Wedding Dress Garment Bag
There are three types of wedding dress garment bags, and chances are, the modern bride will wind up using all three. The first wedding dress garment bag you will encounter will be the bag that displays the wedding gown while it is on the rolling rack or garment rod at the bridal salon.
Wedding dress garment bags in the store are often made of plastic or vinyl and are transparent so that gowns can be seen and shown without removing them from the bag until the prospective bride decides to try them on. In this way, wedding gowns are protected from handling and from being marked by hangers. Since the natural oils from people’s hands can result in staining, minimizing contact between browsing bridal customers and fresh wedding gowns serves to protect the garments.
Once you have purchased your wedding gown, it may be placed into a different sort of garment bag. From plus size wedding dresses to flower girl dresses, long, flowing skirts and bodices that are often heavy with embroidery of seed pearls have to be handled gently and kept from excess strain. And because bridal silks, satins and organza fabrics are delicate and easily crushed or stained, the garment bag that transports your wedding dress to your closet should not only stand up to car travel, but should provide support the entire time the gown is waiting for the wedding day. The hanger should be constructed so that the gown is fully supported, including the bodice, sleeves, skirt and train. The wedding dress garment bag itself may be fuller and longer than an ordinary garment bag, to allow for the extra fabric of the gown’s skirt.
Before you take your new dress home, your wedding gown consultant or seamstress should pack your gown with tissue paper, filling out the bodice and waist to prevent creasing. The hanger should be padded and extend across the entire width of the gown’s shoulders, to prevent drooping or sagging sleeves. Wedding dresses usually have tiny fabric loops sewn inside the shoulders and under the train, so that gowns are supported by the fabric and trains can be looped up onto a special hook on the hanger.
Although wedding gowns are usually displayed in plastic garment bags, long-term storage should be done in cotton garment bags. Plastic garment bags may hold in moisture and accentuate latent staining. Cotton wedding dress garment bags allow wedding gown fabrics to breathe while protecting gowns from dust and airborne particles of mold or mildew. As soon after the wedding as practical, wedding gowns should be cleaned by expert gown cleaners, padded with acid-free tissue or cotton fabric, and placed in a cotton wedding dress garment bag. Once a year, dresses should be removed from garment bags, inspected and aired, and the garment bag washed and dried. The dress should then be returned to the wedding dress garment bag and hung in a cool, airy, dry location for storage.
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