Monday, August 22, 2011

If you were going to a Wedding...



Lovely wedding outfits from the winter months....


Dusky Pink bridesmaid's dress.
Katie was the bridesmaid for her friend's South African wedding in July this year. She wanted something pretty and lacey - these are her inspiration pics..
Lace bodice reference

Lace bodice and nice skirt length




















As South Africa can be pretty cold this time of year, I set about making this very light dress a bit more solid so Katie wouldn't freeze. 

I found a lovely soft pink wool that I layered with silk georgette to get the soft floaty look Katie wanted. I used a great polyester lace from Tessuti for the blousey bodice and lined the sleeves with the georgette for warmth. 

"Rose" lace boatneck bodice, over pink wool suiting.

Antique black glass buttons and silk grosgrain belt

Dusky pink winter bridesmaid's dress, with georgette skirt overlay.

Next, is a lovely outfit I designed for Rose, to attend the wedding of her brother in August. I almost didn't want to hand it over.

Rose came to me with a broad but fairly good idea of what sort of outfit she wanted; mostly expressed through fabric choices and ideas. 
She wanted dusky colours as well, but loved teal as well.

I found a fantastic printed silk satin at Clegs, but thought it would be too outrageous: I like to challenge my clients occasionally.

Happily, she loved it and I decided to team it with a bold teal bodice to really make a statement, after all that's why you hire a designer.  The bodice also features a self bow and button closure.
Pretty-in-pink toile.



 Rose also wanted a wool cape for the garden ceremony, and we chose a "winter white" (cream) woolen crepe from Tessuti again, which I lined with silk habutae and a portion of the printed silk from the dress.

Cream wool crepe cape with draped collar



Cape lining with skirt fabric section


The cape features a draped circular collar that can be worn tied, or dropping down, or wrapped around the shoulders. 

Wrapped collar option

back view

All together it looks like this:
Event wear: silk dress with bias cut skirt and contrast bodice.

Dress back view; darted bodice with french seams, and bias cut skirt

Teal silk georgette darted bodice with "pussy-bow", and built- in camisole lining in silk satin.

Self covered buttons aptop invisible zipper

Ensemble, with wool cape, worn open.

Ensemble detail, cape and bodice. 

Next time... more winter capes!