The Dress

This Amsale "Billie" dress was a showstopper! It is effortlessly elegant, and adds drama with the bow on the back. The best part is that it is very comfortable. I chose this dress, because I didn't want to be tripping over a large skirt, tugging on a strapless dress or worrying about showing cleavage as I danced the night away. The back of the dress is really the highlight, with a draped bow secured by tiny hidden snaps on each side, so the top of the bow won't lose shape as you move. The front has a high neckline and a slight overlay around the waist, which makes it quite flattering. The crepe fabric was described by my tailor as "the Ferrari of crepes". It is rich and elegant, while not heavy at all.

I bought the dress in Feb. 2020, weeks before the pandemic hit the U.S. However, I didn't wear it (or have it altered) until Feb. 2023, when we finally had our wedding, which was postponed due to COVID. It has been professionally dry-cleaned and looks like it did when it arrived. There is the *slightest* grey on the inside of the bottom of the skirt, from dirt (we had the ceremony in a garden, but reception on a concrete floor).

NOTE: The video I've shared of the dress is the Size 2 sample I tried on at the store, which was way too tight for me in the legs/hips. So, I ordered a size 8 (pictured in the photos). The size 8 gave me more room in the leg, and I had the bust and shoulders taken in. I added bra cups and an American bustle (a.k.a. "over bustle"). There is a wrist loop as well (which came sewn in with the dress).

I hope you enjoy this gorgeous dress as much as I did! Happy to answer any questions!

Alterations

The dress was taken up at the hemline, taken in at the bust and shoulders, as well as slightly in the hip. I also had bra cups sewn in and added a bustle ("American bustle" a.k.a. "over bustle").