Swathes of cloth

With the flat almost ready to move into, we have progressed to preparation for the customary wedding in April. Now, this was supposed to be my project, as the flat was Big's. Itz starting to look like a more thankless project than his really...

I started looking out for gown designs online sometime last year. It proved a good break from frustrating work in the office =P But even before I started surfing randomly, I had already decided I didn't want the following:

• a tube top gown (too common & generic)
  
• a fluffy skirt with cancan underneath (can't walk with the cancan)
  
• anything too lacey or poufy (don't want to look like a cupcake or too girly)
  

The keywords were - simple & elegant - and the result was a Grecian gown. These gowns feature a sleeker silhouette and the skirt usually either lightly skims the body or flares in a slightly A-line from an empire-cut bodice. The overall look is clean, simple and elegant.

Our gown designer, Debbie from Blu Mesh (contact courtesy of Yen Ling), did a couple of sketches of variations from a picture that I had sent to her from online research. One of them was a very simple gown - the bodice is a cross-over both front and back, with a sash knotted off to one side, overlay of silk organza (or chiffon) for bodice, opening up in the front of the skirt, and lace and beading details on shoulders, front of bodice and skirt. We jumped on it immediately.

Hunting for material

We spent the whole afternoon of 2 Jan trailing Debbie around Arab Street while she draped duchess satin over me, showed us bits of lace, and hunted for other materials. For someone who already doesn't enjoy dressing up, this experience was quite a chore. But this highly personal service is actually very good becos it inovlves the bride-to-be from the very beginning, and you get to choose the fabrics, and get an idea how they would drape on your body even before the gown is made. I know I can't wear stiff material and was initially quite worried becos gowns tend to be made of duchess satin which is rather stiff. But we found a softer duchess satin and this draped nicely.

1st gown fitting
The 1st fitting took place some 2 weeks after we had gotten the material, and just like the Arab Street hunt, was quite an experience.

1st, I hadn't expected the boning in the bodice or at the waist, obviously I wasn't used to it and felt like I was in a corset.

2nd, I seldom wear full white or off-white, so the result was a bit disconcerting.

3rd, when Debbie tied the sash on, it was all I could do not to fall to the floor in a dead faint (ok it wasn't all that tight but it sure felt like I was being squeezed in the middle...).

4th, the damn hem kept getting in the way. And when I hitched it up to walk, I was greeted by gales of laughter from my (unsympathetic) audience. Especially Val, who obviously delighted in telling me to "glide" becos that was exactly what I told her when she got married last year...

I'm not sure how I'm gonna avoid toppling over or tripping on my skirt, especially in my 3.5" heels...

Contact: Debbie from Blu Mesh at debbling@gmail.com or 9459 4995. http://www.blumesh.com/