We recently completed some new designs, which were photographed by the excellent wedding photographer, Chanon de Valois. This dress will be part of our standard range and available as seen, although as always with ABC we can customise to the client’s wishes.

We are awaiting the final hi resolution shots that will be featured on our 20′s pages together with guide prices and more detail. In the meantime, here’s more to whet your appetite.

If you can’t wait, contact us for more details

20's satin dress with tiered silk georgette over dress and wide belt, trimmed with guipure (venice) lace

We are now listed on a great new website, Ruby & Diva who offer original wedding products that are different, many hand made and many from small businesses. Recently launched, we are sure that the site will be a big success. Check it out and read their story here!

We have recently increased our capacity for alterations, re-modelling and re-structuring of wedding and other dresses, see HERE for further details.

We can improve the fit, feel and look of most types of dress by seam and alterations and in some cases, re -structuring that often includes improvements in boning and integrity of the garment.

bustling

Bustling of long trains for after the ceremony, allows raising of the train and ease of movement for the bride. This can be done by fastening a series of ribbons or other fasteners internally or externally. This can be most attractive if executed properly, creating a new skirt shape, the fastenings being invisible in most cases. Some examples here courtesy of White Blossom Weddings blog

French Bustle

Over Bustle

Pick up Bustle

Common Problems

Re-hemming is a common request, but bear in mind that there may be three or more hems to shorten. Long dresses, particularly with trains usually require one or more personal fittings to get the length right. Don’t forget to bring your shoes for fitting!

Strapless bodices are particularly prone to slipping down, rolling over of the top and lack of support due to bad fit, inferior boning and construction methods that are common in mass produced dresses. Our expertise in bespoke corsetry comes in handy here, after all most bodices are corsets of a kind.

Rear laced “corset dresses” are often extolled as the answer to everyone’s prayers as regards flexibility and fitting. Rear laced “conversions” can be used to enlarge an otherwise tight dress, but even when fitted as standard can give problems if the boning is not rigid enough.

Some like the bare look under the laces, but most will have a modesty panel. There is nothing worse than bulging under the laces and these matters have been covered HERE.and HERE

Although we were unable to display our stand at this show run by the Most Curious team, we did join in with one of the two fashion shows.The theme being 50′s for this particular show we included ournew long 50′s dress that was on show for the first time, featuring all silk fabrics, including the detachable butterfly train. The two piece was complimented by a lace jacket.

Satin silk two piece dress with back lacing bodice, butterfly train and lace jacket

The blue silk dupioni dress was also photographed by a real person for the first time. This dress was made from a Vintage Vogue pattern. We can legally make individual dresses from your favorite pattern or modify to your specifications.

Blue shot pink silk dupioni Vogue dress, dropped waist with sash

Fuax fur wrap over our most popular silk dress. Can be worn closed for those chilly days.....

Our (faux) furry wrap / jacket, based on an original 50′s design, complimented the short silk dress and would be sure to keep brides warm in our somewhat unpredictable weather…… (None of the models were harmed in the making of this show!)

Satin dress with lace detail, a fuller look can be achieved with a more voluminous petticoat if required.

No rest for the wicked!

We are busy beavering away at our new dresses to be photographed next week by the superb wedding photographer, Chanon de Valois. Her blog can be found HERE, featuring our last Felixstowe shoot and Muriel, a new model for the upcoming shoot.

Muriel, another lovely lady for our shoot, courtesy of Chanon de Valois

Wedding Fashion Through the Ages

The dresses modelled will include an authentic 20′s wedding dress, in silk, satin and lace, 30′s and a 40′s dresses, featuring geometric panelled designs typical of those eras and a long 50′s, all satin silk corset dress, with long butterfly train.

Vintage Tiaras

Tiaras by Julia Beazely -definitely worth a look!

Also featured will be authentic vintage hairstyles and makeup, by James Perry and Elizabeth Benjamin respectively, not to mention some lovely Vintage Tiaras by the excellent Julia Beazley, who we met recently at a recent Essex Vintage Wedding Fair, hosted by Karen Whybro in Chelmsford. Look out for another fair coming up soon at the Shire Hall, Unfortunately due to pressures of work, we cannot attend. I am sure it will be a big success, as was the last show.

Will Cinderella Go To the Ball?

