Tips for Adding a Bustle to Your Wedding Dress

Getting to know all the intricate parts of a custom wedding dress is part of the fun in creating your custom gown. Today, we’re going to give you a breakdown on bustles so you can hit the cocktail hour and dance floor with ease.

Here’s exactly what you need to know about adding a bustle to your Anomalie wedding dress:

Kathy’s Anomalie gown features a train flip bustle. Photography: Danielle Harris Photography

What is a bustle?

Once your dress has completed our production stage, you bustle will be added to help you raise the train of the dress. This makes it easier for you to mingle and dance without tripping or stepping on your train! The reason this is added post-production is to ensure that it is in the correct position once you have the dress on.

There are several bustle types, from traditional to unique. Work with your tailor at your fitting to decide what type would look best with your specific style of gown.

American Bustle – The most common, this is a type of over bustle. The buttons or hooks are attached to the exterior of the gown.
French Bustle – Also known as an under bustle, attachment points are under the dress and fabric is folded in.
Ballroom or Train Flip Bustle – These styles give the illusion of no bustle at all. The fabric is folded strategically to make it seem like you had a floor-length dress the whole time!
Austrian Bustle – A ruched design with ribbons (think of the way theater curtains cinch upward).
Wristlet Bustle – A loop is added on the underside of the train so you carry the train of the dress around your wrist.

Our stylist team is always here to answer any questions about your dress. Schedule a call with one of our stylists today.

Paige’s Anomalie wedding dress features a wristlet bustle. Photography: Lauren Neff

When do you add a bustle to your wedding dress?

If you have gone the custom route with Anomalie, keep in mind the bustle is not added during the production of your gown. Instead, after you receive your dress, you’ll work with your seamstress during fittings to add the bustle. This helps ensure that the bustle is is at the preferable length and that the bustle point on the dress is exactly where you want it.

Don’t forget to bring someone who will be with you on your wedding day to help learn how to execute the bustle. Your mom, a sister, or bridesmaid should practice with you in advance of the big day!

Browse Anomalie train lengths and styles here.

Kellen’s Anomalie gown features an under bustle. Photography: Danni Dan-Irabor

How much does a bustle cost?

We work with tailors throughout the country and have seen bustles start at $80 and go up as high as $400+ depending on the length of the train and number of layers. A ballgown with a cathedral length train is going to be more costly for a bustle than a crepe dress with a court length train.