Folklore Dress Studio
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Lara was an absolute pleasure to work with! I came to Lara after being referred over by a friend and am so happy that I trusted her with my dress. In addition to doing your usual wedding dress alterations, she made me two custom sleeves (a tulle puff sleeve and an off-the-shoulder sleeve using the original lacing from the dress) to switch out from ceremony to reception. I unfortunately lost the off-the-shoulder sleeve (through no fault of Lara) during transport on the day of the wedding and was so bummed I never got to wear it but absolutely loved the puff-sleeve. She was so patient with me in our fitting sessions as well, and was able to squeeze in a last minute session as I was still losing weight close to the wedding. Pricing was also great and worked with our budget. Overall, I would definitely recommend Folklore Dress Studio if you need wedding dress alterations, custom pieces, or even a custom wedding dress. She was always so sweet, addressed all of my dress concerns, and I never felt rushed during our sessions. Thank you Lara!!
The best wedding dress alterations! Went from a strapless size 14 dress to a long sleeve size 2 dress. Lara is so great at her work and takes her time. I came in once a month for a 1 hour session for 5 months to try on and work on any additional fixes and ideas. She changed the entire bodice, added sleeves, changed the zipper, changed the underlining and sewed additional 3D floral lace I purchased from the dress designer (Calla Blanche). Follow her on instagram @folklore_dress_studio -Manal @livewithmanal
Lara is absolutely AMAZING. She literally was my fairy godmother and really elevated and transformed my dress to what I always dreamed of! So I said yes to a beautiful Ines Di Santo prototype/sample gown, but at the end of the day I was not fully satisfied because it was missing what I've always wanted in my wedding gown- sleeves. I still took it home because the rest of the design and silhouette were too perfect to pass up and I was so emotional with it on. I've always wanted big beautiful billowy off the shoulder sleeves and I was insistent to find a trustworthy seamstress to build them for me! Even the designer didn't even want to do them so I was heartbroken until I found Lara! Lara was incredibly accommodating, professional, so communicative, personable, and absolutely so talented!! She saw just one sample photo of the sleeves and knew immediately what to do. I loved that she would text me every step of the progress, scheduled all meetings, was very detailed on what she would do, what fabrics she'd use, and she was very accurate with her lead times. More pros- pricing was very reasonable and there was ample parking at the building she works in! If you need alterations or customizations to your garments, go here!!!
My mom persevered her wedding dress hoping she'd have a daughter who could wear it one day. Soon after getting engaged I asked my mom for her dress. She responded with mixed emotions. She wanted me to wear it, but due to size and fashion differences between her at 25 and me at 30, the dress would need to be altered. That was difficult for her. I promised that I would honor the dress in my new design. So the hunt for a seamstress began. I did a DEEP dive into yelp. I had a few recommendations, but also just looked around top rated businesses. After many frustrating and disappointing appointments with dress makers who told me it was impossible, I met Lara. Lara was as excited about the project as I was! I wanted to reuse my mother's skirt, then reconstruct a bodice to match. She assured me that my vision could be done and immediately got to work. Everything with her went so perfectly! We found the perfect lace the first try. She let out my mother's skirt (which she wore on her hips) and it was the exact measurements to fit my waist! Each fitting was fun, comfortable, and collaborative. Lara was a joy to work with! She even helped FaceTime my mother so she could give her approval! All this for around $800! A off the rack generic David's Bridal dress would cost me more than that! On the day of my wedding, I was so comfortable. The dress fit like a glove. It was incredibly comfortable. It was well made and durable. No rips, tears, or any clothing malfunctions despite wearing it all day, playing a drum solo, and dancing the night away. So thank you to Lara for helping make my big day so special. I've never felt more beautiful!
