For this bespoke wedding dress photoshoot in Hampshire, we wanted to evoke the feeling of a fairy tale. Of a princess being whisked away by her prince, of magic, whimsy and romance. The colours we wanted to focus on were blush pink, various shades of green and deep burgundy. All inspired by the colours found...
Posts from Felicity Westmacott
The dress on the stand vs. the dress in actionโจ
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!
From Design to Destination...โ
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Isn`t it funny how art has to go through so many strange, messy stages before it emerges as something complete?โ
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The Poinsettia wedding dress was the first bespoke dress I ever made with the sole intention of using it in my window display. I wanted something sparkly and subtly festive to brighten Dorking High Street, where my shop is. โ
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But before that I had to do what I always do - begin the strange dance with fabric, needle and thread. Starting with the very simple base, and slowly but surely building something beautiful. Poinsettia is a flower associated with the Christmas season, so it felt right to draw inspiration from its shape (as opposed to its vibrant red colour) and feature these stunning sequin statement flowers on the bust and hip.โ
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My dresses often have second and third lives after I`ve made them, whether I plan for it or not. And this one is no exception. After it glistened in my shop window for the winter, it was used, funnily enough, for a summer wedding shoot. And after that for something even more unusual. But more about that in the next post...โ
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Summer Shoot Photography - @KalaWeddings.UK
You mightโve noticed that I can get quite particular about language. I think itโs 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 โvintageโ, which now gets tacked onto the description of any garment, whether or not it actually is vintage. Often the item just looks like itโs from an older period of fashion, and for many sellers now, thatโs good enough to warrant the label โvintageโ (which itโs not).
โBespokeโ is another of those words. The word comes from โto bespeakโ, 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 doesnโt 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 thereโs 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. Itโs a dress thatโs been designed and made completely from scratch. Completely to your measurements and your ideas. With several stages of fittings and adjustments, to ensure itโs exactly how you want it. Itโs 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 โbespokeโ, now you know what to look for to make sure youโre not being tricked into pay more for less.
I won! ๐ฅณ๐๐ฅโ
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Last night was the Wedding Industry Awards (as if you didn`t already know) and I was up for two categories: Bespoke Bridal and Bridal Alterations. And I am now the regional winner for the Independent Dressmaker/Designer category!โ
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I am so so pleased to have gotten this far, and I couldn`t have managed it without the amazing support of all you lovely lot. So thank you thank you thank you! ๐ to those who took the time to vote, to those who sent me beautiful messages, to those who got excited for me. Thank you!โ
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And thank you to the @twia_official team as well! What a gorgeous night.โ
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Next step: the National awards. Let`s see what happens...โ
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Tonight is the Wedding Industry Awards! I`m in the running for two awards, which is all very exciting! ๐
Since it`s such a special occasion, I decided to design and make myself a dress. That way, regardless of the outcome, I`ll feel like a winner. I rarely have time to make myself anything, so this felt rather lovely.
I used some gorgeous pink coloured silk chiffon, lined with pale gold silk satin, finished off with velvet ribbon. I started making the dress at 11am yesterday, and I finished it at 3pm today. Now I just have to finish making the bolero to go with it as well. I think we`re gonna make it! ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ
Just to be extra clear ๐
#seamstress #dressmaker #historicalfashion #weddingdressmaker #weddingdressdesigner
