Experience
File

Many, many years ago (!) when I worked for various different bridal houses and designers, I made something of a specialism of constructing softly tailored wedding jackets. These were usually based on classic victorian styles, with various peplum and pleating variations at the back waist, and worked well with bustled skirts. With barely any boning, soft jackets can be worn over simple, unembellished gowns (you do need to be wary that the jacket will not crush any delicate applied decoration on whatever is underneath). It can be worn over a corset with a full or fitted skirt; or as an interesting variation on the two-piece wedding outfit, a tailored jacket can be the actual bodice: this is a light, easy-to-wear alternative to wearing a more structured bodice/ corset.

The sample bridal jacket shown was constructed in a cream and white striped silk. There are four different colourways of this stripe with the ready-embroidered spring flower (oyster with green, pale pink with coral and soft green with an old-rose tone are also available). Stripes (without embroidery) and with co-ordinating plain silks are available in 20 different colourways.

The "Allium" jacket is a design shape only and can be constructed in any fabric besides those shown. If made in a plain dupion, for instance, there are some 400 shades to choose from, and endless possibilities exist for embellishment, contrast edgings/ buttons etc.

As with the corsets elsewhere on this site, skirts can be designed to match, tone or contrast with the jacket. Fish-tail, ballgown, draped front and ballet skirts with abundant net layers are all possible.

Above, a period jacket CV! On the left,an eighteenth century flavoured, pleated-back jacket in its late 1980's wedding magazine shoot; and during construction (centre). On the right a very tailored, authentically cut, late victorian jacket, constructed for the Royal Shakespeare Company (1996/7).

Above, on the left, the pleated back of an eighteenth century style corset/jacket. In the centre, an elaborate skirt with pleated layers, panniers and bustle-effect ribbons; on the right a jacket with classic "leg-of mutton" sleeves: popular in the 1890's and 1980's. The "Allium" jacket is £700 to construct, plus the cost of the chosen fabric (approx. 2 metres, from £15 - £250+ per metre).

Copyright © 1988-2008 Theresa Blake. All Rights Reserved.