In fact Betty will wear both pieces again, which is a testmament to the timeliness of my pieces.

Betty is a bad ass and we had a great time collaborating.

Timeless jacket style will be worn again and again with wardrobe choices already in her closet.

Working with Betty to create this look gave me so much joy.

Meet Betty

Betty is an avid traveler, very athletic, likes to swim with the dolphins, follow Bruce Springsteen wherever he may land and is curious about many things.  She has many hobbies and is an artist in her own right.  When her son announced his engagement, she was thrilled.   Since she is athletic, she wanted to emphasize her good form, posture and cover her arms as she gets cold.   One of the requirements was a certain color of blue.  Moreover, when you are restricted, it becomes a daunting task not to mention dresses are hard to fit and a bit confining for those who like to move with grace and ease.

After much research Betty reached out to me, came to the atelier and tried on several prototypes.   She asked if a full tulle skirt would be appropriate for a Mother of the Groom for a luxurious Chicago wedding venue.    Of course, I said yes and we were off and running.  She chose a short, cropped jacket(part of my prototypes) with a back flared detail in a specific color of blue silk shantung.  For the skirt (another prototype) we worked together to determine the layers of colors of tulle to create depth and interest when she walked down the aisle.  It was like layering paints on a canvas to come up with just the right mixture.

New Look, custom artful wearable

I like to think of this ensemble as a spin-off of Dior’s 1950’s design called the New Look 

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My design is different as I am a firm believer in comfort first.  Betty’s jacket was tailored to her figure, and skimmed her body in just the right places so when she moved the jacket moved with her.  If she lifted her arms to hug her friends, the jacket moved with her.  When she danced the skirt was a delight to maneuver in.  It was playful and whimsical.

Problem Solving

I am in the business of helping humans with solving problems in how they want to dress.  Betty had some ideas, I listened and with that we came up with the most comfortable appropriate ensemble where Betty got compliments all evening from both peers and her son’s friends.

At her son’s wedding reception, Betty was touched by an unexpected compliment in the ladies’ room. A friend of her son’s stopped her, and commented:  “Betty, your outfit is stunning,” the young woman gushed. “When I get married, I want my mother to look as cool and comfortable as you.” Betty felt a warm glow of pride by this kind gesture.

It’s always nice to feel that age is not a factor when dressing for important events and still achieve comfort and style along with elegance wearing classic designs.

Reuse

I trust Betty will separate the pieces as an additional way to include them in her wardrobe.  Her exuberant display when we had our fittings is apparent in the photograph below.

We believe that to reuse is an important feature to cherish pieces while keeping them out of the landfill.  Its a win win situtation.

Working with Betty and others who appreciate attention to details with an artistic flaire where collaborating and having a creative experience is what we have become known for.

Reach out here if you are interested in working with us.  

The post Custom Wearable Art Fashion appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

” Now, moms are encouraged to wear a look that makes them feel fashionable and confident (with the bride’s approval of course)” a quote from The Knot by by Sarah Hanlon.

I know Barbara well, she’s been a follower for years.  She loves blue. Pulling out all  stops with a special textile (pleather and tulle) with blue as the accent color.  Working around that theme I  put together different shades of blue in different textiles, all 100% silk.  With my current knowlege of the Art of Japense Draping I began the process which can be appropriate for Mother of the Groom or Mother of the Bride as well as for a speaking engagement, or any event that you may be participating in in the near future.

Documenting the finished product

I choose to make artisan clothing for Mother of the Bride & Groom which has delightful interesting details.  View the front, back and up close in these photos:

The wedding event

Fast forward to the actual event that took place in September 2020, with Covid restrictions in effect.

Barbara, the Mother of the Groom looks very happy in her artisan clothing piece.

Jo Julia Photography

Relationships

With each artful piece I create I’m lucky to say that important relationships are created.  I love working one on one with women helping them to create handmade clothing that speaks to their personal style.  Fashion has no age limits as I believe that age doesn’t matter. Whether it’s for a special occasion or your everyday lifestyle choice, it’s all about how you present yourself to the world.

