I have altered wedding gowns for almost 15 years, which means I’ve seen a lot of body types, a lot of feet, and of course, a lot of shoes. When it comes to footwear, many folks see a special occasion like a wedding as the time to bring out the bling. I’ve seen everything from Jimmy Choo, Badgley Mischka, and Christian Louboutin to Prada. You know, Cinderella glass slipper types that you are afraid to touch because they are so expensive. (But touch them, I did, as I was usually the one playing Prince Charming because they forgot to put them on BEFORE the dress as I instructed them and they couldn’t bend over to do it themselves.)
Some folks just want comfort. I’ve seen Converse and Chucks in every color of the rainbow and Doc Martens in every stage of wear. There also were a few barefoot brides and a few who wore decorative flip-flops.
Then there were the folks making a statement. The knee-high combat boots, the gladiator sandals, the cowboy boots, or the neon orange 6” platforms with a million buckles. (That last one was such a spectacle that I don’t even remember her dress!)
Yet a few examples have really stuck with me.
One was a bride who was an avid hiker. She and her husband-to-be were going to be married at the top of Pikes Peak in a small ceremony. She brought her old ghastly hiking boots that had seen more national parks in a year than most of us have in a lifetime to the fitting. After my double-take, I asked her why that particular pair. She shared how many trails those boots had seen, how she’d met her fiancé wearing those boots, and how this ceremony was to be their swan song. After their wedding, she sent me a lovely photo of her and her new husband in their finery, both wearing said ghastly hiking boots, canine companion at their feet. This story still makes me smile.
On another occasion, a plus-sized bride brought a beautiful set of 6” spiked heels with her. She admitted to not wearing heels on a regular basis, but she dearly loved these spectacular shoes and desperately wanted to wear them on her special day. I gently told her that she might, maybe, last 10 minutes in them, but she insisted. As we proceeded with the fitting, I noticed that she kept shifting her weight from foot to foot, indicating that she was uncomfortable. Unfortunately, the dress she bought had 10 layers of fabric to shorten, so she’d been standing there for a while. When I finished the pinning, she asked if she could sit down. As soon as she sat down, she turned ghost white and began sweating profusely. I ran to grab her an ice pack and a glass of water. While I was doing that, her mother pulled those shoes off. Her feet, unfortunately, were purple. As she sat recovering, her mother and I succeeded in talking her out of wearing those 6” heels. She was disappointed but realized that, if she couldn’t stand in them for a fitting, there was no way she’d make it through the ceremony.
Then there was the pair that surprised and delighted me so much that I squealed out loud and laughed with sheer joy for several minutes. After pinning the bodice area, I clamored to the floor for my normal position to hem the bride’s skirts. I always count the layers as I hand them to her to hold for me. (Most folks think I’m crazy when I tell them how many layers I think they have — only for them to be proven wrong during the fitting). I got to the bottommost layer and let out said squeal I mentioned before. On her feet were the most beautifully sculpted sandals, green leather twining about her delicate feet like leaves and vines. At her toes and ankles were gorgeous hot pink and orange tropical lilies! Of course, I told her that these should be shown off and not hidden.
I guess part of the reason I love bridal alterations so much is seeing folks express themselves through their apparel. Sometimes I’m surprised and sometimes delighted. One thing I never am is bored as some folks make themselves very memorable.
Until next time, may your seams be straight and your bobbins stay full, and, above all, be KIND to one another.
Heather