We have had my red dupioni silk dress hanging around for months now. Like plumbers who have leaky pipes and painters whose houses need a good coat of paint, we seem incapable of doing work for ourselves, sometimes aggravated by family members jumping the queue. Although I am over 21, I would like to display this dress, which was after all made for me. I thought it would be nice to have a decent photo and would make a great bridal dress in ivory, or in a strong colour like this for the more adventurous! Whether we finish it is another thing…………………..

The dress is made from raw silk dupioni, interlined with taffeta and lined in satin – feels lovely on. Some cuffed sleeves to go on and all the finishing work that “won’t take long.” (HA, Mike).

Works in Progress - will it be finished on time?

We have been kept quite busy lately with a flood of wedding dress alterations, from the cheapest internet import to some of the most expensive designer dresses. One would expect that, at the cheaper end, the source of these garments is from China or some other far eastern or middle eastern country. These seem to need quite a bit of work,as I have described in previous posts and as expected are a bit “rough” on the insides.

So you would expect that a “designer” dress costing between a grand and three grand would be made somewhere else to justify the expense?

Better Fabrics?

Well yes, sometimes, but not always. One recent job we had, was made of three layers of silk satin and chiffon, so you can add on a few hundred quid more, or less if a factory is buying in bulk. That leaves the other grand or two.

“Name” Dresses

We all expect to pay more for NIKE trainers as opposed to Tesco’s own brand, but we don’t feature a badge on a wedding dress! We may brag to our friends about the maker though……….

I did not expect to find a little label tucked away on the above silk designer dress, that retailed for over £2000 describing “Maker X” “MADE IN CHINA.” We also did not expect to find internal seams that were not overlocked or finished properly, not for this price anyway. I suppose it is only going to be used for one day so it doesn’t matter. Do you care?

American label proving that the work was done by union members!

You have to admire their honesty......

Back to Fabrics

The price of wedding fabrics can vary from a few quid to hundreds, a top quality silk duchess satin going for over £30 per metre. Unless the adverts or shops tell you otherwise, your chosen dress may be made from the cheaper fabrics. It also seems that unless the seller informs you of its source, it has probably been made in a third world, low labour cost country, regardless how how much you pay.

You pays your money and you takes your choice

as the saying goes. Even a tin of beans has to give you some information on the can. Why not expensive wedding dresses?

Buy British!

Everybody talks about it but how many put it into practice? Maybe you thought that the expensive dress on sale was from the UK or perhaps a French couture house? You can do something about it. Just ask or look at the label, then make an informed decision!

Main Advantage

Properly made to measure means that it will fit you perfectly……..obviously! Dresses made to your three basic measurements might not, but you can’t really call this a full made to measure service. What other advantages are there, I hear you ask?

Quality and Finishing

Many mass produced dresses found in the high street or online, are not finished to the same high standards as a properly made couture dress. The dresses on display are designed and made to look good, but don’t always come up to scratch in the structure or finishing departments.

Oh dear, ragged exposed seams but what do you expect for £100?

Why Bother?

Many might say that this is not important, particularly as the dress will only be used for a day. Apart from the fact that well made dresses hang and fit better, why should you pay big bucks for a dress that doesn’t come up to scratch in all these areas? A well made dress will fetch a better re-sale price, particularly if it has not fallen apart!

Inside our silk bodice, as good as the outside, almost!

Fabric Choice

You may fall in love with the dress in the shop, but you will probably be buying unknown fabrics, unless you are paying a premium for silk. Having a dress made allows you to choose your fabric and either customise a basic design or have one designed for you from scratch. The current preference for soft outer layers, made from organza and chiffon can hide dodgy seam work underneath, so have a look on the inside. You will either be impressed, or not!

All Down to Cost?

If you are really on a budget and go for a Chinese internet dress for £150, expect what you have paid for and allow for alterations.

A proper designer label dress at a wedding shop, should ensure that you get a reasonable standard of workmanship, allowing for an approximate fit, if made to order. The dress may be made in and imported from the far east, unless stated otherwise, hence the 12 week waiting list you may encounter. Such a dress may cost from £500 to several thousand pounds.

Display Dresses in sales should be carefully examined for flaws and be no more than one size too big, to ensure that it can be altered satisfactorily. These dresses can be bargains, but allow for up to £200 if alterations are needed.