I  help you with your fashion needs, including a mask that might be appropriate for the occasion. In my newly revised web site I take you through the steps on how easy it is to work with me.  Read about it here.

We are all about one stitch at a time, slow fashion at it’s finest.

 If you have a need for a special garment or know someone in the market, send them our way!

Lastly, we’ve got you covered, literally!  We help you reveal your favorite body parts and conceal ones you’d like to hide.

Here’s to your well being,

Brooks

The post Mother of the Bride & Groom Dresses appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

A one-of-a-kind bride along with her mother and twin sister in custom ensembles by Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flower arrangement by Bouquets.  

A couple weeks ago I blogged about a special bride and her family whom I had the pleasure of working with last year.  Specifically, I wrote about the family heirloom that I transformed into a headpiece for the bride.  These ladies were such fun!  Not only did I get to create the bride’s unique headpiece for her wedding day, but I also custom designed her rehearsal dinner dress, along with her mother and sister’s wedding day ensembles.  Now, these were not your average rehearsal dinner, mother of the bride, or maid of honor dresses.  This crew was far too creative for that.  And, after all, every custom design I make is a reflection of the wearer and their personality.  What we ended up creating together were three bold outfits that paid homage to the colorful personalities of the women, along with the location they were being worn in.  Plus, as an additional challenge, each look was intentionally created using multiple layers that could be worn all together, or mixed and matched for a whole new look at future occasions.  What appeared to be a gown was actually separates, including pants!  How’s that for long term, sustainable use?

The bride wore purple. Custom rehearsal dinner look by Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

A multi-layered, convertible look is a great option for a non-traditional bride seeking versatility and mileage.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flowers by Bouquets.

With her rehearsal dinner taking place at a Colorado Rockies baseball game, the bride and I knew that purple (the team’s color, for those unfamiliar) was the obvious color choice.  As an avid Rockies fan, the bride wanted to make sure that her outfit showcased her team pride.  We chose a sheer purple fabric with tonal purple embroidered accents to use for a jacket and pants, and a purple silk charmeuse cami and shorts as the under layers.  Sheer pants layered over shorts is a trend that has been making waves lately, and I thought this was a fun occasion for just such a look.  Particularly for a nontraditional bride with a sporty vibe.  It was quite the showstopper, and the bride’s radiant smile in her custom ensemble made me a happy designer.

A happy mother of the bride in her ruby lace ensemble.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

Mother of the bride posing in custom Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

For the wedding day, the bride’s mother and sister chose bold jewel tones – one ruby, the other turquoise, respectively.  The mother of the bride’s dress featured a full length lace layer, again over a satiny silk charmeuse slip.  A wide silk belt inspired by a Japanese obi belt accented her waist and broke up the length of the ruby lace overlay.

The bride’s twin sister wears a convertible turquoise lace look.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

Two happy twins wearing their unique, custom designed outfits.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.

The bride’s twin sister sported a bright turquoise ensemble, which included lace pants underneath a smooth silk charmeuse skirt.  The lace pants peeked out from a split in the skirt, subtly showing off this unique detail when she moved.  We paired these with a lined lace cap sleeve top.  The beauty of this ensemble was that the bride’s sister could wear her matching lace-pant-and-top look without the skirt at a later date, making the outfit multifunctional.  I do love a good convertible style!

One fabulous looking wedding party, all wearing custom Brooks LTD.  Photo by Erin Lassahn.  Flowers by Bouquets.

As evidenced from the photos, everyone loved their custom designs, which helped make the happy occasion even more special.  They fit each woman like a glove – both literally, and figuratively.  The looks were playful, colorful and unique, just like the wearers themselves.  And in the end that’s what couture design is all about.

Custom Occasion Dresses by Brooks LTD

Wedding season is coming up, which means that it’s time to start thinking about bridal, mother of the bride, and bridesmaids’ gowns!  I specialize in custom designing unique, one-of-a-kind ensembles that are tailor made to fit you and your personality.  If you’re getting married and are looking for something bespoke, please visit the Contact page of my website to schedule a consultation.

