Brandy

How Brandy is cut

Fit and flare holds you through the bodice, waist and hip and then releases at or just below the knee. It is the shape that photographs most dramatically from behind, and the one that asks the most of the fit through the hip, which is exactly what a proper fitting is for.

It rewards a defined waist and a curvier hip. If you want to feel held rather than covered, start here. Bear in mind you take smaller steps in one, so tell us if there are stairs or a beach in the plan.

Brandy is listed under Fitted as well, because a fitted column skims the body from shoulder to hem in one line, with nothing structural doing the work for you. That makes it the most modern shape on the rails and the least fussy to wear, and it lives or dies on the quality of the alteration.

The neckline on this one is strapless sweetheart. Necklines are the fastest way to tell whether a gown is yours, so it is worth trying two very different ones side by side before you decide.

Lace is the detail people come close to look at. Where it sits over an illusion base it reads as though it is resting on the skin, and the pattern can be moved or extended at alteration to sit exactly where you want it.

Trying Brandy on in Cleveleys

The Brandy sample on our rail is a UK 20. Samples are there to be tried on, not to be your size: we clip and pad at the back so you can see the gown as it will look made to your measurements. If you are a long way from a UK 20 in either direction, tell us when you book and we will make sure there is enough on the rail in your range for the appointment to be worth your time.

Appointments are private and the fitting suite is yours for the whole visit, so there is no queue for the mirror and nobody else's party in the room. Bring whoever you actually want an opinion from, and shoes at roughly the heel height you are planning. Find us at 112 Victoria Road West, Cleveleys.

Rebecca Ingram is the label to look at if you want a designer gown without a designer number. Same house as Maggie Sottero, simpler construction, noticeably kinder prices. See the rest of the Rebecca Ingram gowns we carry.

Ordering and alterations

Brandy is made to order once you say yes, and the makers we work with generally take six to eight months. Add roughly two months for alterations on top, which is why most of our brides book their first appointment nine to twelve months before the wedding. If your date is sooner than that, say so early: rush orders exist, and our outlet rail carries sample gowns you can take away.

Almost every gown needs altering, and that is normal rather than a sign anything is wrong. A hem, a bustle for the evening and a nip through the bodice are the usual three. Alterations are arranged separately and priced once we can see what your gown needs, so nobody quotes you for work you may not need.