One thing I love about Instagram, is the wide range of people it has allowed me to connect it. Every time I log on and scroll through my feed, I am constantly floored by all the creativity, talent and uniqueness that people post out into the world. As I’ve been exploring my love of sewing, it’s brought about a new appreciation for tailor made clothing; it’s really difficult to imaging how much time it takes to make something if you don’t sew yourself (I have a brief breakdown here if you’re interested in why people think that sewing your own clothes is cheap). Instagram has allowed small businesses to flourish and be seen far and wide which has both been an inspiration to my sewing, and something my credit card fears. In an attempt to curb my spending, I’ve been on a dress buying ban all year but I knew I had to break my ban when I saw dresses available from Victoria K Designs.

Victoria K Designs, known as @victoria.loves.vintage on instagram, is a female owned business which specialised in unique, custom vintage inspired dresses. I’ve been following Victoria for quite a while and she’s an absolute sweetheart and a wonderful person. She’s been in the process of starting her small business for a while and will soon be launching a website making it easier to order from. At the currently moment, if you follow Victoria on instagram, she shares her designs there (and she has a great story highlight tab too) where you can see her current designs. Although inspired by original vintage dresses, all her designs are self drafted and hand made by her. Each one is uniquely curated and made to custom fit her customers and is completely customisable to suit personal preference. I’ve been eyeing off her designs for a while and finally decided to order one for myself so let’s take a look at the Daisy Bow dress.

I saw this dress on Victoria’s instagram and fell in love with it instantly. I’m a sucker for anything floral and I had just started rewatching ‘Pushing Daisies’ so it was really the daisies that sold me. I messaged Victoria to enquire about the dress and found out I could have it made it whatever colour I wanted. I was quickly sent a colour chart and chose sage mint (I just redid my bedroom in a sage colour so clearly, it’s been calling out to me). After sending my measurements and a lovely little chat later, I left Victoria to her own devices and within a month, I had a brand new dress on her way to me. Victoria kindly sent images and video of the creation process which I’ve turned into a reel as I love a little behind the scenes sneak peaks.

So let’s have a look at the dress itself. The Daisy Bow dress has a rounded scoop neckline adorned with a row of embroidered daisies. The bodice has two sets of darts which when worn with a vintage bra sits like an absolute dream (your bodice can be designed to suit a modern bra if you wish, this is a choice I made). The straps are a good thickness and sit really lovely right on the shoulders. I didn’t have any problems with my bra strap showing and the straps didn’t slip or fall off. The midriff part of the bodice has a scattering of embroidered daisies across the front which is such a cute and unique touch. It’s what really sold me on the dress to be honest, I can’t resist an embroidered flower, it’s the Eastern European in me.

The back of the dress has a center zipper which is easy to get in and out of. The back of the dress also has a bow detail which can be adjusted and is held on my snaps so you can use the zipper. It’s a really sweet touch. The dress bodice is fully lined and isn’t sheer which is fantastic. The dresses skirt is absolutely fabulous and really full in it’s gathers. The gathers are really evenly spaced and don’t pucker out weirdly along the waist. The length reached just below my knee but of course, as it’s a custom dress, you can have it at any length you prefer. The skirt is hand hemmed using an invisible stitch which gives the dress a beautiful finish.

The dress is made out of the softest cotton you can imagine and you can tell it’s high quality. It’s smooth and the colour is rich, even for the sage mint shade I chose. As a sewing enthusiast myself, just by looking at the construction of this garment, I can see the hours of work that have gone into it and the overall high quality. There is lots of hand sewing which takes a very long time to do, it’s all very neat and even and every little detail is taken care of. All the daisies are sewn on really well and I don’t see them coming off any time soon. I love the colour combination of the sage mint with the contrast of the white daisies with yellow centers. It really gave me country field vibes and I loved it. In some light, the dress has a vintage Tiffany blue shade to it. The fabric is super lightweight and has a delightful swish to it; it will be perfect once the weather warms up.

With any custom made garment, there’s always the fear that it might not fit. I’ve had this happen to me and it’s always heart breaking. I was so pleased that this dress fit me like a dream, you can really tell it was made for me. One thing I love is that the waist fits perfectly without being too tight; I’ve had this issue as although a garment is made to fit my waist, they always seem on the tighter side (and this is even after I’ve been professionally measured). There’s really nothing I can fault on this dress and I’m trying to see if there’s anything I would change, I could be petty and say it doesn’t have pockets but I’m sure they would have been added had I asked so that ones on me. Nope, I think this dress is perfect.

It’s time to talk about the price; the Daisy Bow dress retails for 400 EUR (about $600 AUD) which can be a little out of some people’s budget. Honestly, it’s worth it; we have been quite spoilt by fast fashion and the idea that sewing is cheap. I often get asked to just “make a quick dress” and then friend gawp at the price of fabric. A custom made dress, made to my exact measurements, mostly done by hand, all by one person who has her own life, issues and things to deal with is well worth the 400 EUR price tag. I gladly paid it because to make something like this on my own would cost me the same amount once I factor is materials, hourly wage and things such as electricity and skills. There’s a difference between a garment thats overpriced or out of ones budget; this one is worth it’s price tag (I did a cost calculation on some of my own garments so check that out here). It’s ok if this one is a little out of your budget, I’m sure Victoria is happy to discuss payment plans and you don’t have to pay it all upfront.

In a quest to support more female run businesses worldwide, garments such as this are a great way to do just that and have a new treasure hanging in your wardrobe. I know I will definitely be ordering from Victoria again soon and if I had unlimited funds, I’d already have ordered at least 2 more designs. I understand that not everyone can afford custom made clothing such as this and I’m very lucky to be able to do so myself, but small businesses such as this are really an asset to our communities and we are lucky to have them.

I love my new Daisy Bow dress and can see myself wearing it lots in the upcoming warm weather. It’s perfect for spring outings, tea dates, picnics and cute walks around the park. It was certainly a dream to run around a canola field and frolic in it for a whole day as we took these pictures. If you are keen on getting your own Daisy Bow dress or any of Victoria’s designs, please message her instagram and enquire about your own custom dresses. If you find the idea of messaging someone a little daunting especially when it comes to clothes, keep in mind that Victoria is a professional and loves what she does. She wants you to have the best shopping experience possible and it’s not often you can get everything you’ve ever wanted in a dress hand made just for you.

When I place another order, I’ll definitely be putting up more photos here and on my instagram so keep an eye out for that. Enjoy your shopping and don’t forget to follow Victoria K Designs to see her newest creations and to be notified about her upcoming website.

I’d like to note that if you are in Western Australia and would like canola field photos like these for yourself, please go to PetTeet Park near Beverly. As tempting as it might be to hop a fence and take a few snaps, you run the risk of being caught for illegal trespassing, damaging crops and getting sick from pesticides. PetTeet Park plant a special field designed for you to frolic and visit to your hearts content. Check out their instagram to know their open times and to get updates on the canola season.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit from any link clicks or purchases made.