The post Unique Wedding Ensembles For Creative Women appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Image via Style Me Pretty

Engagement season is upon us (hello, holiday proposal!), and that means brides are beginning to think about the wedding dress and bridal accessories.  Custom, alternative wedding dresses – i.e. styles that are not your run-of-the-mill, off-the-rack look that reflect more of your individual personality – have been a mainstay of my atelier for longer than I can count.  (Check out the Brides page of my website to read more about my Brooks LTD custom gowns and see examples from some real brides.)  Some say ‘the beauty is in the details,’ and I’d have to agree – especially when it comes to a bride’s big day.  Adding personal touches to your wedding look can make you feel even more connected to the garments you’re wearing, making them exponentially more meaningful for such an important rite of passage.  One way to add a personal touch (and be sustainable while you’re at it!) is to repurpose a family heirloom, such as a part of a family member’s wedding dress, either by incorporating it into your dress, or even reimagining it as an accessory.  One of my favorite recent examples of this has to be the time I worked with bride Megan and her family to create dresses for both her rehearsal dinner and wedding day.

Consultation with mom and daughters for their custom designs, including a mother of the bride dress, maid of honor dress, and dresses for the rehearsal dinner.  Mom Jina and bride Megan deliberate on fabrics at the Brooks LTD atelier.

Reimagining twin sister Erin’s wedding dress strap for Megan’s bridal headpiece. Sustainable and meaningful!

Megan and her twin sister Erin are, needless to say, very close.  Megan wanted a way to incorporate something of Erin’s into her bridal look, as her “something borrowed.”  So we took the strap from Erin’s own wedding dress, and I transformed it into Megan’s headpiece for her special day.  Their mother Jina was thrilled, as well as the twins.  It was clear to me how proud (and tearful!) this added detail made them feel, after looking at their wedding photos.  What a fun project to be a part of!

Megan and her mother Jina on her wedding day.  Jina wears a custom Brooks LTD dress. Note Megan’s headpiece, which I created using the strap from her twin sister’s wedding gown.

Tears of joy: Twin sister and Maid of Honor Erin gets emotional looking at bride Megan during the wedding. Erin wears custom Brooks LTD.

Megan shows off her special, repurposed headpiece by Brooks LTD.

Custom Wedding Dresses by Brooks LTD

Not all brides are created the same!  I specialize in unique, one-of-a-kind wedding gowns that are tailor made to fit you and your personality.  If you’re getting married and are looking for something bespoke, please visit the Contact page of my website to schedule a consultation.

The post Turning an Heirloom Into a Creative Accessory for Your Wedding Look appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

In this embroidered gown color inspires me.  I decided to line the garment with a soft turquoise so that the floral motif stands out.

I purposely placed the pattern of the design at the neckline to reveal the twigs of the embroidery.  The brightly colored orange threads tie in the entire garment’s decoration.  The trendy sleeve element is a new design for me, it’s light and airy movement demands twirling the night away.

Details matter, note the back neckline where the collar meets the dress, it’s a special way to close the zipper opening and has a dimensional quality to it.  No carbon copies at Brooks Ltd!

Feminine and easy mobility in this festive dress could be a perfect party dress, ready to dance the night away.  The skirt has movement, and the trim on the hem helps to keep the weight of the tulle to fall away from the body.

A bold Mother of the Bride could wear this gown for a summer wedding.  Carol certainly did have fun wearing this gown.  You can see it in her stance!

Here is a final photo from a recent show where Brooks Ltd. was the exclusive designer.  All of these dresses could be choices for many Mother of the Bride/Groom.  See more ideas Here.

This fabric was a major inspiration that tied together the entire Spring collection for 2017.   The coloration in this fabric is highlighted by the turquoise liner, there could be many other choices for the underlining if a different color is needed for the venue.  This color was chosen to highlight the theme of the show where it was presented.