Lara was incredible to work with on my wedding dress alterations, and she truly went above and beyond the task of making sure my dress fit perfectly. She not only helped me with fit adjustments, but also helped with mobility and comfort concerns, styling recommendations, and made us a video for how to tie the bow in the back. I felt overwhelmed with indecision over small details for my wedding day look, and she helped me work through styling details regarding hair accessories, length of dress, cover-up ideas, and whether or not to have a bustle or wrist strap installed. Her professional opinion and many years of expertise made me feel more confident and less stressed after each visit to her lovely studio. During the alterations process she shorted the straps of my dress, changed the bra cups to be a close skin-tone match, adjusted a few vines and leaves, and did a crucial length adjustment as she helped me decide to remove the train of my dress. Our wedding venue was outdoors with lots of hard-packed dirt ground, and dancing was a top priority for me, so she figured out the perfect length hem to make it seem like I was floating on air and not dragging. My comfort in the dress for the whole day was all thanks to Lara's expert POV. So glad I got to work with her and I highly recommend her for your needs.
This review is 4 years overdue, but Lara is INCREDIBLE! I came to her to add a complex bustle to my wedding dress. Complicated enough that my gown shop was unsure how it could be done. She knew what to do immediately and it was stunning!
I had a custom-made dress last spring because I was attending a bunch of weddings. I was tired of boring off the rack dresses, so I found Lara on Yelp. She is a talented dressmaker who was professional and creative. She met me at a fabric shop, talked me through what I imagined and made it a reality. It was a fun treat for myself and I'll love the special dress forever!
This is a late post, but I had the pleasure of working with Lara on my custom wedding dress. I knew I wanted a custom made dress, because I wanted something in red. I researched multiple custom dress makers and based on customer service, cost, and flexibility I went with Lara and it was the best decision I ever made. When I first met Lara, she was very sweet and I instantly felt comfortable talking to her. I shared with her my vision of what type of dress I would like and she sketched it out for me. Next, we went fabric shopping together and unfortunately, we could not find the exact tone of red that I wanted. In no way during this process, did she try to change my mind on settling for any type of color/fabric. She was patient and offered to go to another fabric store while I was at work to look for the shade I wanted, and she did! We also went to look for the jewels for my dress and bought some, but along the dress making process, I wanted something different and Lara was totally understanding and went to buy different jewels based on my preference. Lara first made what I'd call a "draft" dress out of muslin to ensure the measurements and fitting were correct. After that, I had a few more fittings with my actual dress. You can tell Lara cares a lot about the quality of her work and her dress. She is not satisfied until you are satisfied because she knows how important the wedding dress is to her customers. There were a few minor adjustments we had to make along the way and Lara was always open to hearing them and making the necessary changes. At the end of the process, I was more than thrilled with my wedding dress and the experience with Lara. I felt like I made a friend along the way. There is no doubt that I would recommend Lara to anyone that wants their dream wedding dress to become a reality.
I found Lara through our wedding planner. She was so fast, efficient, and such a steal! I brought two outfits to her, separates (including a wtoo skirt from bhldn) and another dress from a designer in LA. Both of my dresses fit relatively well at first and just needed a few tweaks and a MAJOR hem because I'm 5'2". However, as the wedding approached they began to get more and more snug. Lara fixed everything. She let one of the dresses out and did the same for a very full tulle skirt. She changed the shape of the back of the dress and lined the bodice. Lara also created a hook system to ensure that the top on my separates would stay in place. Of course everything was also hemmed and she kept the uneven layers and horsehair trim perfectly in place. She is a lifesaver and such a calm, pleasant presence in what can be such a stress inducing (at least it was for me) phase of life.
Lara of Folklore Dress Studio was amazing with me. I was a plus size bride that purchased my dress from Strut Bridal. The dress was a floor model, but the lace and style were perfect. Accept for the straps....they were terrible. The store assured me their preferred alterations individual, Folklore, does amazing work. Well she did more then adequate, she made the dress perfect! She shortened the skirt, fixed the zipper, took in the bust, created a gorgeous bustle, and made new straps. She herself was an absolute pleasure to work with as well. Always happy, pleasant, and interested in making sure my dress was perfect. It was like I was her only customer every time I visited her for fittings. Her office was also nicely appointed. I would use her again for any formal gown I have. Check out the before and after pictures.
