Looking for help/advice with prom dress self alterations

[bobkate]

Despite the dress itself being overpriced tat imo, but a trap I fell into in a bid to offer some morale for my anxious DD going into her exam period, I nevertheless succumbed and paid the overpriced sum.
I would rather not put another £70-100 quid into having it professionally altered so would like to see if anyone can offer me advice on the best way to shorten it.
I have attached a few pictures. As you can see the hem is supported by this very stiff, odd, plastic type stuff. Even when we hitched it up to be the correct length my DD still wasn't keen on how the plasticy hem made the bottom stick out/up/at funny angles.
Can anyone shed a light on the purpose of this plasticky bit. Is it needed? Could I unpick it, remove and just re-hem without it? I had taken it to mum to have a look at but she reckons it wasn't a good idea so I am doubting myself.
I am a fairly neat sewer although no machine, so it would all have to be by hand.
Anyone able to offer some advice 🙏

My DD had a similar dress last year and it didn't have that tape, just a normal hem. Unless your DD wants it to stand up in the shape the tape is making there's no issue with removing it.

It's not quite so sequined but you can see the hem here. It didn't need any length adjustment but I did what else was needed myself.

Ah fab, I feel like it will fall fine without but my mum, who is actually very nifty with a needle, gave me the collywobbles. Maybe just a ruse so she didn't have to take responsibility for doing it herself 🤣

That's beautiful. It's funny, she went for the polar opposite of what she thought she wanted but there you go.

The tape is called horsehair braid and is designed to make the hem stick out more http://www.blogforbettersewing.com/2010/06/magic-of-horsehair-braid-little.html?m=1

If your DD doesn’t like that look unpicking it and hemming without is fine.

At a guess I would say the stiff tape is to hold the bottom of the dress away from the wearer's feet so they don't trip over it constantly, the idea being the hem brushes the floor so you can't see the shoes at all and it looks like you're gliding across the floor. I would imagine the tape makes the fabric kick out as you walk so it gives a rippling effect. Has she tried just holding up a little and walking about to see if that's the effect?

Tbh I think it looks fantastic in the photo from the back, like something a celebrity would wear on the red carpet! I think the width round the hem balances the way it clings around the hips and legs, and without it it may not be as flattering.

I would try just turning the tape up once IYSWIM, pinning it roughly and having her walk around in it to see what you both think.

PS I've been dressmaking over 50 years and have never sewn sequins or that tape, so I'm just guessing here!

It's normal to take up a hem like that from the waist seam.

It's horsehair braid (not real horsehair) to give shape and structure to the hem. It will be fine to unpick it and sew it back on further up, or to take it off and have the hem falling naturally without the stiffening. I'm not sure it looks great on that slinky dress though - it's normally used on much fuller skirts. It's quite an easy alteration, can you try a dry cleaner rather than official prom alteration place?

The velvet doesn't look like it will fray much so you should be able to pin and sew a small hem easily, it's often easier to hand sew sequinned fabric as the sequins/beads can break your sewing machine needles.
if she decides to keep the braid you can find instructions online for how to attach it and then flip it up inside the hem.

I have a friend who is a seamstress and she comes across this trim often and it tends to be a marmite thing with some clients wanting it removed and others loving it so I say do as you and your daughter want! I personally agree with you that it would look better without. Good luck!

Fantastic. Thanks all. So, I reckon my plan will be to unpick and remove, pin to the length she'd like and see if she's happy with how it falls. I can always sew the support thing back in 😭 if she decides she prefers the original.
When I doubled it over and pinned it, it bulked it out too much and made it flip flop in very odd ways. We also tried her holding it up to just above floor height and I can see the intention of why it's used, but I think the plasticky material used is probably a cheap version and it still sat a bit strangely.
Funnily enough, on the day we went shopping neither of us really took much notice of the bottom! She was so thrilled with it but hey ho.

Whatever you do I hope your Dd has a lovely time at her prom x

Thank you so much. She had a rough trot with her mocks and coped with her actual exams like a trooper so she's due some excitement and happy times 😊

Dress altered all by myself! Very chuffed. Took the random hem stuff off, raised the front hem and added straps. DD had the best time!
Plus hem looked so much better without the strange plastic horse hair knock off hem stuff 😁

That looks lovely OP. Glad your daughter had a good time.