Wedding dresses - to keep or not?

I threw my dress away after the wedding, could not see anyone wanting a white velvet dress. I did use the train to cover a layette basket for when first baby was born.

I still have mine too, in a plastic bag in the loft. Bought 1969 in a normal dress shop. As I have kept it for so long I will keep it until our golden wedding next year. Very demure style, high neck pie crust collar, long sleeves, long slim skirt. sadly too small for me now. Neither daughter wanted to wear it so will look into giving it to oxfam.

I wore a broderie anglais mini dress that I made myself. I can’t get into it, needless to say, but at our Golden Wedding Anniversary party a couple of weeks ago one of our witnesses asked if I still had it and I was pleased I could still say yes.

My dress and train went to make vestments for Priests in developing countries,but I still have the little lace bolero. Lovely to think it is possibly still in use.

I kept mine for many years. DD tried it on when she was getting married, I'd hoped that one day I'd have a daughter who would wear it which is why I kept it.
Sadly what was fashionable in 1975 looked very dated rather than retro.
It went to the skip about 5yrs ago.

www.cherishedgowns.org.uk/ If anyone is interested in the charity which makes gowns for deceased babies . It's a worthwhile thing to know that your unwanted wedding dress will give the parents the knowledge that someone cares at that sad time.

I make little gowns for donation to parents who have lost babies through still-birth. We ( the volunteers) use donated wedding dresses which make lovely little gowns for the parents to use at that sad time. My own dress was donated for that purpose as well. It's a nice thing to make a donation of something special like a wedding dress, to help parents at a time when their are feeling so broken.

I sold mine. I advertised it in the local paper shortly after we were married. But I’ve still got my granny’s wedding dress. I think it must be close to 100 years old. It’s 1920s, flapper style. I remember seeing her wedding shoes, but I don’t know where they ended up.

I've got mine stored in a cupboard. I don't suppose it will ever be used in the future by anyone - it's very "eighties" with puffed sleeves and full skirt. ?
If it were now that I was marrying my DH, the style would be a lot simpler - how tastes change!

I didn`t have a wedding dress, just a 2 piece suit, but I wore it into the ground afterwards, certainly got my moneysworth (£5) out of it.

Mine was a white minidress. It cost £5 from a boutique in Reigate High Street. A bargain, even in 1968. I wore it for parties and big social occasions for the next four or five years, then I am not sure what happened, probably hung in a cupboard for a year or two and then was donated to a jumble sale. I am still the same size but my shape has changed.

Mine was from John Lewis is Oxford St, bought in 1969 and a size 10.DD tried it on when she was getting married, it fitted her perfectly, but she really wanted a Victorian look so didn’t wear it,I kept it until about 10 years ago and then finally got rid of it.Having been boxed up it was in perfect condition.

It's in a box in the attic wrapped in a sheet.

I really should get rid of it.

My wedding dress is in its original box in the loft with confetti in there with it and my juliette cap and white lace parasol. I wanted to sell it after being married for about 7years but husband did not want me to so I didn't. It would never fit me now.

My wedding dress is hanging in the wardrobe and doesn't look too great after more than 50 years.

I wonder did I chicken out of making a decision for sentimental reasons or did I just keep my dress without a thought that there might even be a decision or plan of what to do with it at all? Probably the latter I fear.

I don't feel capable of making a decision about it even now -or even more so after all these years! It is clearly a museum piece! Like me?

Offered it to my daughter last year for her wedding, I have a photo of her in it but tbh she wanted one more stylish but without me knowing she cut up the skirt to make her veil and surprised me when I went with her for the fitting. Big tears of joy bless her, so thoughtful and chuffed to see part of it used again

I’ve still got mine and my going away suit!
The dress was crepe material in an Ossie Clarke design, 1974 era. I’ve also got the shoes, peep toe platforms with ankle strap.
My suit was in jersey, a mini skirt and blouson jacket.
It was size 8. Ha, Ha!
No one has going away outfits now. I really have no idea why I’ve kept them.

Hadn't seen my for years, had forgotten about it, when my elder daughter died last year it was found in her house carefully folded and wrapped. It doesn't fit me now, I was size ten then, now am size 8

I am not sure...... will have to go and look. For ages I kept my mother's dress made of silk and lace and she had cut out the lining to use during the war when fabric was scarce.

I hired mine, so it went straight back the next week, and I've never regretted it. I'm the sort of person who would have hoarded it for the past 40 years for no purpose whatsoever.

For those looking for a home for their old dresses, Oxfam have specialist wedding shops crammed full of all sorts of styles and would certainly welcome donations. When DD2 got married, she fancied a vintage dress and tried quite a few on there.

My first wedding dress was made with material from John Lewis in 1971 and only cost £5 - my Mum made it (and the bridesmaids dresses). I kept it until after I divorced in the 90s when it went to a jumble sale. It was a bit tight then, would be far too small now. My mother made me a summer dress from the offcuts from the bridesmaids.
I still have my second wedding outfit, from Selfridges (the most expensive outfit I have ever had at £200+. That is a MOB style and is a bit tight.

Mine is still hanging up somewhere, after 45 years. It was pretty plain, no big skirt or anything, so it takes up no more room than any long dress.

My daughter's dress, otoh, is still hanging from my dining room curtain pole 2.5years later! It has a huge skirt, an entire Scout group could go camping in it.

However, she's moving to a bigger house soon - guess what will be making its was down there asap!

I got mine out of the attic just before Christmas as we had decided to clear the loft.
I enquired about getting it dry cleaned but was told that as it has a specific symbol(can't remember what it is) on the label it now can't be dry cleaned.

I had considered trying to hand wash (type of Jersey material - autumn wedding 1981)
But my daughter said she thought it would be better left just as it is.
So it's back in the loft.

As for the dress still fitting me....
Well there is more chance of it fitting round my arm than my actual waist!

My first Wedding dress was..... a pretty mid length rather full white one........ and because the Marriage ended on a sour note, I have no idea what happened to the dress,it probably got thrown out!!!
My second one, an off white,knee length woollen affair was indeed of the kind that could.......and was.......worn until almost threadbare!

Re the dress your GD would like situpstraight..........though a vast height difference, a competent dress maker could easily add a band of different material..........such as velvet............in the skirt panel,and hey presto one happy GD..........and your old wedding dress will again be aired and more memories made!!

I still have mine in a drawer somewhere.
It will be 60 years old in August.
Well done hilda on being only one size larger, I am three?