Laura made my dreams come true by completely remaking the top of my wedding gown. We started with a sleeves sweet heart tube dress and she created a (cropped top) and attached it to the top to make my dress something modest or (temple ready) to fit our specific religious needs. The lace was super intricate but she some how put everything together seamlessly. I was so happy with my dress, and felt like a million bucks because it fit me like a glove.
2 months ago
Lara was a godsend. She did amazing work on my wedding dress with alterations and gorgeous bustle and custom made my dream wedding veil. She also altered my moms mother of the bride dress and customized my reception dress. Any challenge I brought her she faced on with excitement and creativity and I couldn't have had a better experience working with anyone else. Her studio is also super cute which is a bonus :) Her work is exceptional and I will continue coming to her for any clothing alteration needs I may have in the future. read more
1 year ago
TL;DR: Lara is an incredibly fun and creative dressmaker who makes the process of creating a custom wedding dress just as delightful as the end product itself! Working with her was easily one of the highlights of my wedding planning journey, and I can't recommend her enough. The Long Story: After trying on more than a couple of wedding dresses, I realized that it'd be difficult to find exactly what I was envisioning in a boutique. I'd always been intrigued by the idea of doing a custom dress with a local dressmaker, so after reading a bunch of reviews, I reached out to Lara to see if this option seemed like a good fit for me. Right from the get-go, Lara was incredibly warm and helpful. She patiently walked me through all my questions over email, and with only a little back and forth about my preferences, she sketched a gorgeous dress perfectly in line with what I was hoping for. Our first order of in-person business--a whole afternoon of shopping for dress fabric together in the Fashion District--initially seemed very daunting. But thanks to Lara, it ended up being one of my favorite memories from the whole wedding planning experience! Diving into shop after shop, bouncing ideas back and forth--with her great sense of humor and energy, Lara seamlessly guided me through the sea of options available while also encouraging me to explore whatever came to mind. That fun, collaborative dynamic continued throughout the entire dressmaking process. My dress ended up having a lot of intricate details yet Lara was always up to the challenge, somehow arranging the chaos of lace and my feedback into something beautiful. I looked forward to every single fitting I had with Lara, and when I finally took the dress home, I felt sad that our time had to come to a close! Due to my forgetfulness, this is review is incredibly belated (practically a year since the wedding!!), but the fact that I still remember the process with Lara so vividly is a testament to just how great it was. After all, a wedding dress is supposed to be a garment full of love and memories, and I'm so glad to have these wonderful memories of creating the dress as well. Thank you, Lara, for being a part of my dress's story! read more
1 year ago
I took my wedding dress here for alterations, and Lara did an amazing job! I felt so comfortable and listened to during our appointments. I have broad shoulders, so my dress started off very tight. I didn't even think there was a way to fix this, but she suggested widening the arms holes, and that really helped! The alterations were affordable, and the everything on ready on time! My wife also took her dress here and loved her experience! read more
3 years ago
Lara was an absolute pleasure to work with! I came to Lara after being referred over by a friend and am so happy that I trusted her with my dress. In addition to doing your usual wedding dress alterations, she made me two custom sleeves (a tulle puff sleeve and an off-the-shoulder sleeve using the original lacing from the dress) to switch out from ceremony to reception. I unfortunately lost the off-the-shoulder sleeve (through no fault of Lara) during transport on the day of the wedding and was so bummed I never got to wear it but absolutely loved the puff-sleeve. She was so patient with me in our fitting sessions as well, and was able to squeeze in a last minute session as I was still losing weight close to the wedding. Pricing was also great and worked with our budget. Overall, I would definitely recommend Folklore Dress Studio if you need wedding dress alterations, custom pieces, or even a custom wedding dress. She was always so sweet, addressed all of my dress concerns, and I never felt rushed during our sessions. Thank you Lara!! read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
