Prince Edward Island - Melissa & John Michael

It's New Year's Eve...time for one last holiday treat before we return to reality!  I've been saving these pictures for just such an occasion--they're so delicious that you can't help but feel full of joy when you look at them. Melissa and John Michael's gorgeous vintage-inspired wedding on Prince Edward Island was so dreamy, colorful, and full of delightful detail--unique, personal and just gorgeous.  Promise me you'll look through all of this bright golden glory, and you'll be happy that you did.

Melissa chose a different set of vintage buttons for each of her maids' Emmeline dresses, and each set of buttons had a special meaning for the girl who wore it--how brilliant is that?

Each girl chose her own belt or sash to add even more personal detail (and va-va-voom!)

Breakfast with the bridesmaids--too adorable!

 

I love everything about Melissa & John Michael's wedding...I love how personal it is, I love the colors, I love the vintage inspiration and all the thought that this beautiful couple put into their special day.  It was an honor to play a small part in this gorgeous event.  Congratulations, lovebirds! :-)

Ella photo shoot

Time for another adventure in solitary photography!  As you may have noticed, the model in my most of my dress photos bears a striking resemblance to...ahem...a certain independent designer/seamstress/craft dork/mom/lapsed grad student...namely me. :-)  There are a couple of reasons for this: first of all, I am conveniently available and low-cost, and second of all, because when I'm making dress samples it's easiest to make them to fit me.  (No one else is around to poke with pins at two in the morning.  Except the Husbeast and Annabel, and I shudder to think of the consequences there...)

My ivory cotton sateen deep-v neck bridal gown (the J. Crew Genevieve reproduction) has been one of my most popular dresses, and I'm often contacted with requests to see the dress "on a real person."  I've only made the bridal version for other people, and I've never been lucky enough to make one that was anywhere close to my size so that I could try it on and snap some photos.  (Plus, I would feel guilty trying on one of my dear clients' dresses--that seems wrong somehow.)  I am hoping for pics from the brides who have this dress so that I can post them on the blog, but until they arrive, I decided that it was time to take matters into my own hands!

I was working on a tea-length version of the dress for a super-sweet bride named Lauren, and since it's always easier to make two of the same dress at once, I just went ahead and whipped up a knee-length version for myself.  It fits like a dream, makes my waist look tiny, has the sweet fabric-covered buttons up the back and the gorgeous ivory cotton sateen fabric that I love so much...plus a bit of organza interlining in the skirt, and built-in cups in the bust so that I don't have to wear a bra.  Could there be a more perfect dress for a beach wedding, or any casual outdoor event for that matter?

Husbeast is my sometime-photographer--he doesn't have any skills or anything, and mostly he spends the whole time pretending to be Austin Powers in the photo shoot sequences in the original movie ("Yeah baby, yeah!  You're a tiger!  You're a squirrel!  You're an angry squirrel!  And, I'm spent.")  Which does at least result in some good smiles on my part, though not the most artistic fashion photography.  However, Husbeast is pretty busy with school these days, so I was on my own with this shoot.

I don't have a tripod, or a fancy camera, or any space in my workshop/apartment for artistic staging (man, I can't wait to have my own work space!); however, I do have an ironing board, a stack of books, and a digital camera with a timer.  I can improvise.  I waited for a sunny day, did the best I could with my hair and makeup, put on the dress and started to vogue.  (Okay, just kidding about that last part.)  The pretty pink flowers belong to Annabel--she was the flower girl in a wedding last summer, and she caught the toss bouquet. :-)

I've decided that instead of continuing to refer to this gown as the "ivory cotton sateen deep-v bridal gown"--which began its life as the J. Crew Genevieve reproduction, but is now, I think, my own take on that original beautiful design--I re-christened the short version "Ella."  It just seemed right--simple, romantic, modern and classic all at the same time.  I love how the light plays on the texture of the cotton sateen in these pictures--it reminds me of how pearls look in the light.  So gorgeous.  Stay tuned for more photo shoot pics...the bridal Emmeline is next up!