I was thrilled to find it while on my journey shopping in the New York City garment district.  Stay tuned for new fabrics coming in stock soon, or give me your color choice and I will find the perfect fabric for your special day.

The post Designs Have Movement appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

The Sketch

Here is the start of the process, a sketch showing the details of the design.  My client can visualize what’s to come.

The Details of color creates change, made to measure

Color creates change has an inset of lace and a bias cut cowl neck.  The made to measure ensemble is perfect for a hot summer day.  As a late August wedding my ageless bride wants  something breezy and airy  (sleeveless and comfortable).  The seperate belt ties the two pieces together.  The fabric for color creates change is a muted lavender/blue hue picked out based on pantone color #278 HERE.

The lovely color creates change blue hue was festive and subtle.   The slim cut design lines show off the assymetrical edges.  The subtle decolette lace piece at the bustline is a focal point of the bodice.   Simplicity is part of my design aesthetic.  Luxurious fabrics are always a must.

The back becomes important in my creations.  Expect an element of  interest from the back of the garment.  It’s important to have  design elements that are three dimensional.  The back visual is as essential as the front.  The inside is as relevant as the outside.  Quality construction is exceptional.

The Event

I am lucky to have photos from the day of.    Here is my ageless bride with her husband, and both of their children.  Thank you for sharing your special day with me.

See more of some of my client’s Wedding Days HERE.

The post Color creates change, made to measure appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Together my client and I picked out a beautiful colorful lace.

We had 3 fittings.  First, a muslin of the style that my client prefers.  As a custom couturier and since she is a repeat customer I pretty much knew her body type.  She wanted to frame her face with a ruffle that she loves.  After the first fitting I put together the ‘fashion’ fabric for our second fitting with my idea of how to ‘pop’ the colorful textile.  I chose deep blue as the lining.  I also chose to break up the patterned lace with a contrast neck ruffle in the same blue.  See below.

With today’s technology in order to speed up the process I emailed my client for her thoughts.  Here’s her comment, “I want the collar to be all lace, I don’t like the contrast color”.  I’m from the school of thought that the customer is always right, so I immediately changed it up.  I removed the idea of putting the detail at the hip as well.

Fast forward to the second fitting.  The collar became heavy as I had to use 2 layers and needed for it to stand up.  The shape was determined, but the technique took some practice runs.  I was going to hold up the collar with stays, but I didn’t want to put them in the inside.  I had  to make sure the collar stay went beyond the actual collar into the neckband stay.  This would keep the collar standing up and close to the face.  The way it is sewn around the neckline opening also helps the front part of the collar to stand upright.  You should also note that the sleeves are NOT lined and the asymetrial hemline.

Another trick I like to use is finishing a garment so that it is interesting.  With this particular lace I decided to apply glue the edges to create a stiff surface so that when I zigzaged the edges they wouldn’t fray.  This fabric was so delicate that it had a tendency to fray if not treated first.  It was a good solution and made the jacket stand away from her body.

In order to get the shape of a bustline and waistline I decided to overlay the guipere lace and zigzag that finished as well.  One can hardly see that detail, but the jacket has a graceful shape that slims the body but doesn’t hug it.  When I cut out the jacket I placed the pattern pieces next to each other so that the repeat of the design was not interrupted.  You can hardly see where the two front pieces come together because of this.  It has snaps to keep it closed.

The interesting detail of the neckline framing my client’s face is how it stands up.  Although you can’t see it, adding the bones in the back covered with lace was one of the last steps I took in this design.   Note the finished edges, alittle raw, but on trend in today’s marketplace.  See more on Pinterest.

Fall is such a beautiful time of year, and this jacket photographed so well with the changing colors.  I think this jacket would be a nice Mother of the Bride/Groom design for a garden wedding.  Check out other Mother of the Bride ensembles.

