Lucky Lady Heirloom Dresses

Lucky Lady Heirloom Dresses are handmade in Bend, OR. This has been my winter project. I've been working with some talented women in Central Oregon to envision, and create the perfect cotton all occasion dress. An everyday dress. A dress that's as appropriate at a wedding as it is at a farmers market. I've tested mine at an adult cocktail party at The Loft, a concert for a country band at McMennamins, a high school ski team award ceremony, and to work. These dresses are literally made with love out of gorgeous cotton fabric hand selected for life in and around Bend.

I've been dreaming of dresses for Cowgirl Cash for three years. Finding the perfect pre-loved dress has worked, but the supply and selection isn't reliable. I considered trying a trade show route and finding "a line", but that's what other stores do. I needed something consistant with the "feel" of Cowgirl Cash. Something authentic, practical, and beautiful. I was reading entreupreneur magazine about a women who was making hairbands for working out. Local seamstresses were coming to her office and picking up the supplies needed for the headbands and taking them home to sew. Why couldn't I do that with dresses? The idea of women sewing in their own studios, in their own homes with a schedule that works for them and their family, sounded ideal.

I put feelers out for seamstresses, and honestly...they appeared. We have worked with simple patterns and revised and altered them to fit our "line". Some fabric is found 2nd hand, some is found piece by piece, and some I purchased wholesale by the bolt focusing on individual female artist designs.

The product is still not ready to "launch". We are sewing, fitting, and preparing for a May Day fashion show. But you have probably seen me out and about in my Lucky Lady Dress. I'm wearing the "Carolyn", Luci my daughter, has been testing the "Janet". Each dress has nearly 4 yards of fabric when you include the lining. The price is still to be determined based on sew time and materials cost. They are not inexpensive, but they are unique and made with love and good intention. Come take a peak May 1st, 6:30 pm at Cowgirl Cash. Runway show starts at 7pm.

A few photos of our original proto-type dresses: