June 16, 2014 In General, Short and Sweet, Vintage

Vintage Tablecloths

We recently had the opportunity to clean some very beautiful tablecloths that came with an even more interesting back story.

Believed to be brought over from Ireland in the 1900’s, these tablecloths belonged to
Eleanor Jane Hall Adams. A grandmother of a well known St. Paul local.

Eleanor married the boy next door and moved to St. Paul in 1947, bringing these intricate tablecloths with them.
Her husband eventually moved on to being the first Champlain of Macalester college.
They have survived in wonderful condition while being passed down through 4 generations and plan on continuing to do so for generations to come.

IMG_5761  IMG_7034  IMG_9716

Shown above is the tablecloths after being cleaned and preserved by our treasured garment specialist

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June 10, 2014 In Clothing Tips, General, Short and Sweet, Wedding Dresses, Weddings

5 Tips To Choosing Bridesmaids Dresses

1. Find a style that suits everyone

Talk to your friends and see what styles they DON’T want. It’s no surprise that dressing multiple bridesmaids is a challenge. Show them the styles you’re interested in and have them decide amongst themselves on the final choice. Another trend is having the same dress but fit differently to each bride. That way everyone has something that’s flattering.

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2. Find something they would wear again

Because of the cost of bridesmaid’s dresses, find something they could wear another time other than just your wedding. The average cost of a bridesmaids dress is between $100-$300. Make it worth it for them.

3. Make sure the style matches your wedding

Try to find a dress that makes sense and is in sync with the overall theme of the wedding. We’ve all heard the saying “We wouldn’t want to outshine the bride” but it’s possible for everyone to be happy here.

 gray-mismatched-bridesmaid-dresses-500x333

4. Take into consideration the weather

This may seem obvious, however it’s easy to overlook. The time of year should make sense with the style you choose. Even the time of day should be considered.

5. Have an alteration specialist in mind

To ensure that all the dresses fit right, keep an alteration specialist in mind for your bridesmaids to go to. St. Croix Cleaners has staffed excellent seamstresses to help each one of your bridesmaids create the perfect fit.

ALTERATIONS

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May 2, 2014 In General, Short and Sweet, Wedding Dresses, Weddings

Choosing the Right Style Wedding Dress

wedding-gown3

When the time approaches to go wedding dress shopping its important to do your homework. Wedding dress lingo can often be confusing. That’s why we’re here to give you a few of the basics you need to know going into the store.  Here’s our tips:

First, we have the Trumpet silhouette. This is a form fitting bodice that hugs the hips and begins to flare out about mid thigh. This is a very common trend that is fabulous for women with straight figures. The trumpet will help dramatize the curves of your silhouette. It is also very similar to the Mermaid with the only major difference being where the flare starts. With the mermaid the flare begins right at the knee so it  is a bit more drastic.

 mermaidtrumpet1
Mermaid                                                      Trumpet

The A-line, also sometimes called princess, is one of the more universal styles for brides. This style looks good on almost all body types which is why it is so popular. This style starts with a fitting bodice that begins to flare are the waist. One of the major benefits of this style is the level of comfort you have with the dress not being as constricting after it flares.

aline
A-line

The Ball Gown Silhouette is very similar to the a-line. However, with the ball gown style we have a much larger skirt. Both the ball gown and a-line styles define the waist more than the other styles. This style can be really fun because it leaves room for layers or a dramatic design.

ball gown
Ball Gown

Another style we see is the Empire. This style is almost completely defined by the waist line. The dress drapes the body in a way that makes the bride look taller. This style is also thought of to be one of the most comfortable styles to go with and looks good on all body types.

empire
Empire

Another, more sleek and form fitting version of the empire would be a Sheath dress. Sometimes you might hear this one refereed to as the column dress as well. The sheath dress hugs the curves and is often made of lighter fabrics.

column

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April 24, 2014 In General

Wedding Dress Alterations

 

Finding the right seamstress is the most important part of altering your wedding dress. Luckily, Treasured Garment Restoration and St. Croix Cleaners have highly experienced seamstress within our company that specialize in Wedding gowns alterations. From recreating your mother’s gown to a simple hem, our team wants to make your dress fit perfectly on your big day. Here are some things to keep in mind about getting your dress fitted…

 

  1.  Finding the perfect fit when wedding dress shopping can be tricky. If you can’t find that perfect fit, it is safer to go too big than too small. With alterations we can always take a dress in but adding material is difficult and you can only let a garment out so much. Take caution though, because if the gown is too big, the proportions may look odd if it’s over altered
    alteration
  2. When going in for a fitting be sure to bring your accessories. This includes shoes, jewelry and any other garments you plan on wearing with your dress. Shoes especially because it can affect the length at which your dress will sit.
  3. Your last fitting should be within 2-3 weeks of your wedding date. This is to ensure that anybody changes are taken into account in the final fitting so your dress will fit the same the day you walk down the aisle.

 

ALTERATIONS

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April 9, 2014 In General

5 Bridal Gown Trends for 2014

              Here at Treasured Garment Restoration, we’re excited for some of the new wedding gown trends of 2014. We found something old, something new, and even something blue trending for this years brides to be.

1. Cap Sleeves

Cap Sleeves

Cap sleeves can often help create an illusion neckline. It is a great way to keep your dress sophisticated but also add a touch of  flirtation. Another perk of having cap sleeves is you can spice up the sleeves with beading or any other adornments.

