Bridal Shoe glitter warning!
How NOT to snag your wedding dress hem
Nobody warns you about this when you buy your shoes. You find out at your first dress fitting, when you take a step in your gorgeous glittery heels and the fabric of your dress catches, pulls, and — if you're unlucky — tears. It's one of those things that's entirely preventable, but only if someone tells you in advance.
I'm Caroline Arthur, bespoke bridal designer with 25 years of experience, and I've seen glitter shoes wreak havoc on more wedding dress hems than I care to remember. In this video I'm showing you exactly what's happening and how to sort it before your wedding day.
The problem is simple: individual pieces of glitter have sharp edges, and those edges catch on fabric — particularly crepe, lace, tulle and satin, which covers most bridal wear. Certain hem styles make it worse, especially an overlocked hem where the threads sit exposed on the edge and give the glitter even more to grip onto.
The solution is to seal the glitter with a clear varnish — making the surface smooth without affecting the sparkle. I tested two products independently NEITHER of which sponsored this video: Mod Podge and Angelus. Both work, with a few caveats worth knowing before you start painting. The key thing most people get wrong is rushing the drying time between coats — and if you do that, it won't work and you risk ruining your shoes. Watch the demo before you touch anything.
When it comes to the hem itself, it's worth having a conversation with your dressmaker. An overlocked hem can often be replaced with a folded pin hem, or horsehair braid sewn inside the hem to create a smooth barrier between fabric and shoe. Neither fix is drastic, but both make a real difference.
Discovering that your glittery shoes are going to snag your dress is not a big problem. It just needs to be dealt with before the wedding, not discovered on the day. Watch the full video for the product demo, the honest verdict, and exactly what to ask your dressmaker.
PS. Ready to explore what's possible for your dress AFTER the wedding? Access my FREE guide to “Beyond the Big Day” HERE which is a video and PDF giving you an overview of where to start and what to do with your old dress - the first steps toward giving your gown the second life it deserves.
If you’re a bride-to-be, then download my FREE "Peaceful Dress Journey" guide HERE to discover answers to the most commonly asked questions from all my brides. After your wedding, I’ll then send you some ideas for what to do with your old dress.
You’ll find more about the bridal world in my book which you can buy HERE. It makes a perfect gift for a bride-to-be, or for anyone who loves sewing, upcycling and wedding dresses.
Thank you to Sally Faith for the beautiful photos.
