Liberty Capel Dress and Nike Trainers

It was great to see Liberty's classic Capel print used in the latest collection from Nike in the form of gorgeous high tops. Coincidentally the first dress from our upcoming Liberty print collection is the sugary pink Capel floral print. We think the high tops and the dress along with a sparkling belt will look pretty darn good if we do say ourselves.

Nike x Liberty Trainers available to buy exclusively from Liberty here. 

Our Liberty collection will be coming up at the end of May if not before. Email for pre-order and enquiries here. 

Running with Scissors Dress

Halter dress with bright scissors print.

We have many pairs of scissors here at the studio and I couldn't resist this 1940's inspired novelty print cotton. Wear for parties this summer with red flats and a panama hat trimmed with a matching grosgrain ribbon. Don't forget a sparkly bag.

Kitty Shoes by Charlotte Olympia 

Panama hat by Sensi Studio

Glitter bag by Alexandra King

Confetti Print Dress

Fifties Style Printed Summer Dress ...

Bright, Light and oh so pretty in hundreds and thousands confetti print on crisp white cotton. This little dress will party itself through the Summer teamed with our velvet blue bow belt. x

Rainbow Stripe Ric Rac Dress

1950s classic tea dresses were the inspiration behind the latest set of tea dresses and this colourful ric rac print has to be my favourite of them all. Sassy stripes never fail to look striking. Add any colours shoes, I think I would go for yellow and away you go to the Summer dance ...

Available made to order in the shop, I'm keeping the original for me!

Summer Cycling Dress

Just imagine cycling around this Summer in our new Summer Bicycles Dress printed all over with yellow bicycles. Well, in reality it's more of a strolling gracefully with your bicycle by your side in a pair of yellow kitten heels with a long chiffon scarf trailing behind you on the beach front. But, the print is fabulous all the same. x

Liberty Bridesmaids Dresses ...... Carolines Wedding Part 2

Before you get to see all of Caroline's amazing wedding photo's I thought I'd share the bridesmaids dresses first. Just like the wedding dress the bridesmaids dresses were full of English rose gorgeousness.
Caroline chose the Liberty Claire-Aude Tana lawn in turquoise, pink, lime and plum. The colours were fresh and vibrant and each of the bridesmaids had a different version in the same ditsy print. The underskirts were to match the colours of the shoes (Kurt Geiger patent Anna's) and each had a plaited belt in the shades from the print.

Liberty Tana lawns are just brilliant to work with and make the best tea dresses. The cotton is woven with a little stretch, is strong and light at the same time and just sews like a dream.
Claire's dress had a cutaway shoulder bodice and full skirt an Ellen had a t shirt cut, both with plunging v backs that keep the silhouettes from being too twee. It's another design I want to make for myself when I get round to it, but which liberty print to choose?

We also lined the glitter bags in the matching print, it looks fabulous against the glitter! These are definitely the best tea dresses of the year and will be making another appearance next Summer in a few different prints.

Coming up next will be the actual wedding photos xxx

Every Day Collection Dresses

Courtney - baby pink cotton shift dress

 Alice - Black cotton embroidered collar mini dress

 Love - Red pleated back wrap dress

 Honey - hot pink mini t-shirt dress

I'm well known for prom dresses, wedding dresses and all sorts of special occasion dresses that particularly cinch you in at the waist with sparkle and froth. There are my three staple black organic cotton tea dresses which are great for dinners and dates but no real every day, breath out, throw on and get to work dresses.
I also wanted to see if it was at all possible to design and make a dress, in the UK, cut and made one at a time for under or around £100. So here was the brief.

1. Fabrics must be purchased from an independent UK supplier.
- this was the wonderful Millie Moon Shop in Wells and Frome

2. The dresses must be designed, cut and made one at a time (like all our other dresses) at the studio here in the UK.

3. The dresses must be easily wearable, washable and be beautifully made.

4. They have to be well designed for everyday wear but not frumpy. Simple is not ugly.

This was about producing clothing locally and fairly. I have nothing against overseas production, If I was in China, you bet I would be having everything made there. I just like to see that everyone is taken care of, treated fairly and paid fairly. The only way I can guarantee this is by making where I can see everything at the studio and supporting local businesses.

So the final dresses. The designs were inspired by the late 80's and 90's minimalist cotton designs. Legs on show, relaxed but feminine cuts, supermodels, grunge (see if you can work out the names of the dresses) beaches and mods.

The Courtney - pink, mini, loose cut with a fit to the thigh and oh so chic worn with black.
The Alice - black, collared, mini mod moving to the twenties with an embroidered collar and belt
The Love - red, brightest lipstick red in a wrap that pleats at the back
The Honey - pink, mini t-shirt style with a long sash belt. 

Each dress is lined in satin and yes, £99 for the Honey dress delivered to your door. Simple minimalism is harder than it looks, the weight and cut is even more important to the design, every fold counts. The other dresses are a little more than the £99 but worth the extra bit of fabric and detail. And there are many ways to style them.