The post Hand Painted Guipere Lace Jacket appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

I am lucky to say that LACE (“a fine open fabric, typically one of cotton or silk, made by looping, twisting, or knitting thread in patterns and used especially for trimming garments.”)  is my medium. Remember that there are several kinds of lace.

Over the many years that I have been designing women’s clothing, now particularly for Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom where I can  choose all kinds of lace for my gowns.

My go to lace right now is called Guipere Lace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guipure .  Also called Venetian lace, Guipure is a firm, stiff lace without a net background. Patterns are created by a series of close, embroidered stitches onto a fine fabric that seems to disappear in the finished piece.

Alot of Mother of the Brides are looking for interesting lace for their gown. For more Mother of the Bride ideas(both lace and otherwise) go to https://www.brooksltd.net/mother-of-the-bride-mother-of-the-groom/.

In this particular gown, the Mom wanted just a hint of contrast to her otherwise fitted, softly gathered silk gown.  I have hand stitched all of the lace and finished the edges with a machine stitch to prevent raveling. Pearls and sequins adorn the open cut work of the guipere lace.

This leather look like jumpsuit has hand appliqued lace on the bodice and down the back of the garment.

The blue guipere lace really pops on the rust colored ensemble.  This would be a trendy ensemble for a fun evening out on the town, a gala, cocktail party or art opening.  Very unique and a distinctive look.

In this sheath gown I have applied lace appliques to the bodice of the dress complimenting the tight fitting skirt.  I cut apart the lace and re-apply it strategically throughout the bodice to create an interesting, tasteful covered up look.  If you look closely you can see that I have left edges of the lace appliques for depth of movement.  Feathers embellish this cocktail dress.

From my most recent collection, the Merlot Collection I have used the guipere lace in several ways.  The fitted sheath for the body of the dress skims the body perfectly.  The crop top has detailed hand stitched lace appliqués to create a custom one of a kind artful piece.  I have also added another element, a ribbon trim that compliments the undergarment lining to tie everything together.

This short description of guipere lace is an overview of what can be accomplished.  The lace comes in many colors and many variations.  I love working with each piece of lace as an individual tool to create a dress of your dreams.

Visit more party clothes at https://www.brooksltd.net/party-dresses/

The post Guipere Lace is my Medium appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

After we choose the fabric, Margie trys on several pieces from my collection.  She falls in love with a blouse design that we can incorporate into the ‘jacket’ over the dress as something that will keep her warm if it’s cold, and also covered up for walking down the aisle.  You’ll see here that the muslin dress and the blouse over the dress becomes the shape that we will attain.

I cut a personal muslin for her body type.  See below:

Note the fit through the torso, this is the first fitting and I am pleased with the result.  We decide to make the waistline to bit longer.  Also see that the skirt has two options, one side is gathered, one side is pleated.  The amount of fabric is the same in the width of the fabric, we need to decide on pleats or gathers.  Sometimes seeing the option helps to determine the answer.  We both agree on the pleats.

Margie communicates on how she wants the fit to be by trying on her sweater over the dress.  Although the sweater is a knit, she likes where it hits her on her hip.  That is the visual that I will create.  The drop waist photographed below is subtle, elongating her waistline.

Below, relaxed with  hands in her pockets, looking so chic and comfortable in her ‘gown’.  I could tell that the fit was right.  Pockets are a trend women are asking for.  Comfort is a main concern for me, it’s a long night and I want my clients to feel at ease and elegant.  The jacket design is from my collection, it’s  constructed in the fabric of choice.  This is how women can choose what looks best for them and the occasion.

The final fabric choice, both are silk, skirt is hand painted crepe de chine, with pops of color.  The lining is also 100% silk, something I like to construct in all of my gowns.  Inside out is just as important as outside in.  Fit is of main concern.  See more here https://www.brooksltd.net/mother-of-the-groom-final-fitting/ The halter bodice is perfect for the possiblity of a warmer evening.  One never knows how the weather will behave in Colorado in June.

It’s always was so much fun working with and getting to know each of my clients.  Good luck to the newly weds.

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