Each element is designed to integrate seamlessly with your gown. Your consultation allows us to refine the possibilities.
We'll guide you through options that enhance both fit and overall design.
You found the gown you love. Almost. Maybe it needs sleeves. Maybe a dramatic cathedral train. Maybe the back isn’t quite right, or you’ve always imagined walking away from the altar in something breathtaking.
At Margo West, we specialize in design additions that transform a beautiful gown into your gown. Every addition is built from scratch to match your existing fabric, lace, and embellishments. So it looks like it was always meant to be there.
“The sleeves I added to my dress were better than any I had seen in a boutique. Margo matched the lace exactly and they looked like they came with the gown.”Schedule Your ConsultationFrequently Asked Questions
About Wedding Gown
Design AdditionsCan you add sleeves to a strapless wedding gown?
Yes. This is one of our most requested services. We add illusion lace sleeves, cap sleeves, long tulle sleeves, and structured fabric sleeves to strapless gowns. Detachable options are also available so you can have sleeves for the ceremony and go sleeveless at the reception. Learn more about illusion sleeve additions.
Can you change the neckline of my wedding dress?
Yes. Neckline modifications are among the most transformative changes we make. Raising a low neckline, lowering a high one, reshaping a straight neckline to sweetheart, or adding illusion tulle to create a modest covered look on an open neckline. Each modification is assessed individually at the consultation to confirm feasibility.
Can you add beading or lace to a plain gown?
Absolutely. We add hand-applied beading, lace appliqué, crystal embellishments, and fabric embroidery to existing gowns. Whether you want full-bodice coverage or selective placement at the bodice, neckline, or hem, we work with your vision to add the level of embellishment that feels right. This is one of the most dramatic ways to personalize an existing gown.
How long do design addition appointments take?
Design additions typically require 3–4 months of lead time for complex additions (sleeves, structural changes, full embellishment) and 6–8 weeks for simpler additions (a detachable train, a lace edge, button replacements). We provide a clear timeline at your consultation. Book your consultation to get started.
Design additions are some of the most personal work we do. Every change we make tells something about the woman wearing the gown. Her sense of style, her desire for something she couldn't find anywhere else, her understanding that a dress is not a dress until it fits the vision she actually had.
Book a Design Consultation
Every addition is built to match your existing gown. Fabric, lace, embellishments. We source materials to match, or work with what you provide.
Illusion lace sleeves, full sleeves, cap sleeves, flutter sleeves, and detachable styles. Built from scratch in lace or fabric that precisely matches your gown. The most-requested addition at our studio. And the one that surprises brides most with how natural they look.
Adding a cathedral, chapel, or sweep train to a gown that didn’t come with one. Extending an existing train. Converting a fixed train to detachable for the reception. Or adding a detachable overskirt for a dramatic second look.
Hand-applied beading, crystal embellishments, lace appliqués, and embroidery details. Adding to existing patterns or creating new detail in areas that need more visual weight. Every bead placed by hand. Every lace motif positioned with purpose.
Lowering or reshaping the back opening. Adding a corset closure. Converting a zipper to buttons. Adding a bow, illusion panel, or keyhole detail. Your guests will see your back all night. It should be as beautiful as the front.
Detachable sleeves that come off for the reception. A removable skirt overlay. A bow or sash that changes the silhouette. Two looks, one gown. Exactly as it should be for a long wedding day.
Adding straps to a strapless gown. Converting a square neck to a V or scoop. Adding a modesty panel. Adding an illusion neckline extension. Small changes that make a gown feel exactly right from the moment you put it on.
More brides come to Margo West for custom illusion lace sleeves than for any other addition. And it’s easy to understand why. A perfectly matched illusion sleeve can completely transform a gown from strapless to sophisticated.
Each sleeve is built by hand. We source lace that matches your gown’s existing pattern. Sometimes exactly, sometimes by creating a complementary pattern that reads as intentional. The result never looks added on.
“I always imagined wearing a gown with sleeves. The strapless dress I bought was perfect in every other way. Margo added the most beautiful illusion lace sleeves. They looked like they were always part of the gown. I cried at the fitting.”
Google Reviews · Dallas, TX
“I wanted a cathedral train but my dress didn’t come with one. Margo added a matching train that was indistinguishable from the original gown. My guests had no idea it was added. They thought it was the original design.”
WeddingWire · Dallas, TX
“The detachable sleeves Margo made were the best investment of our wedding. Elegant and covered for the ceremony, off for the reception. Two completely different looks, same gown. Every bride should know this is possible.”
The Knot · Dallas, TX
Book your design additions consultation at our Dallas Design District studio. $100 deposit applied toward your total.