Christening Dress for Baby W

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott

I was honoured to be asked to create a ‘mini-me’ christening dress for Baby W, using fabrics and inspiration from her mother’s beautiful Ian Stuart wedding dress.

Bex’s wedding dress was made with a wedgewood blue bodice and train with a cloud of pale gold silk for the skirt. Beaded lace trimmed the bodice and train and buttons finished the back fastening. We used all these elements to design Baby’s dress using materials left over from work on the original wedding.

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: finished dress

I often make christening dresses of this type quite on the large side, with the idea they will still fit when the baby is quite a bit older, perhaps up to the age of 18 or even 20 months. This gives a good chance of the dress getting another outing!

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity WestmacottMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity WestmacottMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: Ian Stuart Cameo, the brides dress

Some images of Bex in her Ian Stuart Wedding Dress, and a tiara that I made too!

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: Inspiration dressMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: inspiration wedding dressMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: fabrics

Fabrics left over from Bex’s wedding included blue silk ordered from Ian Stuart to make matching cravats and the lace from a stole that came with original dress. ?We ordered the pale gold silk in from my supplier and the match was really good!

Mini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: finished dressMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: lace applique detailMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: button back detailMini-me Christening Dress in pale gold and blue silk with lace by Felicity Westmacott: waistline detail

Felicity Westmacott

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

Recent Portfolio entries

Read More
follow me on instagram@felicitywestmacott

Isn't this transformation so satisfying? 😍 I love giving wedding dresses a new life! I originally made Eleanor's bespoke wedding dress for her in 2010. Fifteen years later, she came back to me asking whether I could re-imagine her dress into something new for her wedding anniversary. Of course I said yes.

So, we went from a full length dress, inspired by Victorian and 18th century fashion, to a tea length 1950s look. The only extra fabric I used was for the new petticoats I used underneath the shortened skirt, to give it that classic 50s silhouette. Making this was a very satisfyingly sustainable project.

Which version would you wear?
Even though Rebecca lives in Germany, she sought me out specifically to make her bespoke wedding dress. She had seen my colour work and fantasy-inspired designs, and decided I was the perfect fit for her (pun intended!). 

She wanted a wedding dress fit for an ethereal princess, complete with this stunning pastel rainbow gradient. This kind of effect can't be achieved with dip dye. I had to use a different technique; ombre-dying. 

If you feel like you should have been born as an elven queen in a romantasy novel, then I might just be the right person to bring that dream to life ✨
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