Bespoke Sheer Black Wedding Dress

Bespoke custom made to measure Sheer Black sequin bodycon Wedding Dress hollywood glam

Non-binary stunner, Stevie, saw this Addams Family wedding photoshoot where I made my Morticia inspired look. They knew it was the perfect vibe for them, so they ordered their own bespoke sheer black wedding dress for their own gothic wedding.

This dress is comprised of a simple bodycon fishtail, with a plunging v-neckline front and very low back. I made the dress from modern beaded and sequin sheer fabric, layered over a silver and black floral lace. The skirt flared out from the knee with chiffon godet panels that spread into points at the sides and back to create a statement train behind. And I finished each of the long sleeves with gothic waterfalls and padded shoulders.

This dress, and Stevie wearing it, looks like a combination of Morticia Adams, Vampira and the iconic Bride of Frankenstein. There’s something so sexy about it and I love it!

Scroll down for more gorgeous, vampy photos and a look into how I made the dress.

Photography – Giovanni Logrono Photography

Making of a Bespoke Sheer Black Wedding Dress

Stevie requested a few changes to the original design from the photoshoot. These included making an underlayer for the skirt of skin-coloured stretch fabric. We also made the skirt godets higher, so that Stevie would be able to move around with more ease.

Below, is early on in the process, where the outer part of the dress had been constructed. I still had a lot of work left to do, including all the beading work, the modesty layer and adding those dramatic tendrils (the godets) coming from the skirt.

Some of the work a seamstress does goes entirely unnoticed. In fact, if you’re doing your job right, a lot of it is so subtle that unless you’re into garment construction yourself, you’re not going to see it.

For this bespoke sheer black wedding dress, the bride chose to have a modesty layer underneath the dress. So I constructed a bodice out of a stretch fabric that matched their skin tone. The bodice had to fit Stevie’s body perfectly, so that it looked and felt like a second skin. An ill-fitting base layer becomes obvious by the folding and bunching that can be seen whilst it’s being worn, and can ruin any smooth silhouette you’re trying to achieve. This is when accurate measurements and fittings become essential.

I also added some skin-coloured tulle to the top of the dress, for some added support around the bust.

The back of the design featured a gothic arch, inspired by cathedral windows, fastening across the shoulders. From that arch hung a necklace-back made of faceted jet-black beads. I draped the strings of beads so that a pentagram star appeared where the loops of beads crossed. More beads hung around the top of each sleeve, as well as the high points of the skirt.

And here it is, finished and on the mannequin. Looking nowhere as stunning as it does when Stevie wore it!

If you love the idea of adding a bit of drama to your wedding dress, then I recommend having a look at this red feather masquerade wedding dress. It’s all things moody, dramatic and gothic. Or if you’re looking for more black wedding dress inspiration, there’s this one I made for a classic goth wedding.

And, of course, if you’ve decided this dress is perfect for you, then this design is available to order from my shop.

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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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It’s the night before you’re wedding day. You have your dream bridal outfit ready to go for the morning. But there are a few things you should do before you go to sleep, to make sure your wedding dress is looking its best for the big day.

First up, make sure to hang your dress up high. A curtain rail or a wardrobe door are good choices. And make sure to hang it in a pet and fiancé secure room.

When unzipping the bag, put your finger behind the zip to stop it catching on any delicate fabric.

Your main priority is to get the train out, so it has time to flatten out overnight. Hang the dress in the bag so it’s facing inwards. Leave the shoulders of the bag on the dress to keep protecting the dress from dust.

You’ll want to lay a clean towel or sheet on the floor to protect the train when you pull it out.

Check to make sure the dress is hanging from its dress loops, not straps or sleeves. This prevents any delicate fabrics being stretched out by the weight of the dress. As you can see from the one I’ve chosen, that’s a lot of (heavy) dress!

On the wedding day, your dress can be taken completely out of the bag. To prep it for the photographer, turn it round so it’s facing the front, and pop any straps or sleeves, back onto the hanger so it looks its best..

And that’s about it. It isn’t very much, but it can make all the difference, and avoids any unwanted wrinkles, especially on your dress’ train.

Let me know if you have any other tips and tricks!

(Shout out to @engaged_bridal_studio for inspiring this post 🙌🏻)

#wedding dress #customwedding dress #weddingdressinspiration #bespokeweddingdress #bridalboutique #surreywedding #sussexwedding #londonwedding #weddingdaytips #weddingdresstips #bridaltips
This wedding dress is inspired by the same era that Titanic and Downton Abbey (well, some of it) are based on; the Edwardian Period.

The corseted bodice fits close to the body, and is made of panels of silk chiffon over luxurious duchess satin. Trimmed with satin ribbon and embellished with hand sewn lace appliqué and tiny glass beads. 

I love the tiered skirt so much. With three layers of gathered chiffon and trimmed with more intricate lace, giving it a perfect vintage feel.

There is something so timeless and elegant about this wedding dress, don’t you think? If you love this design, you can either head to my Etsy shop, or drop me a message if you'd like it made entirely to your measurements and preferences.

#weddingdress #edwardianfashion #edwardianbride #edwardianweddingdress #periodweddingdress #vintageweddingdress #seamstress #bespokeweddingdress #customweddingdress
If you're curious about what I get up to in my breaks at the shop...now you know!

Inspired by @theadhdpersonaltrainer 🥰

#handstand #handstandpractice #upsidedown #handstandprogress #handstandshapes #feetuptrainer
With spring finally appearing, it was time to update my bridal shop display window.
(If you're curious what it was last month, you can look at my previous post...if you're a fan of dip dye, I think you'll really like it)

I wanted to create something that was full of verdant texture. I feel really strongly about single use plastics, so I always try to either re-use elements from previous window displays, or gather things from nature. This time I used a floral garland by @muscariwhites and added dried flowers from the hydrangea bush in my garden, as well as ivy, and anything else I found that I thought would look pretty.

For this display, I featured two dresses. Usually it's three, but when one of them takes up so much space, I had to make sacrifices! I chose the sumptuous pink Evil Queen dress, as well as the lilac dip dye Bridgeton dress. Both of them are historically inspired (the former by Elizabethan fashion and the latter by Regency), but also have fantasy elements to them. Completely my style as a wedding dress designer.

Which dress in this display is your favourite?
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