sewing since before I could walk. I had the wonderful attitude that it couldn't be all that hard. After all, isn't a bridal gown just a big white dress? Boy, was I WRONG!
Sure, wedding garments are basically like all other garments but they are SO very much more! Not only are they compilated in their construction but carry with each gown is a heap of dreams and wishes of the little girl in each bride, who spent her whole life planning for this one day. The importance trapped in this gown can make it very weighty indeed. And usually, all that importance is focused on the hem.
It's essential that a bride understand several aspects of formalwear hems before she even goes shopping for her bridal gown.
Formalwear Hem Types:
The Rolled Hem
You can usually find a rolled hem on a gown made of fine fabrics like chiffon, organza and lace, but I have also seen it on satin and taffeta gowns. It can be hand sewn or machine sewn. It is distinct for the tiny edge it creates on the bottom of the hem. A hand sewn rolled hem is very time consuming and I haven't seen many in my carrier. I have seen many single stitched and serged roll hems. Both can be recreated by most experienced Alteration Specialists.
A single stitched rolled hem can be done with a special machine foot but I prefer to do mine manually. It's a 2-step process. The first step is to sew a tiny tuck 1/8" longer than where the hem is to be. I stop here and have my bride try on the gown again to double check my accuracy. Some Seamstresses go on to the second step which is to carefully cut right next to this tuck and sew another tuck, folding the first one over on itself. This makes a tiny sewn hem that is very stable.
To make a rolled hem with a rolled hem machine foot, you cut the fabric 1/8" longer than the hem length and sew the rolled edge using the foot that turns the fabric as it glides under the pressor foot. This is usually done with a single straight stitch but can also be done with a zig-zag stitch which creates tiny scallops along the hem. A variant of this is to sew the zig-zag roll inserting 30 lb fishline into the pocket. This makes the hem curl. This effect is best done with Chiffon or Organza, but I have seen it using other fabrics too.
The serged hem is basically the same as the machine special foot but done on a serger or overlock machine. Sometimes it is called a napkin edge because it is found on table napkins, this hem has a tiny edge of densely stitched thread on the hem. This technique can also utilize the fishline for a curly edge with the dense thread edge. Different colors of thread can be used like gold and silver or any color a bride may wish to embellish her special gown. This edge can also be done by hand but is even more time consuming than a straight stitched rolled hem.
A single stitched rolled hem can be done with a special machine foot but I prefer to do mine manually. It's a 2-step process. The first step is to sew a tiny tuck 1/8" longer than where the hem is to be. I stop here and have my bride try on the gown again to double check my accuracy. Some Seamstresses go on to the second step which is to carefully cut right next to this tuck and sew another tuck, folding the first one over on itself. This makes a tiny sewn hem that is very stable.
To make a rolled hem with a rolled hem machine foot, you cut the fabric 1/8" longer than the hem length and sew the rolled edge using the foot that turns the fabric as it glides under the pressor foot. This is usually done with a single straight stitch but can also be done with a zig-zag stitch which creates tiny scallops along the hem. A variant of this is to sew the zig-zag roll inserting 30 lb fishline into the pocket. This makes the hem curl. This effect is best done with Chiffon or Organza, but I have seen it using other fabrics too.
The serged hem is basically the same as the machine special foot but done on a serger or overlock machine. Sometimes it is called a napkin edge because it is found on table napkins, this hem has a tiny edge of densely stitched thread on the hem. This technique can also utilize the fishline for a curly edge with the dense thread edge. Different colors of thread can be used like gold and silver or any color a bride may wish to embellish her special gown. This edge can also be done by hand but is even more time consuming than a straight stitched rolled hem.
The Blind Hem
Blind hems are rare in formal attire. It is the type of hem where a fold of fabric is turned up and machine or hand stitched, so the stitches do not show from the outside of the gown. You mostly see this type of hem on pants or a nice day dress, or the lining of a bridal gown.
To do this by machine you need a special Blind stitch machine that has a curved needle and stitches sideways instead of up and down.
The Hong Kong Hem
A Hong Kong hem is when the outer fabric is sewn to the lining fabric at the hem with the seam edges inside the garment. This is also called a bagged hem. To adjust this type of hem the seamstress has to go inside the "bag", do the alteration the amount she has determined is needed and go back out. It is not easy because it requires guesswork on the part of the seamstress and often must be adjusted again before a correct hem length is realized. Sometimes Hong Kong hems also have horsehair braid sewn inside the bag. This will add to the complication because it has to be removed and replaced at the new location.
The Horsehair Braid Hem
A Horsehair braid hem is either a Rolled, Hong Kong or Blind hem that has Horsehair braid added for stability or to add shape. This complicates the hemming process because it has to be removed carefully and then reattached to the new hem length.
The Lace Edge Hem
The Lace Edge Hem is easily recognized by the lace edge on the bottom of a wedding gown. It can be part of the design of the lace that was meticulously plotted to be placed at the hem's edge, or most likely, it is a separate piece of lace sewn on the edge of a lace or fabric skirt hem. Hemming this type of edge can be easy if the lace can be removed easily and moved to its new position. If the lace also has beading and other embellishments sewn onto it after it is applied to the hem of the gown, changing the length can be very time consuming and costly to move all those elements to achieve the new length.
