Trains on formals

I probably won't do this, but I could have a short train on a long formal for formal night. This is a dress I'm altering for myself. It is 3 inches too long, maybe more, so I could have a short train in the back if I wanted. The dress is basically a loose column shape falling from an empire waistline; it is not tight or clingy. On one cruise I saw a lady with a short train on a full skirt. This is just an idea and I would like to get some reactions to it. The cruise will be a Caribbean New Year's Eve cruise on Princess. The dress is sort of a champagne color.

I have 2 gowns with sweep trains that I wear on cruises.

I like the sound of it, but I'm not sure how practical it would be, especially with a light coloured fabric. My concerns would be whether static would develop as the train moved over carpeting (with the possibility that the train then clings), and whether dirt would accumulate on the train.

I saw a few dresses with a train on my last cruise. I like the look of them but I am too short to wear one myself!:(

My concern would be oblivious people stepping on your train and causing you to slip or fall. On a moving ship, some folks lose their footing and could accidently stumble onto your dress.

This is a a gown with a sweep train.

As you can see it just drops slightly (by a few inches -not feet) in the back.

It did not get stepped on (even in a crowded elevator) and it did not get dirty at all.

I think when most thinks of "trains", they imagine a long, sweeping part of the dress...perhaps needing an attendant to help lift and move it! You do NOT want that sort of thing on a ship.

You do NOT need a ball gown or train to be "formal"....any evening dress will do....the slinkier and sexier, the better! Easy to pack and wear!

This is a a gown with a sweep train.

As you can see it just drops slightly (by a few inches -not feet) in the back.

It did not get stepped on (even in a crowded elevator) and it did not get dirty at all.

 

Well, I will think about my dress. You look very nice, it actually looks like there is no train! If I do this, my dress will only drag out a few inches I imagine. I find it very interesting it did not get dirty? Wow, that's pretty good on the cruise ship. I was thinking of doing a little something to elevate the hem in back, like "float" it on a little something, like they do on wedding dress trains. Something just to elevate it off the floor a little bit. But maybe that is not necessary.

I think when most thinks of "trains", they imagine a long, sweeping part of the dress...perhaps needing an attendant to help lift and move it! You do NOT want that sort of thing on a ship.

 

You do NOT need a ball gown or train to be "formal"....any evening dress will do....the slinkier and sexier, the better! Easy to pack and wear!

Yeah, for sure. I just thought, since I apparently have the fabric, I could have a little bit of "sweep" trailing out the back. Nothing like Princess Di on her wedding day going up the aisle! :)

I have to start sewing and altering to see what I really think.

Thank you for your reply.

When my daughter wore a gown with a short train, men thought it was cute to step on it. More than once, she was jerked back so abruptly that it hurt her spine. :mad:

Wow, that sounds terrible! Can I ask, what ship/cruise line was that on?

If I do make a little train, I would make it very short for sure.

That sounds just terrible! And could have torn the dress.

I had more problems from women stepping on the train of my dress. It is about 4 inches long. I learned that when standing in a line to pick up my dress enough to raise the train. Never had a problem while walking.

I LOVE the look of a train on a dress! So pretty! But doesn't it get filthy dirty dusting the floor all evening long?

I have a dress with a short sweep train.

I sewed a small hand loop to the under side of the dress train (placement depends on your height and length of your arm). If I was in a crowded area, i picked the dress up and held the train out to my side.

The dress did not did become dirty from sweeping behind me on the carpets and hard floors as the ship is usually very clean. Obviously, I watched out for spills.