Shell's dress: a zip and buttons - The Dreamstress
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You’ve seen the extraordinary buttons for Shell’s dress already, but I haven’t really told you about how it fastens. It closes with a zip under the false buttons. Yes, that’s right, I caved and did the ultimate wedding dress cliche. It’s a cliche for a reason though: buttons by themselves would have a hard time holding such a fitted strapless bodice, and would be a pain to fasten, so the zip is necessary, but brides love that buttons up the back look. Since it isn’t a historical technique, a zip under buttons is not something I have ever had occasion to do before. It also isn’t something that you can currently find any instructions or guides on how to do on the internet. So I did a few trial runs, and guessed, and went for it. It came out very well: when the dress is on and the buttons are fastened its almost impossible to tell there is a zip under them. This was very important to Shell. Initially she was almost as anti zip-under-buttons …
![](https://tworandomwords.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/p1050127.jpg?w=472&h=630)
November, 2013
Shell's dress: a zip and buttons - The Dreamstress
![](https://quinnmburgess.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/img_7689.jpg?w=656)
The Quintessential Clothes Pen – Page 25 – an exploration of historical costume
![](https://thedreamstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/IMG_2522.jpg)
Shell's dress: a winter-wear petticoat - The Dreamstress
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The Dreamstress - sewing, history, and style
![](https://seamracer.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/dsc_0043a-compw-combo-with-text.jpg)
turn of the century fashion
![](https://thedreamstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/FlightPeterRound1-375x500.jpg)
Finished project: Love at First Flight dress - The Dreamstress
![](https://tworandomwords.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/p1060477.jpg?w=590&h=786)
Sewing, tworandomwords
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110 Buttons for kurtis ideas buttons, kurti, fashion buttons
![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/d8/4d/14/d84d14db3c1e12593ff84af27bf975da.jpg)
Shell's dress: a very historical bustline, The Dreamstress
![](https://thedreamstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bolero-Vintageous-294x500.jpg)
Terminology: What is marquisette? - The Dreamstress
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September 2015 – The Quintessential Clothes Pen