Russian Doll

Blue cocktail dress

The Oxford dictionary describes glamour as ‘an attractive exciting quality’. I can agree with that statement for this dress. I wanted to express the star qualities of the woman who will be wearing this dress. It’s a dress that helps you make an entrance as you strut your stuff. The subtle side split is exactly that, subtle.
The name Russian Doll is based on the Matryoshka dolls, aka nesting dolls, which can be seen in the fabric print with a sprinkling of soft flecks of gold. The denim blue of the overall print, with flowers, birds and ornate architecture all blended into one, in my opinion creates several talking points about the dress and that’s just in the fabric.

Going back to the star qualities, it could have been a high neck with a stand collar, but that wasn’t enough, which is why she has a tie neck and buttons on the shoulder. The buttons are a blue floral design in keeping with the overall theme.

And yet she needed more glamour with which to express herself. This is how the turquoise glass beads made their appearance, shimmering as they catch the light, dangling at the ends of the scarf-tie neck.
She’s a column shaped dress, and yet she contours to your curves. As I was making her I would place her on my mannequin and stand back, taking in the shape, fit, tying the scarf in a bow, leaving her untied, seeing the many options being presented.

I could see her being worn for Ladies Day at The Races, with an unusual shaped blue silk hat, the wearer’s head tilted, people wondering who is this mysterious woman. Yes, I like my theatrics in dressing up! For this dress I was thinking a slim clutch bag, or a handbag with a small handle, strappy stilettos – just be careful when walking on grass in stilettos.

The sleeveless drop shoulder leaves your arms bare, allowing for bracelets and bangles. Is less more in this instance when it comes to the amount of bangles being worn? An array of bracelets create another focal point, which leads onto the bag you are carrying, so you can see how all these aspects tie in together; which takes me back to my original statement, the Russian Doll dress says glamour, not plain and definitely not simple in design! The only-one-of-a-kind.

Fabric: Rayon and glass beads
Size: 10/12
Loving care: Dry clean
Handmade in London, UK