Strapless dresses can be uncomfortable if you’re constantly worried about it falling off. The straps can make you feel much more comfortable and give your dress a more flattering appearance. Fortunately, if you have basic sewing skills and equipment to sew, you can easily sew straps to your dress. With a little planning and effort, no one will notice that the dress did not have suspenders!

When you choose one of our dresses at Lucy and Loo, you are not buying one model alone but many. In only a few steps you can take your convertible dress and make it look like a new one.

Choose and Measure the Length of The Straps

Decide the type of straps you want. The diverse types of straps require different amounts of fabric, so you must decide what type of straps you want to sew before buying it. Straps on the back are the most common type of straps, which are fastened to the front and extend directly over the shoulders, where they are attached to the back of the dress.

Another type of straps is those crossed on the back, which begin at the front on one side, cross at the back and attach to it on the other side of the dress.

The third type of braces are the straps tied to the neck, which are fastened on the front of the dress, extend to the shoulders and are tied behind the neck.

Put on your dress once you have chosen the straps you want, you must put the dress to get the correct measurements. In addition, you will need a flexible tape measure for this purpose. The tape measure will mimic the straps of your dress, so you can determine the amount of fabric you will need.

Hold one end of the tape measure to the neckline of the dress with pins. With the dress on, hold one end of the tape measure with pins around the front where you want the straps to begin. Both straps will have the same length, so it does not matter from which side you take the measurements.

Be sure to use the beginning of the tape measure, the end that starts with a zero. In this way, it will be much easier to take the measurements.

Let the tape measure fall on your shoulder. With the end of the tape measure fastened to the front with pins, place the other end over your shoulder. Touch the back with your arm and hold the tape measure with pins to the part of your back where you want the straps to be fastened.

If you choose straight straps on the back, the tape measure should hang on the same shoulder. If you choose crossed straps on the back, the tape measure will extend over the shoulder and diagonally along the back. If you are going to make straps tied to the neck, the tape measure should extend from the front to the back of the neck.

Write down the measurement. Go to a mirror with the tape measure still attached to your back with pins or hold it with your hand. Sit with your back to the mirror and look over your shoulder. You should be able to see the part of your back where the tape measure is held in place. Record the measurement in centimetres of the area where the suspenders must end.

Add a surplus to that number. The length of the fabric you buy should measure a little more than the true measurement of the tape measure. That way, you’ll have some leeway when you do the braces.

In the case of straight straps on the back and crossed straps, add 10 cm (4 inches) to the number. For example, if a tie measures 40 cm (16 inches) add 10 cm (4 inches) to this measure so that the final measure is 50 cm (20 inches).

For straps tied to the neck, add approximately 30 cm (12 inches) to this number. You’ll need enough cloth to tie it on your back, so you’ll need more fabric.

Choosing the Right Fabrics

Find a fabric for the straps that is the same colour as your dress. After you have determined the measurement of the straps, you will have to decide the type of fabric you will use to make them. The braces must match the dress. The easiest way to do it is to find a fabric of the same colour.

Most fabrics in stores are organised by colours. If you want the colour of the straps to match your dress, you should probably wear it with you.

Look for a fabric that matches the colour of your dress if it has prints. Finding the right colour of suspenders for a printed dress is more difficult. Choose one of the most predominant colours of the dress and look for a fabric that matches that colour.

For example, if the dress is beige with yellow flowers and green leaves, look for a fabric that is beige or yellow, depending on the colour you prefer. Although the straps have no pattern, combining the fabric with the main colour of the dress will make them look as if they belonged to the dress.

Look for a fabric that complements but does not exactly match the dress. If you do not want the straps to match the dress exactly, you can look for a fabric that looks good on them, even if it’s not the same colour as the dress. For example, if the dress is pastel yellow, you can look for a pastel-green fabric that looks good with the colour of your dress.

The most extreme colours and textures contrasts are probably more suitable for casual dresses than for formal dresses.

Make sure the material of the fabric is suitable for the dress. If the material seems out of tune, the straps will look out of place.

The easiest way to do this is to combine the fabric of the straps with the fabric of the dress. For example, if you are going to wear a silk dress, look for a silk fabric for the straps.

You can also choose fabric for the straps that add a decorative element to the dress. For example, you can use lace or a different textured fabric to bring a basic dress to life.

Stop worrying about straps and choose them when you wear them and when you don’t by purchasing one of our top convertible dresses today.