The best wedding dress alterations! Went from a strapless size 14 dress to a long sleeve size 2 dress. Lara is so great at her work and takes her time. I came in once a month for a 1 hour session for 5 months to try on and work on any additional fixes and ideas. She changed the entire bodice, added sleeves, changed the zipper, changed the underlining and sewed additional 3D floral lace I purchased from the dress designer (Calla Blanche). Follow her on instagram @folklore_dress_studio -Manal @livewithmanal read more
Lara is absolutely AMAZING. She literally was my fairy godmother and really elevated and transformed my dress to what I always dreamed of! So I said yes to a beautiful Ines Di Santo prototype/sample gown, but at the end of the day I was not fully satisfied because it was missing what I've always wanted in my wedding gown- sleeves. I still took it home because the rest of the design and silhouette were too perfect to pass up and I was so emotional with it on. I've always wanted big beautiful billowy off the shoulder sleeves and I was insistent to find a trustworthy seamstress to build them for me! Even the designer didn't even want to do them so I was heartbroken until I found Lara! Lara was incredibly accommodating, professional, so communicative, personable, and absolutely so talented!! She saw just one sample photo of the sleeves and knew immediately what to do. I loved that she would text me every step of the progress, scheduled all meetings, was very detailed on what she would do, what fabrics she'd use, and she was very accurate with her lead times. More pros- pricing was very reasonable and there was ample parking at the building she works in! If you need alterations or customizations to your garments, go here!!! read more
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
7 years ago
My mom persevered her wedding dress hoping she'd have a daughter who could wear it one day. Soon after getting engaged I asked my mom for her dress. She responded with mixed emotions. She wanted me to wear it, but due to size and fashion differences between her at 25 and me at 30, the dress would need to be altered. That was difficult for her. I promised that I would honor the dress in my new design. So the hunt for a seamstress began. I did a DEEP dive into yelp. I had a few recommendations, but also just looked around top rated businesses. After many frustrating and disappointing appointments with dress makers who told me it was impossible, I met Lara. Lara was as excited about the project as I was! I wanted to reuse my mother's skirt, then reconstruct a bodice to match. She assured me that my vision could be done and immediately got to work. Everything with her went so perfectly! We found the perfect lace the first try. She let out my mother's skirt (which she wore on her hips) and it was the exact measurements to fit my waist! Each fitting was fun, comfortable, and collaborative. Lara was a joy to work with! She even helped FaceTime my mother so she could give her approval! All this for around $800! A off the rack generic David's Bridal dress would cost me more than that! On the day of my wedding, I was so comfortable. The dress fit like a glove. It was incredibly comfortable. It was well made and durable. No rips, tears, or any clothing malfunctions despite wearing it all day, playing a drum solo, and dancing the night away. So thank you to Lara for helping make my big day so special. I've never felt more beautiful! read more
2 years ago
Lara was incredible to work with on my wedding dress alterations, and she truly went above and beyond the task of making sure my dress fit perfectly. She not only helped me with fit adjustments, but also helped with mobility and comfort concerns, styling recommendations, and made us a video for how to tie the bow in the back. I felt overwhelmed with indecision over small details for my wedding day look, and she helped me work through styling details regarding hair accessories, length of dress, cover-up ideas, and whether or not to have a bustle or wrist strap installed. Her professional opinion and many years of expertise made me feel more confident and less stressed after each visit to her lovely studio. During the alterations process she shorted the straps of my dress, changed the bra cups to be a close skin-tone match, adjusted a few vines and leaves, and did a crucial length adjustment as she helped me decide to remove the train of my dress. Our wedding venue was outdoors with lots of hard-packed dirt ground, and dancing was a top priority for me, so she figured out the perfect length hem to make it seem like I was floating on air and not dragging. My comfort in the dress for the whole day was all thanks to Lara's expert POV. So glad I got to work with her and I highly recommend her for your needs. read more
