This is also a good time to mist it gently with the water/fabric softener mixture.Remember, this is a long, heavy dress.Storing Your Ball GownThere are two recommended ways of storing your ball gown.Some dresses just have to be ironed-silk, satin, etc. Dry-cleaning chemicals are very harsh and can shorten the lifespan of very delicate fabrics. OR you can fold it over a hanger at the waist (back side over the hanger) and place it inside a garment bag. Personally, I take no chances. Here are some valuable tips for caring for your dress. Hanging it up by the shoulders or straps may cause stretching of the straps or the fabric in the shoulders.Another way to remove wrinkles is to liberally mist the dress with a mixture of water that contains a splash of fabric softener.
If you are going to resell your gown you want to keep it in good condition in order to get the best price.. For extra protection you can place a piece of unprinted grocery sack between the dress and the iron. Salt is very corrosive and can damage the fabric over time. You really want to do this as soon as possible as some deodorants can lighten or discolor fabric over time. I fold my all dresses.Services such as eBay and Craig's List have helped the market for used evening gowns really grow in the last few years.After the PartyThe day after the party use a warm washcloth to remove and deodorant stains under the arms.
Let your dress air out for a day or two before you store it.Dry-cleaningI don't dry-clean my dresses every time that I wear them.I try to dry-clean white dresses only a few times during their lifetime as dry-cleaning fluid will yellow as it ages. Ironing with steam is acceptable if you don't use any salt. But be very careful---some fabrics will change color slightly when ironed with steam--especially those that are of a lighter shade. Allow the water and the weight of the dress to slowly remove the wrinkles. So test a small portion first. This will also prevent stretching. If you take care of your dress as described above it should not need to be dry-cleaned that often. Hand steamers require a little bit of salt in the water to make them work properly. I prefer this method to using hand steamers. Unless you are standing near smokers, spill something on it, or are dancing to the point of heavy perspiration the dress shouldn't be that dirty.
There are several methods for removing wrinkles and restoring freshness. Remember, you are only wearing it for one night once per year. This combined with the huge expense of purchasing a new ball gown has made caring for your precious purchase all the more important. This is typically not a problem for black dresses.Coming Out of StorageYou'll need to bring the dress out of storage several days before your event. One is to fold it carefully in tissue paper and store it in a box with a few cedar balls and/or a few fabric softener sheets. Then hang the dress up somewhere out of the way. I just don't risk it. You can also hang it by the straps and ribbons and then drape the rest of the dress over another hanger-at about the knees.One is to hang the dress in the bathroom while a hot shower steams the wrinkles from the dress
