Information on custom orders

I’m excited to announce that I am offering custom-made wedding dresses and costumes again! To get started, and give you an idea of pricing and options, I’m creating listings for each of my Steampunk/Gothic Victorian/Fantasy wedding dress designs, from over a decade of photoshoots. You can order a bespoke wedding dress custom-made to your measurements in the following section of my online store:

Since I’m nearly out of most of the styles I like to have ready-to-ship for customers with upcoming events, I’m also offering quite a few made-to-order skirts and bolero shrugs:

In addition to the made-to-order options at the links above, I can re-create any gown design from over a decade of Steampunk/Victorian/Fantasy photoshoots. To order a look from a photoshoot, please have a look at the gowns in this link, write down the name and year of the look you want, then head back here, and read the full FAQ below. At the bottom of this page you’ll find a form you can fill out to place a custom order.

Can you design a custom gown for me?

Yes I can… just not yet! Custom-designed gowns are the most time-consuming of all my offerings. To be sure you’ll love what I create for you as much as I will love creating it, I’ll draw a sketch of the front and back of the gown, and I’ll also put together swatch cards to show you the best fabric and trim combinations for your gown.

Right now, however, there are “As Pictured” options for made-to-order dresses and gowns which I have yet to post online, and there are WordPress plugins to configure, and sketches to draw to illustrate all the options for each! It’s a lot of work, so I must set some time aside each week to complete it, which does not leave enough time for custom designed gown orders.

Once I have the tech figured out and my pattern sketches complete, I’ll start to offer custom-designed gowns again. Please stay tuned, and sign up for my newsletter below to be notified when custom designed gowns are available again.

Why don’t you offer custom orders on Etsy?

Starting in mid-2020, Etsy introduced a mandatory advertising program that tacks on higher fees for some sales. If you clicked on an Etsy ad for any of my listings at any point within the last 30 days (or Etsy’s bots think you have for some reason), 22% of your payment will go straight to Etsy, and I won’t know about it until after you pay. I’d need to overcharge you by 28% to cover all Etsy fees on an “Offsite Ads” sale. On a $500 dress, that’s an extra $140 in fees!

I have a photo/drawing/etc of the dress I want. Can you make it for me?

I’m afraid not. I don’t make copies of movie gowns, gowns from fantasy art, gowns by other designers, etc. I only offer custom-made versions of my own designs. You can see examples of them in the photoshoots section of my site.

Do you offer plus sizes?

Yes I do! I’ve drafted my dress jackets and bolero shrugs in sizes from XS to 4X, and most of my skirts come in XS thru 6X.

When should I place my custom order, for an event with a set date?

US-based customers, please subtract 10 weeks back from the date you wish to receive your gown, and place your order on or before that date. International customers, please subtract 14 weeks back from the date you wish to receive your gown, and place your order on or before that date.

Can you custom make just a skirt/jacket/etc for me?

I’m afraid not. Occasionally I’ll offer skirts or jackets on a pre-order basis, from specific fabric and trim combinations. Other than that, I’m afraid that I stay too busy with full-look orders to be able to offer single items made to order.

I’m very tall/short or have an unusual figure. Can you make something to fit me?

Absolutely. I’ll have you take a few extra measurements to determine how best to tweak one of my existing patterns so that it fits you.

Yes, I make gowns for trans women and drag queens! Please reach out before purchasing – we’ll want to discuss corset options which are made-to-measure and come in longline – designed for taller torsos – which are a bit different than the ones pictured in my stock and in my photoshoots.

My wedding/event is only 4/5/6 weeks away! Can you help? Please?

In this situation, my answer will depend the exact date of your wedding or special event. If it’s less than 4 weeks from now, I probably can’t make anything in time. Check this page to see if I have anything in stock that will fit you.

If it’s more than 4 weeks away, but less than 10 weeks away, whether I can help will depend on my schedule. I’ll likely need to work some overtime hours to finish your dress in time. Rush orders cost 10-20% more. If you need to receive your dress in less than 10 weeks, please be sure to read my section on pricing very carefully – so you know whether that extra 10-20% cost will fit within your budget.

I can’t (or don’t want to) wear a corset. Can you make a natural-form dress for me?

I’m afraid not. All my designs have a corset as the bodice – no exceptions. If you’ve never worn one before, you’ll be surprised at how comfortable they can be (and how amazing you look wearing one).

I already have a corset. Can you custom-make items to match it?

I’m afraid not. It’s not possible to provide an accurate color match via photos online, and I must reserve my limited sewing time for full-gown customers.

Can I send you fabric to make my gown?

I’m afraid not. Although there’s an aspect to working with rare/vintage/one-of-a-kind fabrics that makes my muse go starry-eyed with delight, in practice, it’s just too stressful. Sewing is one of those activities to which Murphy’s law applies in a big way! I only use new/untried fabric for photoshoot gowns. With a photoshoot gown, if a fabric does not behave exactly the way I expect, I can explain this in the listing, and the customer will see photos before they purchase. I cannot use untried fabric to create a custom order.

Photoshoot Gown Order Form

To request an order for a custom gown based on one of my past gowns from photoshoots, please fill out the form below. “Gown Name” is the title of the post containing the photos of your gown (so I know which one you mean.) Find your “Gown Name” here.