About the Dress

2022 'Charlotte' dress from the South Africa-based luxury bridal designer Elbeth Gillis, worn once for my wedding, now dry cleaned and in basically perfect condition - no visible marks on the outside.
Designer listing (NB that the slit doesn't go as high as in the pictures here! See alterations note): https://www.elbethgillis.com/bridal-collections/grace/charlotte/

This dress comes with a plain waist belt and a separate off-the-shoulder collar (veil not included), giving you two dresses in one: an elegant, off-shoulder dress for the day, and strapless for the evening. The collar is completely separate, so can sit as high or low on you as you like. Overall, the shape is really classic, featuring a straight-across neckline, nipped in at the waist, with a full, swishy skirt of dreams. Bodice has sewn-in cups which kept everything in place admirably! The back of the corset is done up with covered buttons, which then run all the way down the skirt.

I've listed the fabric as Satin as this was the closest match, but this is actually made of Mikado - similar to satin, but with slightly more weight and texture, making a gorgeous, luxurious fabric that catches the light. As a result, you get a beautiful full skirt with just one layer of fabric, so this dress has no petticoats, making it super comfortable and easy to wear (and go to the bathroom / get into cars / sit down in!). This also means it's not as hot to wear as some full-skirt dresses.

Bought and altered in London, so I can share details of the tailor if needed.

Comments I got included "timeless", "elegant" and "your bum looks amazing". I absolutely loved wearing it, and I hope you will too!

Alterations

Very minor alternations made: a slight tuck to the top of the bodice (which meant it was super comfortable to wear, no sliding down at all) and some of the length taken off the front.
Invisible hooks and eyes added to the front so the collar can be clipped into place if desired (also useful for checking the back is lined up correctly).
The front slit was also sewn up slightly - slit now goes to just above the knee.