Bespoke Portrait Collar Jacket and Short Wedding Dress

angela 7 alternative wedding dress portrait neckline collar and dress

I made a bespoke portrait collar jacket and wedding dress trimmed with chantilly lace for Angela. The dress and jacket were both made in opulent oyster pink duchess silk satin.

Photography bywww.christellephoto.com

Angela wanted a little old world glamour for her wedding so we created this vintage inspired ensemble in luxurious silk duchess satin and French cotton lace. The dress was a simple slimline shape to the knee with a pencil skirt and sweetheart neckline. Lace was hand appliquĂŠd to the neckline using the pretty scalloped edge to soften the line and blend into the join of the delicate cap sleeves. The hem line dipped at the back where the fan kick-pleat was also trimmed with lace.

The jacket was made well fitted to the waist which was emphasised with a narrow ribbon sash and neat bow. The portrait collar neckline framed Angela’s face and revealed her beautiful neck and collar bones. Elbow length sleeves with little turn-ups and a box pleat at the back completed the design.

angela 4 portrait collar jacket three quarter sleeve
angela 5 pencil skirt with split wedding dress
angela 6 shell pink wedding dress and jacket
angela 19 lace applique detail to neckline and sleeves on custom vintage wedding dress

Design for a bespoke portrait collar jacket and short wedding dress

design sketch for Angela's bespoke vintage dress and jacket

Original Design Sketch

angela 17 vintage 1950's 1960's wedding dress made to measure
angela 16 silk and lace wedding dress with short cap sleeves

angela 9 palest pink wedding ensemble older mature bride sash bow
angela 10 bride with friends shirt wedding dress wrap over jacket
angela 13 vintage wedding suit bespoke
angela 14 short wedding dress with sleeves made to order
angela 16 silk and lace wedding dress with short cap sleeves
angela 18 chantilly lace trim on bespoke duchess silk wedding dress

The design for Angela’s dress included a kick pleat at the back to enable easy movement without compromising on the slim fit of the skirt. I also cut the cape sleeves with space around her shoulder that meant her ability to move and dance was not restricted. I trimmed both of these elements with the delicate chantilly lace.

angela 19 lace applique detail to neckline and sleeves on custom vintage wedding dress
angela 21 ivory cotton lace applique hand sewn to neckline of custom dress

Making Angela’s wedding dress

angela 22 toile practice run of bespoke custom wedding dress

Angela in her toile or practice run fitting. The dress and jacket made in cheap materials to check style and fit before we cut the main fabrics.

angela 2 fitting picture vintage jacket sash belt collar

Angela in her finished dress and at the final fitting.

angela 1 making final fitting picture shift dress bespoke dressmaker wedding duchess satin

To see another amazing wedding dress for a mature bride head over to my post about Catherine’s castle wedding.

To see another design for a bride with African heritage, see this dress for Ayesha

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Felicity Westmacott

I write about all aspects of weddings, dressmaking, fashion history, and the human relation to clothing. I welcome comments and debate.

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"Your talent, creativity and attention to detail made this piece so much more than just part of a dress – it became a beautiful expression of who I am. We were completely overwhelmed and deeply impressed."

For this dip dye overskirt, Marina and I went through a few different colour combinations before we landed on something she felt was perfect. I'm always happy to create as many samples as a bride needs to feel really sure about her choice. Originally Marina wanted the gradient to start at yellow, but after I sent her the first sample, and seeing it in real life, she decided the yellow was a little too yellow, and we went for a lime green instead. That way, she still got the brightness she wanted, but staying within a more restricted colour palette. 

Then I get to begin layering all the colours. From that chartreuse, finishing on a deep, forest green, and then adding a layer of fine silver glitter on top. I think the sparkle is a beautiful touch. After that, I packaged it up carefully and sent to Switzerland, where Marina lives. And finally, her dip dye overskirt got to do its job - adding colour, style and personality to her wedding dress.

If you're a bride who wants to bring dopamine dressing to your wedding day, drop me a DM! There are so many fabulous ways of adding colour to your day, and I would love to help.
When I made this wedding dress in 2017, I wasn't expecting it to be such a success. It's been featured in so many bridal photoshoots (I think four or five so far), and every time the styling has been completely different.

It's so interesting to me how versatile a dress like this can be. All you need is a little imagination. Even though the dress itself was originally designed as a period-inspired piece, it's been used for an Edwardian Downton Abbey inspired photoshoot, a Victorian gypsy photoshoot and a modern outdoor shoot.

Which version do you prefer?

I'm currently have a sample sale on my Etsy, where this beauty is less than ÂŁ700. So if you love this dress, grab her whilst you can!

Photography:
1: @bristy_fairytales
2: @neliprahova
3: @charlymaephotography & @dam.ute
Sometimes I get so carried away with making a bespoke wedding dress I completely forget to record the process for you lovely lot! Filming content is fun, but it doesn't compare to getting lost in the process of a creating.⁠
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My Morticia-inspired wedding dress is one of my most popular designs, and I can see why. Sparkly, sexy, figure-hugging, dramatic. Have a look at my previous post to see the *stunning* photos of this one on its bride, especially if you've got a gothic wedding in mind.⁠
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~⁠
#theaddamsfamily #wednesday #morticaaddams #gothicwedding #gothicbride #blackweddingdress
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in
from design to completionbespoke wedding dressesFelicity Westmacott
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
Dorking, RH4 1RT241 High Street• Visit the Studio •
emailme@felicitywestmacott.co.ukTEL 07762 543230TOUCHGet in