Wedding Dress-What is front and back?!

[lapoubellevintage]

This sounds like a silly question but I put this dress on the form and I can't quite decide which is supposed to be the front and which is supposed to be the back! The buttons seem like they should be in the front but then there is the bust gathering on the other side...I'm confused! Any help would be appreciated!

 

[retro ruth]

The bust gathering at the front, and the buttons at the back.

 

[Pinkcoke]

I agree with Ruth. This period of dress often has a short button fastening at the back of the neck.

 

[lapoubellevintage]

Great, thank you both!

 

[poppysvintageclothing]

Agree with the above and wanted to add that in general the fastenings tend to be on the left hand side. I have from time to time run across a seamstress or home made dress that may have them on the right, but generally closures are on the left side of the body.

 

[Circa Vintage Clothing]

Agree with the others - this is a common issue we all hit at times.

1930s dresses in particular often look like they could be worn the other way round as the backs are often lower than the front - the rules to follow are the side fastenings, even though on very rare occasions they're placed on the right hand side, the small flap of fabric will always face towards the back (hiding the zipper) and there will always be some sort of bust shaping, darts, gathers, curved seams etc.

 

[lapoubellevintage]

Thank you guys! And that is good to keep in mind about the zipper/snaps being on the left