Our fully made to measure dresses start at less than £1000 with a full bespoke design service starting at around £1500.

Our dresses fit perfectly and look as good on the inside as on the outside! You can come and see for yourselves, so where’s the contest?

CONTACT US for more information.

The most common way of buying a wedding dress is from a shop, you see one, you love it so you try it on. It might fit, it might not, but it can be altered says the assistant, usually at your expense.

Internet sales are on the increase but unless you have seen examples of the maker’s work and are confident that your dress is going to fit, this could be a risky business. The cheapest dresses can be found on the net, which is also the most useful tool for checking out your alternatives.

More and more brides are looking for something exclusive, made from the fabrics of their choice with higher standards of workmanship that can rarely be found on dresses sold in the high street. So what are the pro’s and cons of each?
Internet Buying – Cheap “knock offs” are usually made in the far east and some are even sold directly from there. A low price is the only advantage however. Current designs are usually copied, but these dresses don’t have the label and are not made to the same quality standards. These manufacturers however have a knack for making the dress look very like the original, but look inside and it’s a different story. Made to measure options are available, but according to our experiences at alterations, they seldom fit well and some have structural problems. Some may have different experiences but you should factor in some alteration or re-structuring when assessing the total price.

There is no doubt that they represent excellent value for money, at less than £200. For this money you don’t get individuality, but many don’t care.

There are reasonably good quality dresses available in the £300 to £500 range, particularly in the vintage sector, but even these are commonly made in the far east, even when purchased from a USA company.

UK Companies such as ourselves offer mail order services, that often include a mock up for the bride to try, before the dress is made. Some at least do a made to measure services based on given measurements, which can have its problems. Have a look at our mail order service page for more information on how we think it should be done.

Wedding Shops – Here you can see what you are getting, try it on and have it altered to fit in house, hopefully. We recently encountered a bride however, who was sold a full price dress, 2 sizes to big and was given a telephone number of a dressmaker……..

You should not accept an altered dress that is more than one size too big and NEVER one that is too small. The fit, design and look will be compromised in both cases. If you are buying an expensive dress it should fit you, so negotiate!

As with any retail product, you are paying for the running of the shop, which in all fairness costs an arm and a leg these days. Large gross profit margins are therefore normal and essential to the survival of the business. The actual factory gate prices of many “designer” dresses might shock many brides. Most will come from the far east, that’s why you sometimes have to wait three months, for delivery.

So if a lack of individuality is not your concern, you don’t care where it’s come from or how it was made or by whom, the shop is a good place to buy.

Wedding shows - examine the goods!

There is a range of companies, from individuals to small concerns, making excellent individual products to the highest standards, whilst offering a personal service to their clients. From the sole dressmaker to the top designers, you can pick a price range that suits your purse.

You will have the choice of fabrics and designs as well as having the dress made to fit you. Some makers offer one off designs, others from a portfolio or pattern. You should be given advice on what type of dress and fabric would suit you best.

In each case provided you have checked out the maker and seen their work, you will have a better made, affordable, well fitting dress that can be unique to you.

So why don’t most brides choose a dress made for them? The main reason is that they don’t know that they have this option.

Small companies often do not have the marketing budget or shop front with which to entice their customers. Many of us buy on impulse and that goes for just about everything so shops fair best!

Top designers can afford the marketing, but as a result, charge prices that many cannot afford. Many brides think that a made to measure dress is beyond their budget. For some, sadly this is true, but for the majority you can search the internet for exactly what you want at a fair price.

A recent survey carried out at a large wedding show, showed that most brides were willing to pay between £500 and £1000 for their dress, some much more.

The choice is yours!

Our recent photoshoot at Felixstowe, taken by Chanon de Valois Photography is shortly to be featured on fiftieswedding.com a great up an coming site for vintage enthusiasts. Check this site out or visit Charlie’s Facebook Pages for ideas for your vintage wedding.

We have had to cancel our appearance at Chiswick today, due to illness and apologise for those who may have come to see us.

New Dress Design

We have been busy beavering away on our new design, which is a response to what some of our brides have been requesting. We always like to show works in progress as a taster of things to come, so here’s a photo of the dress to give you an idea.

All silk corset bodice, separate skirt with detachable butterfly train.