Delphinium dress

 

As a pale-skinned, pink-undertone person, I've found that deep blue is one color that I can always rely on to make me feel fabulous.  The Delphinium dress is my take on sexy/sweet: it has princess seaming and a fitted shape, so it's more figure-conscious than I usually wear--but sometimes you just have to flaunt what you've got!  The deep scoop neckline accented with a pleated gathered ruffle frames the face and softens the streamlined shape of the dress--plus it's perfect for those of us in the A cup/B cup category. 

I am crazy in love with the gorgeous royal blue cotton sateen fabric that I used for this dress!  It is soft and lightweight, with a beautiful drape and just a bit of stretch--perfect for a fitted silhouette.  It took me a long time to come up with a name for the dress...I wanted a name that would convey the gorgeous color, as well as the soft ruffled neckline.  A floral name seemed right, but there are so few blue flowers!  Finally, I hit on it: delphinium!  Here's the description I came up with for my Etsy site:

Delphinium, also known as larkspur, is one of the few flowers that blooms with a vivid blue blossom. The softly ruffled neckline and the vibrant, jewel-like hue are reminiscent of the delicate petals of this lovely Alpine wildflower. The Delphinium dress is composed of cotton sateen--a rich, smooth, slightly stretchy fabric with a subtle sheen. A deeply scooped neckline and a flattering, closely tailored fit make this dress perfect for a special occasion, from a cocktail party to a special date to a summer wedding--while the breathable cotton fabric ensure that you’ll be comfortable enough to have a good time!

 

I ended up wearing this gorgeous dress for a fancy birthday dinner with my sweetheart.  So perfect!

Dreaming in coral, part two: Tarocca

The next iteration of my coral obsession took shape in a flirty little ruffled sundress.  I found the most gorgeous orangey-coral twill--a soft, lightweight twill, not that stiff kind that you use for khaki pants.  (Did you know that "twill" refers to the weave, and not to the weight or body of the fabric?  There is even silk twill!  I have some, and it's beautiful!)

As soon as I saw this fabric color in person, I had my inspiration for the dress design: the color reminded me of a truly AMAZING gelato shop in Rome--whose name escapes me now, of course--that had gelato and sorbet in flavors that I'd never even imagined.  I think we went there twice a day every day we were in Rome and never had the same flavor twice!  This little shop somehow distills the purest and best flavor--whatever flavor it is--and makes it into the smoothest, creamiest iced confection you could imagine.  And this fabric was exactly the color of their blood orange sorbet--darker than grapefruit, more orange than pink--which in Italian is called tarocca.  So of course the dress had to be the Tarocca dress!  And of course it had to be 1950s-inspired, like something Audrey Hepburn would have worn in Roman Holiday.  

You know I love a little ruffle, so that was a given.  I wanted the neckline to be open but not too deep--still appropriate for a 1950's girl.  Add a full gathered skirt and a little sash to nip in the waist, and voila!  I love it!  I think this dress would be so sweet with a little cardigan...or to wear while sipping wine, sitting at a table under an awning, watching the world go by...maybe even as a bridesmaid dress!

Dreaming in coral

It seems like winter is just going to stick around forever...but while I'm snowed in, at least I can get a head start on all the spring dresses I've been thinking about!  And of course, the color that makes me feel the springiest (I'm sure that's not a word) is CORAL.  I love coral; it looks great on everyone; it brings a little color to those pasty winter cheeks; it's feminine but not overly sweet; and it has a hint of summer beaches and nautical seaside.  What could be more perfect to drag a person out of the winter doldrums?

So with this coral obsession of mine, I started with my Celine dress and made it in a gorgeous pinky coral--almost a tea rose color.  I love the Celine dress for multiple reasons--the gathering detail at the v-neckline, the little gathered cap sleeves, and of course the POCKETS!  

Well it would be selfish of me to hog all this coral deliciousness for myself, and you know who else loves the Celine dress?  My little sis!  I wish I had more fully documented her outfit, because she was so super sassy with a wide brown belt for some waist-cinching action, cognac brown platform sandals and our favorite Coach purse of all time.  Adorable!  But when I say I have a coral obsession, I don't mean just one dress.  Stay tuned, there's more...