Authentic Creatives & designers a dying group

Designers and original makers are dying out. We are going extinct and being replaced with big machinery and cheap overseas labour. Not only that whenever we make something that is authentic it is copied. That I don’t mind. I just want to let people know that working with our hands and a sewing machine is an art form and the fact that you meet someone who can sketch an image, draw their own pattern, cut and sew from start to finish is rare nowadays and I’m amongst the youngest in this field in Australia that can make anything from the beginning.

When you look at a dress in a retail store that costs $350 it has went through so many hands for each piece and the fabric sourced all over the world but made in less than an hour. When an authentic creative makes you something for $350 +++ it would of taken many more hours or days to produce. The sewing of retail clothing is hardly done in Australia nowadays and is mostly done in India, Bali, China, Phillipines, Turkey etc where the dollar is cheaper. I don’t mind that but do not compare an authentic designer or creative who makes one off designs or capsule collections to the mass produced market or to something you buy from the retail store.

For 19 + years I have been slowly learning my craft. Just bits a pieces here and there picking up every piece of knowledge that I can from people, from books and just generally learning as much as I can of anything at all that I can apply to my field. It is my obsession and my dream. I am young to be running my own business as a Designer Dressmaker but I created my job because I saw a need in the market. Plus until I started calling myself The Designer Dressmaker nobody else had put those words together. The decline of dressmaking and especially dressmakers that make their own patterns is obvious in Australia adding further value to what is left. We are a dime a dozen. Help contribute to Australian dressmakers or local dressmakers if you aren’t Australian because otherwise we may just die out and who shall you buy an authentic designer dress from.

I’m going to rock this year. You should too. 🤘🏻

Wedding dress 101 Why you can’t have your dress taken in too tight

You just can’t have your dress too tight and I will go into this in gory detail.

Firstly the wedding dress you wear is the most important part of your wedding. If your dress is too tight you suddenly develop roles of fat which are pouring out from your underarms or the back. The waist looks like the fabric has stretched because it’s been taken in too much.

Ok so there are some ways around this and you should ask your dressmaker or designer what you can do if you need the dress to be so tight your waist looks like your wearing a corset.

But let me repeat myself there is nothing worse than a cheap looking wedding dress that has popped.

Your a size bigger than your sister or your girlfriend and you just wanted to look smaller. We all know what it’s like but please for your own sake and the sake of your wedding do not make your dress so tight you need to squeeze into it.

There is nothing worse at a wedding than the brides dress popping. It’s absolutely horrifying and the stuff of nightmares. I’ve actually seen this with my own eyes and it definitely wasn’t a dress that I made. Invisible zippers are known for popping on girls who are wearing dresses that are too tight. When I saw this happen it became a drama for half the night and the bride ended up being so rude to her sister even I was disgusted. Horrified even after bridezilla reared her ugly head. Poor uninformed size 22. I felt very sorry for her while her bridesmaids attempted to use giant safety pins to pin her together. Omg! What a scary terrible wedding. I was just a young waitress at the time but I really felt sorry for the girl. She just wanted to look smaller and it ruined her wedding.

Imagine your walking around casually and then your dress pops.

There is no going back. Once your dress has popped your wedding goes down hill. You have to change into your honey moon clothes if you have them with you. Brides worst nightmare walking around casually in her Bahama thongs, casual jeans and tshirt she wears on weekends while her size 8 bridesmaids are swanning around in gorgeous little cocktail dresses.

At least pack some back up clothes please and not the variety you find in supre or just jeans.

The truth about buying a bridesmaid dress online

So I’m sharing a huge secret with you all. My biggest group of clientele are bridesmaids who have had dresses bought for them online.

With online dresses I have noticed a certain pattern of faults in fitting and design that I would like to share.

Firstly when you look at the bra cup shape it is all kinds of wrong. I mean who really wants their boobs to be cupped by padding that looks like a discus rather than the more conventional balconette cup.

Secondly the dress is always either too small or too big. This means huge alterations if your dress is too big and even if it is too small where we might even have to add a panel or let the dress out. Better the dress is too big than too small none the less.

Thirdly the straps are always an odd length meaning you have to get them taken in or let out.

Fourth if there is any beading or fancy techniques you have admired in the design they usually are falling off by the time they reach Australia.

Fifth the hem always has to be altered

Sixth the style may not even sit right because the shape is all wrong and if it does sit right then the style may still be wrong.

Bridesmaid dresses are the things best made by local dressmakers but you have to make sure you can trust your dressmaker before you let them take on your work.

The other thing is you must make sure that the dressmaker has some form of qualification or learnt knowledge. Do not trust any person who thinks that sewing a quilt together or a cushion qualifies them to make bridesmaid dresses. God forbid you let them make your wedding dress. Ask to look at prior examples of their work before investing yourself financially in their business and wasting valuable time.

Dealing with Bridemaidzilla a Dressmakers guide

So here we go. If you haven’t seen it before the bridezilla is becoming a rarity. It’s more or less bridesmaidzilla in the marriage department nowadays. I’ve seen it more than once and I’m sure I will see it again.

The girlfriends who want to look better than the bride or who want to turn themselves into a size 8 when they are really an 18.

Well the only way to deal with this breed is to make sure that they are fully informed before they get their dresses made or altered. If your a size 18 I can’t use my magic sewing wand and turn you into an 8. What I can do is fit the dress to your size and ensure that the style you choose matches your particular shape.

About shape. All these apples pears and mangoes are all wrong after a certain size. As far as I can see you are the shape you are and you will only look as good as you can look. Which is great as long as you choose the right style.