The Dress

From the designer: Trailing floral appliqués along this gown’s subtle A-line skirt create the illusion of an Art Deco-era dropped waist.

From the bride: I searched far and wide for a dress that I thought was a bit of a unicorn: timeless but with echoes of a glamorous past, dreamy but structured, unique, eye-catching but never gaudy, flattering to my pear shape without looking matronly or boring, comfortable, romantic but also sophisticated. Three states later, I found what I call my "modern Downtown Abbey gown" that matched perfectly with our venue, the stunning Victorian mansion above the bar from the TV show Cheers! The dress made me feel wonderful as we floated through the Boston Public Garden and equally at home in the stately Library. I could sit in this dress, and eat, and dance, and still feel like I was at a Gilded Age ball.

What I LOVE about this dress: the tulle skirt is soft and flowing, the beading is subtly gorgeous, and the cut is flattering. The train extended about 3 feet behind me so my seamstress added 18 clear/invisible snaps to create a spectacular underbustle. I am 5'5" and wore low heels (about 1") and it skimmed the floor when bustled, so the dress would be better suited to someone who isn't very tall - it can be cut to go shorter, but can't be lengthened. If you end up keeping the length, I still have the diagram of exactly how to fasten the bustle and I'm happy to include it.

Dress has been professionally dry cleaned and there are no discolorations or stains - from that perspective, it looks new. I did snag the back of the dress on my heel while dancing so near the hem there are two tears - one small and pretty much invisible, one more like 2-3" long right at the hem. Because it's tulle and it's fluffy and layered, you can't tell that they're there (and if you're shorter than me, the bigger one may get trimmed off anyway if you need to shorten the dress since it's right at the edge) but I want you to know that they are there.

Comes in the original bag with a cardboard form to help it to maintain shape. We had the most beautiful event and the dress was stunning. I hope it brings someone else as much joy as it brought me!

Alterations

It was shortened slightly (tulle was cut), the straps were shortened slightly and some clear padding was added to the inside of the straps to prevent rubs, and cups were added. We also added clear snaps for the bustle - you should be able to remove the snaps if you need to bustle at a different height. There will likely be minor damage if you move the snaps, but because it's tulle it's very forgiving and hides any snags well.