Crushed Cream & Flowers

The title for this dress I know is a bit of a mouthful; however, it all ties in so beautifully with the making of this two-layered dress. I originally envisioned her being worn as a top-quality wedding dress, perhaps on a sandy beach, near the water’s edge, a floral bouquet picked out from the colours of the dress: red, pink and orange blossom, with gypsophila, a bridal beach canopy ornately decorated for the bride and groom to take their vows.  Now that explains the ethereal first layer of the dress… as for the crushed cream?

The crushed cotton cream fabric was sheer fluke. I knew the dress would have to be lined, but I didn’t want a lining fabric that would take away from the beauty of the floral print, and it had to complement the fabric perfectly.  In terms of weight, softness against the skin and texture, all these aspects had to be taken into consideration; for me, luxury and comfort walk the same path!  The crushed cotton ticked all of the boxes: soft to the touch and the crinkled texture holds its shape. These, two fabrics were made for each other; the perfect union!

The roll-neck collar is also made out of the crushed cotton fabric, the interchangeable theme of the two fabrics flowing into one, a simple structured collar. Travelling down the dress, legs are greeted with a waterfall hemline. For this I found an embroidery stitch that when manipulated forms the look of delicate tiny ruche roses.

In addition to my beach wedding idea, I like that from a non-traditional wedding dress theme, this dress can be worn again – at a garden tea party, say, or to the races with a wide-brimmed Panama hat. Pick out any colour from the dress and accessorise with it – bright yellow sounds chic. And that’s how Crushed Cream and Flowers came to be.