My Very Big Fat Gypsy Style Prom Dress

When Paige and her mum contacted me with this request, to say how excited I was to be involved in this project would have been an understatement.

I watched the TV programme, My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding with great interest, seeing beyond the enormous and weighty dresses the young girls had to wear, to the craftmanship that goes in to one of these masterpieces.

I bow to the talents of Thelma Madine and the outrageous gowns she produces for the Traveller community. Many of her gowns have flashing bodices or mechanical butterflies, the heaviest dress she produced was 25 stone.

Just like the traveller girls, each time I saw Paige she said. "I want it bigger!"

The petticoat we used was huge with over ten layers of tired net and with the additional seven layers of pink tulle, took the skirt to its massive size.

We designed the bodice to have flashes of diamante over the cut away top with lots of sparkle. That was something, Paige insisted on.

The back was sheer tulle with boning and lace up closure and the short skirt was designed for the 'After the prom party'

To complete Paige's look, I made a tie for her Prom date using the detail from her bodice to co-ordinate.

The short version.

Finally, below is Paige in her very huge pink tulle prom dress with very sparkly tiara.

First four images Paul Joseph Photography.