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.

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

The wedding was this summer and I had the pleasure of dressing them and their mom for the festivities. Today I will concentrate on Erin, Megan’s sister who stood in for the bride as the only bridesmaid. I had a blast working with all three of them, and since we started several months ago, it helped to make the design process more relaxing and all about pure fun. That’s something I strive for when creating dresses of women’s dreams.

The color choice was based on the bride’s desires. Fun, happy colors that will look festive and bright in the urban industrial wedding venue: Moss Denver. Once you’ve chosen your wedding venue, picking colors for your bridal party is always important, too!

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

Erin fell in love with some lace pants at my atelier, so with that in mind and the turquoise color choice, I searched for the perfect fabric that would create a pant to go underneath a silk skirt in the same color. I tied all of the elements together in a hand-stitched decorated waistline of her wrap skirt. Note the touches of red to pull out the color of her shoes. No detail is left undone.

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

I believe that the back is just as important as the front. That is why I chose to decorate the center back with an exposed zipper. The sleeve detail is also visible front and back.

Here is a snippet from the actual fitting. I use Erin as the fit model to change up the original idea of a dolman sleeve to a set in sleeve. Things change as we go along. Yes, it’s me who does the designing, fitting, sewing, and cutting. One of a kind ensembles need that one-on-one special attention; why not work directly with a local designer you can trust?

One of the details I always prefer is to look toward the future. I wanted Erin to be able to wear these pieces again, not just for the wedding. I suggested she wear the skirt with other tops, maybe a tight fitting sweater with leggings when the weather gets colder. The lace pant would look great with a tailored white shirt and the lace bodice works well with a dark colored pant and jacket for a day into evening look. The choices are endless and makes this a sustainable ensemble that she will wear many years from now. For other fun, sustainable fashion designs, check out my lifestyle ensembles online!

Photo credit: Erin Lassahn Photography

Congratulations to everyone! I loved working with these creative ladies. Thank you for the opportunity.

And did I mention how much fun we all had during the process?

Contact Brooks LTD for a Custom Ensemble Designed Just for You!

Whether you’re attending a wedding as a bridesmaid or mother of the bride, or you’re celebrating your own wedding or other major milestone event, you deserve to feel stylish in a unique piece made with your personality and body type in mind. Reach out to me for a custom dress that fits you perfectly.

The post A Custom Bridesmaid Ensemble for Erin appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Whether you have an elegant wedding dress you want to keep after your big day is over, or a custom-designed gown you wore to a premier gala event that you’ll cherish forever, it’s important to take care of the fabric so that it doesn’t lose it’s color and detail.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that your special dresses are protected and preserved so they may last for years to come.

1. Hire an experienced professional to clean the dress.

Although you may have a local dry cleaners you’ve used before, they may not have the expertise and knowledge of cleaning wedding dresses and gowns properly.

Especially if your dress was custom-made and involves more than one layer of fabric, lace, or beading of any sort, you’ll want to rely on someone who knows how to handle the gown carefully while cleaning it. A specialist will be able to assess any damage done to the dress (such as stains on the hem, which happen often during the wedding day) and clean any delicate fabric in ways the average dry cleaners can’t.

2. Do your research: read reviews and ask for referrals.

Before you hand your gown over to any company you come across, make sure you thoroughly vet their experience in cleaning dresses of this kind. Not all professionals use virgin solvent, which is vital in making sure your dress is free of any lingering particles typically used in an average cleaning company’s recycled solvent.

A trained eye will also know where and how to spot any “invisible” stains that may turn yellow or get worse over time.

3. Don’t wait.

The longer you take to get your dress cleaned and preserved, the more you risk letting any stains set in the fabric for good. Be sure to have a professional work on the dress as soon after your big event as you can. If you’re preserving your wedding dress and are leaving for your honeymoon the next day, consider having a family member or bridesmaid come by to pick it up and drop it off for you!

4. Have an airtight preservation box.

When a dress is sealed in an airtight box, the oxygen is sucked out and replaced with nitrogen. Doing so helps to prevent any “aging” and discoloration, which can easily happen in an oxygenated place over many years. Should you ever need to break the seal and take it out again, hire a specialist to re-seal it properly for you.

5. Store the box away from sunlight.

Cold and dark areas of your home are best for preserving the dress, since sunlight and heat can damage the dress’s design over time.

Dress Cleaners in the Denver Area

Have a special dress that needs to be professionally cleaned? Here are a couple I’d like to recommend:

McMahan Cleaners

Gold Label Cleaners

Please note that I am not getting compensated to recommend these places. I have clients who have had good luck using these companies so I’m passing their names along, but you should still do due diligence for any of your particular dress cleaning needs. 

Looking for a Custom Designed Dress?

Whether you’re looking for a truly unique wedding dress, an elegant mother of the bride dress, or a show-stopping gala or party dress, reach out to Brooks LTD for a design that suits you and fits perfectly! Contact me online or call 303-573-3801.

The post How to Preserve Meaningful Dresses So That They Last a Lifetime appeared first on Brooks Ltd.