Informal midi kimono inspired pale gold silk wedding dress

lou 1 informal kimono inspired short pale gold silk wedding dress


Lou commissioned a simple informal midi wedding dress in a Kimono style. I chose soft sand-coloured silk satin to create this design. This dress was worn for a wedding day but was made to an evening dress budget, and so was not lined.

lou 2 high neck custom bridal gown

The dress has a high boat-neckline and is loose fitting but pulled in at the waist by a sash. Three quarter length sleeves hang in waterfalls and are integral to the main dress, not sewn on. The neckline, sleeve edges and hem are all bound in wide satin bands to create interest. Lou had a very much loved old dress which she brought to the first consultation and we used it as the basis for her design.

lou 3 simple wedding dress with sleeves unfitted

Thank you letter for informal midi wedding dress

Lou wrote: Hi Felicity, My dress was fab, just what I wanted. We had a fantastic day – thank you. I have attached a couple of photos – we didn’t have a photographer so they are a couple of snaps taken by some of our lovely friends. Thank you for all your help. Thanks, Lou.

lou 6 buttermilk silk crepe satin bow sash wedding dress

Original design sketch

lou 8 binding detail on kimono sleeve pale gold satin wedding dress bespoke

Decorative top stitching around the sleeve bindings on the informal midi wedding dress. If this dress had been made to a higher budget these edges could have been invisibly hand stitched instead of machined but Lou opted to keep the costs down and the end result is still neat and beautiful!

lou 7 wedding dress detail sash hand sewn to order

Detail of the sash passing into a bound slit.

lou 5 waterfall kimono sleeve wedding dress midi tea length sash

Side and back details of the finished dress on the stand.

Fitting Pictures of the informal midi wedding dress

lou 4 fitting picture pale gold silk satin informal wedding dress

To see another informal lower cost wedding dress head over to my blog post about the Evie separates bridal set.

To see more information about having a bespoke wedding dress made or a pricing guide use these links

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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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When you have two bespoke wedding dresses on your sample rail that are perfect for both Elphaba and Glinda, and with Wicked For Good having come out, it felt rude not to!

Wicked has done an amazing job of bringing bright, bold fashion back to our attention, which is so exciting. But I've had many Elphaba and Glinda brides way before they came to the big screen. Brides who are up for going on an adventure with me to conjure up their perfect wedding look. 

I might not be the Wizard of Oz, but I am the Dress Alchemist after all 😉

(shout out to my social media manager, Elodie, for stepping in and being the Elphaba to my Glinda. If you're looking for your own magical media witch, you can find them at www.brightbeemedia.co.uk)
The dress on the stand vs. the dress in action✨

I made the Poinsettia dress last Christmas for my window display. I never would have predicted that it would be spotted by Rosie, who then bought it and wore it for the 2025 Miss Great Britain pageant!

My bespoke designs have been used for all sorts of events. Weddings mainly (obviously), but parties, anniversaries and proms too. But this might be the first time one of my gowns has been seen on the stage of a pageant. And doesn't Rosie look so serenely glamorous? The perfect model for this sparkly, elegant dress. And she placed in the top 10. Well done Rosie!
You might’ve noticed that I can get quite particular about language. I think it’s important, especially when that word can carry a lot of meaning. When words get misused, you as a consumer might get mis-sold something.

An example of this is the word ‘vintage’, which now gets tacked onto the description of any garment, whether or not it actually is vintage. Often the item just looks like it’s from an older period of fashion, and for many sellers now, that’s good enough to warrant the label ‘vintage’ (which it’s not).

‘Bespoke’ is another of those words. The word comes from ‘to bespeak’, which means, to ask for. Like someone walking into carpentry workshop and asking for something completely new to be made to their exact specifications.

Anything can be bespoke, if it has been asked for, to be made especially to your requirements and preferences. You often hear it in the context of bespoke suits, but the term doesn’t belong to any one industry.

When it comes to wedding dresses, you have a few options. Off-the-peg, which is what it sounds like. Then there’s custom or made-to-measure, which both describe when something is adjusted or changed. You might order a dress where there are options to customise the length, the sleeves, the neckline etc. 

But true bespoke is something different. It’s a dress that’s been designed and made completely from scratch. Completely to your measurements and your ideas. With several stages of fittings and adjustments, to ensure it’s exactly how you want it. It’s an entirely unique garment, and this is why the price of a bespoke dress can be so much more than something off-the-peg or made-to-measure.

So, next time something online claims to be ‘bespoke’, now you know what to look for to make sure you’re not being tricked into pay more for less.
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