2. Shorter Length

Shorter Dress

Wearing a shorter dress on your wedding day gives you the opportunity to show off the amazing shoes you bought that often go unnoticed with a longer gown. Plus, if you’re having a outdoor wedding, a shorter dress is easier to keep clean throughout your special day.

3. Descending Roses

Rose Rose2

Flowers have always been a must at every wedding. Now, we’re seeing brides continue the theme through their gowns.
Having roses descending down the dress can give your dress a fun and flirty touch while still keeping it elegant.

4. Laced Sleeves

LaceLace sleeve

Laced sleeves are a classic for any bride of any season.
Even Duchess Kate Middleton wore this stunning Alexander McQueen with laced sleeves down the isle in 2011.

Kate Lace longsleeve

5. Pop of color

Blue Wedding dressColor

If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, try looking at colored dresses! We’ve seen this trend before with Elizabeth Taylor and Kaley Cuoco. Having a colored wedding dress is an excellent way to spice up your walk down the isle and show off your unique style.

elizabeth-taylor-yellow-wedding-dresskaley-cuoco-vera-wang-wedding-dress

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July 11, 2013 In General

Experts Restore & Redesign Vintage Wedding Gown from 1854

Located in the trendy art district of the Loring Park Neighborhood of Minneapolis is a new, vintage-inspired bridal salon that has been growing rapidly through word-of-mouth.  Their latest project? A vintage wedding gown from Scotland in 1854 that has been worn in 3 weddings, and was re-designed to fit a different body type each time!  They were given the task of re-creating the original dress’ form – from a single image!

The gown was originally created around Glasgow, Scotland and first worn in 1854 by Janet Turnbull when she married Matthew Bogle near Shettleson, a suburb of Glasgow.  It is a cream-colored silk gown with a deep royal blue floral pattern (the tradition of solid white wedding gowns wouldn’t catch on until much later).  It was then worn again in 1937 by Christina Bogle on her wedding day. At that time the dress was already at least 83 years old!  There were a few small additions to the gown and a few pieces of fabric were added to the dress and hand-sewn lace was attached to the cuffs and collar.  It was then worn again in the 1970’s, and was cut apart and altered to fit the style of the time.  Our TGR Specialists were able to look at the first image of the dress (in black and white) and re-create the original sizing, pattern, and embellishments!  The dress was first cleaned and restored by  Duane in Stillwater, MN.

The gown has recently been prepared for inspection by the family, and they are looking forward to seeing the gown and witnessing a small bit of their own history.  The family will be inspecting the gown at Treasured Garment Restoration’s location in Stillwater on July 15th at 10am before it is wrapped and preserved for generations to come!

Photos below are of the gown as worn by Christina J Bogle in the early 1900’s, and of the gown cleaned, restored, and finally altered.

Christine J Bogle and Her Father (early 1900s)

Christine J Bogle and Her Father (early 1900s)

Wedding of Curt A. Olson & Christina J Bogle (c 1937)

Wedding of Curt A. Olson & Christina J Bogle (c 1937)

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Christina J Bogle wearing the gown in early 1900s

Turnbull Bogle Wed Gwn (2)

The vintage wedding gown after it’s restoration.

Turnbull Bogle Wed Gwn

1854 Vintage Wedding Gown after Restoration and Alterations

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April 12, 2013 In General

NEW! Vintage Bridal Salon

something borrowedVINTAGE IS IN!

Check out this NEW show on TLC – and guess what, we can do that!  Our newest Treasured Garment Restoration location in the Loring Park Neighborhood of Minneapolis (10 S 13th St, Minneapolis, MN 55414) features vintage-chic decorations, a wall of bridal gowns, and a studio for altering a wedding gown and wedding party.

Something Borrowed, Something New (TLC)

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October 8, 2012 In General

A Glimpse of History: 1943 Navy WAVES Uniform Restoration

“A very proud American woman.” That’s how former Treasured Garment Restoration specialist Duane describes Mary K. Larson, a former Navy WAVES service member who allowed us the special privilege of cleaning and preserving her uniforms.

Larson joined the U.S. Naval Reserve (Women’s Reserve), or Navy WAVES for short, in 1943, with the intent of serving her country during the trying times of World War II.

Founded just a year earlier in 1942, the WAVES, which was short for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, was a division of the Navy consisting entirely of women.  It marked the first time women had been accepted into the Navy,  or any U.S. military branch for that matter.

Though the Army had its own version of the WAVES,  called the WACC, these women were considered to be serving with the Army, not in it! For all intensive purposes, WAVES members were an official part of the Navy.

Members of the WAVES were not allowed to serve aboard combat ships or aircraft, but this doesn’t mean their contributions weren’t important.  For example, while serving, Mary was a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive, or CTI.  CTI’s specialize in communication and intelligence work, all vitally essential military functions, and even more so during wartime.

Treasured Garment  Restoration was honored to work on Mary’s uniforms, which included a blue grey pinstriped seersucker uniform and several “dress blues”.  The garments definitely needed some work, as you can see in the before and after photos below.

“The uniforms,” Schumann said, “give us a great glimpse into history, and 1943.”

From all of us at Treasured Garment Restoration we’d like to thank Mrs. Mary K. Larson for her service to our country, and for allowing us to preserve such prized possessions!

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