One of my first bridal clients was in fact the owner of a bridal boutique in Newcastle. We met at a wedding fayre, where I was coordinating and styling the fashion show, and her dresses were chosen to feature in the show. Since styling her and her fiancé for their wedding day, Yvonne and I have become good friends and we now work alongside each other in her boutique.
My role began as in-house stylist. Brides could book my styling services through the boutique and using the dresses in-store I would style them and their bridesmaids for the big day. My role has developed since then and as well as continuing with the in-house styling, I’m now the creative consultant to the in-house dressmaking team, where I assist brides in designing their dream bridal gowns.
Our brides are booked in for a consultation during which we discuss ideas for their dream dress. We cover every single detail of the design, from neckline to fabric, embellishments to silhouette. Many brides know exactly what they want from their dress and may only need a few design tweaks to ensure a flawless look, other brides require a little direction so where needed, I’ll offer my suggestions and design ideas. I then interpret their ideas into a sketched design and specification and meet with the dressmakers to discuss how to make the design a reality. As well as bridal gowns I also assist with designing bridesmaid dresses, mother of the bride outfits and evening gowns too.
As a child I always wanted to be a fashion designer, it was my ultimate dream job, in fact recently I found one of my old sketch books!! It’s a tad cringe-worthy (I was 11 years old) but if I’m feeling brave enough I might add a few images in the future.
The entire process from initial consultation to final fitting fascinates me, especially the design and creative aspects of my role. In the long run I hope to become involved in the dressmaking process too, so I can not only design a dress, but also make it. I understand that’s going to take a hint of talent, a great deal of practice and many, many years to perfect, which is why I’ve already begun.
Our in-house seamstress Betty is a wonderful lady; very kind, super talented and extremely quick witted. Betty doesn’t know it yet but I’m determined to learn everything she knows about seamstress work and dressmaking. In the past I've done my own alterations for vintage dresses or tops I've bought, so I'm not totally clueless to alteration work, but Betty's work is on a whole new level. She’s been making her own dresses and clothes since she was 13 years old, now in her 50s, there is no job too big or tricky for her; despite her favourite English phrase being, “big job Cutey, big job”. Cutey is her nickname for me.
Last Wednesday was my first day of seamstress work. We have three brides getting married over the next week and a few alterations to be done in time for the final fittings, so I knew Betty would need a little assistance. I called in early, switched the heaters on in the studio (if you’re reading this from the North East of England you’ll appreciate how cold it is right now), boiled the kettle and greeted Betty with a warm studio, a cup of tea and a very big smile. I explained why I was there and she seemed happy enough for me to assist.
My first job of the day was to remove the bones from the bodice of a dress so Betty could alter the bust line. Betty instructs me where to cut then stands over me and watches. After a minute she walks away and sits down in front of a sewing machine. Inside I think this is a good sign, she must be confident enough with my skills to leave me to get on with it.
She comes straight back over and stops me, takes the scissors out of my hand (gulp!) and hands me another pair. They’re smaller and sharper, with a gold carved handle. Betty shows me how they’ll be better for cutting the stitching out. More nervous than before, I continue to cut the stitching. The new scissors make it easier.
Next job was to remove the tulle underskirt from another dress. I was there for the fitting for this bride and we decided there was too much volume in the skirt and we should remove a layer or two of the tulle. Betty shows me where to cut the stitching, hands me back the scissors and leaves me again. After a few minutes she comes back to check, pats me on the back and returns to her task of altering the dress of a pregnant bridesmaid. She is building a panel in the side seams to give the bump a little more room and amazingly she’s managed to replicate the intricate pleating detail exactly…as I said, super talented! I’m in awe.
Tulle skirt removed and I’m feeling pretty proud of myself. I show Betty my handiwork, she inspects it, heads into the studio and comes out with another dress. Another good sign I feel. This particular bridal gown she comes back with is one of my personal favourites. Betty hangs it on the highest hook of the studio ceiling so the train doesn’t touch the ground. She lifts up the first layer of lace to reveal another layer of lace and three layers of tulle. Betty wants me to shorten the hems of the tulle and lace so they are the same length as the top layer which she had altered herself earlier in the week. She gives me my instructions of where to cut and how. I’m standing there excited but nervous, does she really think I'm ready to cut the hem of a bridal gown? I turn to Betty and with a serious stare and a hint of a grin, I shake my head and jokingly sigh “big job Betty, big job”. She rolls her head back laughing, hands me the scissors and returns to her sewing machine. It looks like she’s serious. I’m flattered she thinks I have the skills to actually do this and this drives me to make the first cut.
I’m not going to tell you how long it took me to finish cutting the hem, let’s say a while, but I did a pretty good job of it and I even managed to take on a few more alteration jobs before the end of the day. Betty showed me how to replace the zip from a dress a customer had brought in, we also offer an alterations service for non-bridal customers. It was the zipper itself that was broken and Betty showed me how to judge which area was broken and then showed me how to replace the zipper without having to remove the zip altogether. It was genius!
To finish off my day I had to open the hem of a mother of the bride’s jacket so Betty could add a trimming to it the following day…puh, piece of cake. I finished just in time to sweep the floor of all the threads I’d unpicked and hems I’d cut throughout the day and Betty helps me with the tidying up. She thanks me for my help before she leaves and I’m left alone in the studio feeling pretty chuffed with myself and proud of my days work.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the bridal boutique visit www.eveandadam.co.uk or you can contact me via my e-mail noreen@noreen-elizabeth-styling.com
If anyone is a seamstress or tailor in-training I’d love to hear your stories about your first day of seamstress or tailor work. Feel free to post in the comment box or e-mail the address above.
Noreen xx