5 years ago
This review is 4 years overdue, but Lara is INCREDIBLE! I came to her to add a complex bustle to my wedding dress. Complicated enough that my gown shop was unsure how it could be done. She knew what to do immediately and it was stunning! read more
6 years ago
I had a custom-made dress last spring because I was attending a bunch of weddings. I was tired of boring off the rack dresses, so I found Lara on Yelp. She is a talented dressmaker who was professional and creative. She met me at a fabric shop, talked me through what I imagined and made it a reality. It was a fun treat for myself and I'll love the special dress forever! read more
9 years ago
This is a late post, but I had the pleasure of working with Lara on my custom wedding dress. I knew I wanted a custom made dress, because I wanted something in red. I researched multiple custom dress makers and based on customer service, cost, and flexibility I went with Lara and it was the best decision I ever made. When I first met Lara, she was very sweet and I instantly felt comfortable talking to her. I shared with her my vision of what type of dress I would like and she sketched it out for me. Next, we went fabric shopping together and unfortunately, we could not find the exact tone of red that I wanted. In no way during this process, did she try to change my mind on settling for any type of color/fabric. She was patient and offered to go to another fabric store while I was at work to look for the shade I wanted, and she did! We also went to look for the jewels for my dress and bought some, but along the dress making process, I wanted something different and Lara was totally understanding and went to buy different jewels based on my preference. Lara first made what I'd call a "draft" dress out of muslin to ensure the measurements and fitting were correct. After that, I had a few more fittings with my actual dress. You can tell Lara cares a lot about the quality of her work and her dress. She is not satisfied until you are satisfied because she knows how important the wedding dress is to her customers. There were a few minor adjustments we had to make along the way and Lara was always open to hearing them and making the necessary changes. At the end of the process, I was more than thrilled with my wedding dress and the experience with Lara. I felt like I made a friend along the way. There is no doubt that I would recommend Lara to anyone that wants their dream wedding dress to become a reality. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
I found Lara through our wedding planner. She was so fast, efficient, and such a steal! I brought two outfits to her, separates (including a wtoo skirt from bhldn) and another dress from a designer in LA. Both of my dresses fit relatively well at first and just needed a few tweaks and a MAJOR hem because I'm 5'2". However, as the wedding approached they began to get more and more snug. Lara fixed everything. She let one of the dresses out and did the same for a very full tulle skirt. She changed the shape of the back of the dress and lined the bodice. Lara also created a hook system to ensure that the top on my separates would stay in place. Of course everything was also hemmed and she kept the uneven layers and horsehair trim perfectly in place. She is a lifesaver and such a calm, pleasant presence in what can be such a stress inducing (at least it was for me) phase of life. read more
5 years ago
Lara of Folklore Dress Studio was amazing with me. I was a plus size bride that purchased my dress from Strut Bridal. The dress was a floor model, but the lace and style were perfect. Accept for the straps....they were terrible. The store assured me their preferred alterations individual, Folklore, does amazing work. Well she did more then adequate, she made the dress perfect! She shortened the skirt, fixed the zipper, took in the bust, created a gorgeous bustle, and made new straps. She herself was an absolute pleasure to work with as well. Always happy, pleasant, and interested in making sure my dress was perfect. It was like I was her only customer every time I visited her for fittings. Her office was also nicely appointed. I would use her again for any formal gown I have. Check out the before and after pictures. read more
7 years ago
Laura made my dreams come true by completely remaking the top of my wedding gown. We started with a sleeves sweet heart tube dress and she created a (cropped top) and attached it to the top to make my dress something modest or (temple ready) to fit our specific religious needs. The lace was super intricate but she some how put everything together seamlessly. I was so happy with my dress, and felt like a million bucks because it fit me like a glove. read more
8 years ago
Business owner information
Lara P.