The Clean-Cut Hem
A Clean-Cut Hem is usually found on a gown whose skirt is made of tulle. It is a nerve-racking hem to do because it must be meticulously cut to the right length.
There are many other things that can be done to an edge like this:
sewing on satin ribbon, rolled surging, adding rat tail braid. But I just prefer a well done cut edge.
My Favorite way to do a tulle skirt is to cut it while the bride is wearing it. This is often VERY stressful for the bride, but you get an extremely accurate hem. I have the bride stand close to my fitting box edge and use that edge to make a straight cut along the bottom. She must take care to stand still and not shift her weight from foot to foot. I cut from side, across the front to the other side, then gradually taper back to the train on each side, taking care to make both tapers the same. Once the bride has gone, I recut the edge to the desired length, truing up any places on this edge where I wasn't perfectly straight.
Gown Heming Options:
Taking the Skirt up at the Waist
If the wedding gown has a well-defined waistline and the skirt already has gathered, it is a good candidate for being hemmed by opening up the waist seam, lifting the skirt and resewing the skirt back in place at the new length. It also helps if there is some kind of lace or other embellishment at the waist seam that helps camouflage the raising of the skirt.
Gowns that have lots of complicated decoration at the front's hem edge or decoration that would make it look quite odd to hem at the bottom, will also likely get hemmed from the waist.
I like this option because it lets me have the bride return to try the dress back on before I have to cut any of the skirt's fabric. She can get a really good look and walk around to see exactly how the gown flows before I cut the excess fabric.
Determining how much to lift the skirt is often a puzzle depending on how elaborate that skirt's design is. If there is not a lot of detail at the bottom, I may pin there as if I were making the change at the bottom, but mostly I will pin a tuck halfway up the skirt so the bride can see what the bottom edge looks like at the higher length.
Hemming at the Skirt Bottom
Most gowns get hemmed from the bottom, especially if they are fitted through the hip area.
I will usually pin the new length at the bottom edge as with any dress and turn up the fabric so the bride can see the new length. I ask her to walk around and assure her that she will get another chance to test the hem before I cut anything.
Tier Tucking
If the gown's skirt has tiers, I may choose to take in the seam of each tier an amount that will lift the whole gown to the needed new length.
Rouching
When a gown doesn't have good elements at the waist or the bottom to hem it well, you must get creative. I have found that adding rouching to the skirt to lift it up often works to make the hem correct and adds a neat design element that many a bride can like.
Non-Hemming options
If a gown can't be hemmed at the waist, bottom or by adding a design element like rouching, all is not lost. You can also change a heal height of your shoes or add a crinoline underskirt to lift the hem to where it is just the right height for you.
Determining the Right Bridal Gown Length:
The Perfect Length
Every Bride asks what the perfect or proper length for her gown is. There are many factors and no real rules. I can offer a few guides for determining a good length for you.
Hems can be anywhere from touching the floor to 2" up for a full-length look. 3" to 6" is called Waltz length. Tea length starts around 6" and goes to about 9". Street length is just below the knees.
There is a trend going around called “the Puddle Hem". That is where the bridal gown is purposefully too long in the front so it "puddles" around the bride's feet. It can look nice in pictures, but I'd never advise a bride to try to go about her whole day tripping on her dress. It just seems silly to me.
Ceremony Location & Activities
Is your Ceremony going to be on a beach where you might be stepping on squishy sand, or in a church with carpet or wood floor? Might you be going to a park for pictures where you will be walking on grass? Will you be dancing at the reception or sitting most of the time at a lavish dinner?
Your location and activities are big factors as to how comfortable you will feel in your chosen hem length.
The Bride's Walking Comfort
.webp "The Bride's Walking Comfort")
How confidant are you walking in a ballgown OR have you never worn a dress in your life and this big white gown gives you an overwhelming feeling? It's OK if you want this to be your only chance to wear a big beautiful ballgown, but give yourself a break and choose a hem length that will make it easier for you to have a fun day. Hemming the gown a little higher than you think is "proper" will give you more freedom to enjoy your day.
Fullness of Your Gown's Skirt
The Perfect Length for your gown has little to do with tradition and a lot to do with your gown's design elements. A skinny skirt will look better shorter than a full ballroom type skirt. What look you are wanting is more important than what someone tells you is "perfect".
Shoe Heal height
.webp "Shoe Heal height")
Brides often get caught up in their shoes and can't reconcile the hem length because they think a certain shoe is important. The only important thing about your shoes is your foot comfort. Absolutely No one is looking at your feet besides you. Choose a heal height that lets you walk comfortably and then determine your hem length from there.
Many brides plan to change their shoes throughout the day from one activity to the next. Maybe you will be barefoot on the beach for the ceremony and have heals for the reception. Your hem height must move with this shoe change. You may need to plan your hem to be a little too long when you are barefoot, so it is a better length when you put on the heals for dancing at your reception.
