Yes, they are less sturdy; especially for very tight dresses. For truly figure hugging dresses I use old fashioned hooks and eyes in a left side placket, or I use ball buttons and button loops on the center back. Hooks and eyes give a very clean finish to both the front and back and are my preferred method; the tightness and the fasteners work together to hold up the dress and I don't need separate stay tapes -which I'll explain later! Ball buttons and loops are more traditional for bridal gowns. Both come on pre mounted on tapes in the bridal and evening department of higher end fabric stores, so much of the fussy work is done. Some have bones already encased in the tapes. I do like the look of ball buttons and loops, they look like someone put a lot of time and effort into the gown. If you are pressed for time and merely want to replace the zipper, you might want to add stay tapes to the bodice to take the stress off the zipper. Even if you do use hooks and eyes or button tape, you might still want to add a tape stay.
Stay tapes are grosgrain ribbons or firm elastics that are sewn to the lining and underlining of the dress horizontally across the body and hooked closed before the zipper is zipped. These are used in strapless couture gowns that must stay up and almost defy gravity and where a broken zipper would be a disaster. Elastic is more flexible, but it can dig into the skin if it's too tight. Grosgrain ribbon is less flexible, but some find it more comfortable. Use a stay tape at the waist and under the bust. Whatever you use, the stay should fit snugly around the body. Measure by wrapping the tape around the body at the two points, and add enough for an inch and a half turn under to support the hooks. The ribbon should be slightly smaller than the dress bodice, but not by more than 3/8 of an inch. And more and the dress is simply too small. Hand sew the ribbon to the seam allowance, catching in a bit of both the lining and the dress fabric. In some gowns I try to loop around the boning with the grosgrain, one dress I needed to bone the waist ribbon to add more structure. This will make the stress go from the outer fabric to the ribbon. The ribbon is turned under and hooks should face toward the body so they are invisible. The hooks are hooked then the zipper is closed. You can add ribbon stays wherever there seems to be stress on the zipper.
This is a traditional couture method used to hold up tight, strapless gowns. I learned it from a dressmaker who worked for Fath in the fifties.I used an invisable zipper on a wed gown and the coils split open when she bent over. Is there a better zipper
I hope it works out okay! I tried to find illustrations on line, but I didn't have any luck. I know the technique is described in the older 1970's vogue sewing book. I don't do wedding dresses anymore, they weren't worth the stress. If you have more questions, I'll try to answer.
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Glad I found you again.What size of gross grain ribbon should I buy and do I just tack it to every seam around the bust line and waist? Do I put it between the lining and the underlining, so you cannot see it? How about a zipper, what kind do you suggest?
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This dress must be extremely tight because I have wore snug gowns and never had one to come apart like that.
The only time I've ever had zippers split apart is when the dress was super tight %26amp; the zipper was cheap. Try a regular zipper or even a heavy duty zipper in white/cream (whatever color the dress is). When it comes to tight dresses %26amp; zippers you cannot be picky about the type of zipper or the whole dress is going to fall right off the bride.
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