How easy or hard is it to convert strap to strapless/off the shoulder dress?

Beautiful dress! Love the back! My personal opinion is with that back, the straps should stay up over the shoulder. In the last photo, the strap off the shoulder bunches up the beautiful back detail. But, it is your wedding and your dress, so you should do what you prefer. Perhaps you could keep looking and see if you find what you're looking for somewhere else? I found my dress at a local boutique after going to David's twice and finding several "okay" dresses, but something needed to be altered on them all... You could always come back to David's for that dress in the future if you don't find anything anywhere else... Best of luck!

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Hi Katherine!

The back is pretty isn't it! I forgot to clarify that they said it won't look all bunched up like that and may have to remove the top buttons (I have edited my post to include that)! I have been to other local shops near me and I looked all over online for something similar but I feel that they won't have the similar details and layout of this dress skirt... that have not been discontinued or close to my size. :/

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Ohh. Okay, that makes sense. I wish I had some input on how alterations might go. I think it's a lovely dress regardless of how you decide to go with the straps, etc. Hopefully, someone else can chime in with more alterations-expertise.

Hope it works out!

There is no visible means of support. Adding boning casings after the bodice is pieced, would be a total mess, with the seaming required, and the lace. You need the support of a shoulder strap at least 1/2 inch wide that runs from the outer edge of each bra cup near the under arm, over the shoulder and a little closer to the center where attached in back, not way out at underarm. With this support, no boning need be added, and you can then do an off the shoulder, either cold shoulder with the loose sleeve, or a portrait. Easily, with the only recutting to lower the bodice center back a little, a couple of buttons. The strap can be of material that comes off if your dress needs hemming, or your seamstress can use a white satin. You can cover the two wider than spaghetti strap 1/2 inch straps with pearl seed bees, or sewn clear crystal beads, if you want a decorative touch, and to cover seams where the new straps join the dress. .....I have seen some DB seamstresses do very good work. And I haves seen a lot of badly done things. I would choose a dressmaker I had referrals from, who makes gowns from scratch sometimes, and will reconstruct the top edge with straps as though the dress was made that way.

straps very wide toward underarm with cold shoulder sleeve.

I have a /super/ similar dress and have the exact same love of the off the shoulder look. I feel your pain 😩 I'm really torn on what to do because I spent more than I wanted to on a dress to begin with and basic alterations are already gonna be a pretty penny 😞 I'm afraid of what major alterations would even cost 😖 I wish you the best of luck! Keep us posted, I definitely am curious to see what you do!


Also like you- I am very distrusting of DBs alterations. Though, if you have no other options (you said no high review seamstress/tailor near you) then DBs it is.I am a worrier myself and this is what I would do-• If you do find other options, ask if they'd give you a price range for everything from pictures, and/or of they give free consultations.• Make an appointment with DB alterations a few months to discuss your options, timeline of those options, & costs.

your sleeves would hang lower, and straps. But the curve in back would not dip further than this, as it takes a fair coverage with the lace to keep the structure in back. The illusion lace takes little tugging without tearing. But with coverage this high, a bra or bra slip will be comfortable, and need not be tight like a strapless under a strapless,, because your dress straps will keep it up.

I would have serious reservations about doing those alterations with that sheer back. Not only does it look awkward/very obvious that the dress was not intended to be off shoulder, I don’t think you are going to have the support needed. Also the straps are going to be pulled so tightly that you aren’t going to be able to easily raise your arms and will spend your wedding and reception incredibly uncomfortable. I fear you will really regret altering this dress in this way. If you can’t find an off shoulder dress that you love, try to find a romantic strapless dress. Strapless dresses have good inner support to keep them up without relying on sleeves/straps, and off shoulder sleeves can very easily be added to them.