I do sincerely apologize for this experience that you had working…
5 years ago
I cannot sat enough about Laura...I started speaking to Laura during the peak of COVID lockdown and my wedding was rescheduled 3 separate times. Laura was so responsive, understanding, and truly went above and beyond to help me throughout the entire year of rescheduling. On top of being incredibly kind.. she is an absolute wedding dress magician. My dress fits LIKE A GLOVE. She did such incredible work and made my dream come to life through every little detail. I am forever grateful!!!! Thank you Laura!!!!! read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
9 years ago
Lara was recommended to me by the dress shop Strut- I was worried I was going to be over charged for work that was not quality (just because it was a wedding dress). When I first met her, she was very friendly and kind. She listened to what I wanted, found solutions to my issues with the dress and after 2 visits with her- my dress fit like a glove! She didn't jack up the price for the second visit either- she did an amazing job and I'm excited to wear my dress this weekend! Thanks Lara! You rock! read more
8 years ago
All I can say is, wow wow wow!! Lara is truly an amazing seamstress and huge talent!! We designed and created together, the wedding dress of my dreams! She dealt with overbearing family members, me losing weight and small changes to the design, like the true pro she is! She's also super sweet and very professional! I've attached some photos of her work. read more
8 years ago
Lara did an amazing job making my wedding dress. She was easy to work with, from the initial meeting to talk about ideas, through the sketches and fabric shopping trip, to the final fitting the week of the wedding. I wanted a green dress, so we couldn't find the right fabric on our shopping trip, but she was determined - she looked all over and was able to find what we needed. Wedding planning can be pretty stressful, but I was never worried about the dress. It turned out perfect - I loved it, and so did everyone else! I got a lot of compliments on how pretty and unique it was, and the price was very reasonable for an entirely custom dress. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for a dress or alterations. read more
10 years ago
If I can give 20 stars I would!! Lara was amazing to work with and am really glad I found her on yelp! I bought my dress of the rack at Santee. I'm a bride on a budget and even though I had a dream dress I wanted to purchase online - it was too big of a risk for me not to be able to try it on and all. So, I bought the dress, thinking it looks 'close' to what I wanted with a few tweaks. Hated the dress a month later. Actually considered buying a new one - in my search for bridal shops around me, I found Folklore! Lara was very friendly and easy to work with. It was a great experience to go shopping with her for the lace she would use for my topper, she asked what I wanted and was always open to suggestions while giving you her professional input. She basically made me fall in love with my dress! Thank you Lara! read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
10 years ago
I worked with Lara to have two dresses altered -- a bridesmaid dress for a friend's wedding and my own wedding reception dress. Both occasions that I worked with her, I was impressed at the quality of her work, the quick turn-around, reasonable rates, and her friendliness and flexibility. The alterations she performed were seamless (literally, there were no obvious indicators in seams or stitching where she'd removed fabric) and gave each dress a more custom, tailored look. My shape is curvy on bottom and smaller on top, so dresses that fit my hips are always too big in the waist and bust. Lara immediately understood what my fit needs were and her measurements each visit were spot-on. When I returned to try on each dress after her alterations, both fit perfectly and no further alterations were needed. She was even kind enough to steam my reception dress, which happily took one more task off my list before our wedding day. Aside from her work, she's a friendly and genuine person; visiting with her is a pleasure, and her feedback and enthusiasm about my reception dress helped me to feel even more excited about my wedding day. I will absolutely bring all of my future alteration needs to Folklore Dress Studio! read more
9 years ago
Lara helped me with two dresses - one traditional wedding dress, the other a more casual party dress. She was accommodating, efficient, and an overall pleasure to work with. I will recommend her to everyone!! read more
5 years ago
9 years ago
8 years ago
8 years ago
6 years ago
8 years ago
9 years ago
Lara was awesome! I was so worried that I would not be able to find a fast affordable tailor for my bridesmaid dress. My dress was a least a full size too big thanks to the boutique we ordered from. I was stressed to find someone to fix it, since, I had two weeks before I had to fly back east. Not only did my dress fit, she was finished earlier than I expected. It looked amazing! She is also a talented dressmaker so I think that is why it looked so great. No one could tell the dress had to be taken in. Be sure to call before you just pop by because she is pretty busy. Anything I need tailored or made, I'll definitely be coming to her! read more
6 years ago
9 years ago
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More info about Folklore Dress Studio
Ask the Community - Folklore Dress Studio
Hi what's the price for custom made casual clothes? 1. Full skirt elastic waist 2. Sleeveless dress elastic waist full skirt 3. Short sleeve dress, collar, buttons, full skirt. I will provide the fabric. Thanks.?
Hello! for projects like these, I charge an hourly rate. Feel free to email me at lara@folkloredressstudio.com with photos of the styles of these garments if you have them, and I can do my best to give you a ballpark of what the total would be.
Hi there! Can you make a custom marigold/yellow mustard satin dress?
Yes I can! However, I am currently taking clients with dates in December and later
Review Highlights - Folklore Dress Studio
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
3 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
2 years ago
10 years ago
2 years ago
