Ms. W is my broker. I asked her about trying on the dresses and giving feedback. She said she'd be happy to test them out. I asked her try the same set of dresses that Ms. M tried on, V1 and V2.

Measurements
41.5" bustline (32" underbust, usually wears a 36DD)
31.5" waist
43" hip

Fit
What did she think of the fit of the dress? Was it too loose or too tight anywhere? I asked about the fit at the waist and the hips and the bust.

"Ooo...This dress fits like a glove! I never fit into dresses like this. (V1)"

Ms. W told me the fit at the waist and bust were good. She said the arms were loose, but she also explained she has small arms and often finds clothese are too loose in the arm.

"This one feels more comfy, though it's a bit loose in the hips. (V2) I'd like it tighter on the bottom."

There were lots of adjustment to the fit for V3, including making the sleeves tighter and taking in the hips. The bottom of the skirt was narrowed to be more pencil-like too.

Look
Did she like the look of the dress on her? How the dress made her look?

She checked out how she looked in the dress in a mirror.

"Yes! I love the way I look in this dress! It makes me feel so sexy. I don't want to take it off."

Feel
Did Ms. W like the fabric, the texture, the look, the feel?

She ran her hands over her hips feeling the fabric to test it out.

"This is a nice fabric. I like the way it looks and feels."

Would she want another colour?

"Red! I like the black, but I love red."

("And she did! Hourglass Heaven’s first two colours includes a dark red.")

Comfort
Does the dress feel comfortable? Something you could wear all day? How is the arm movement? Leg movement? Is it easy to walk around in and sit down & stand up?

"It's very comfortable. I feel like I could dance in this."

Ms. W didn't like the lack of zipper in V2 either and saying it would be difficult to get in and out of the dress with hair and make-up.

Magic Wand
To finish the testing, I asked Ms. W a magic wand question. The answer, "sleeveless". That was the one detail Ms. W wanted different about the dress. Ms. W said she prefers sleeveless dresses, in general. We haven't done a sleeveless version...yet.

Photo Credits, Thanks & Appreciation
Model: Ms. W
Photographer: Photo 1 by Dan Liebreich, Photos 2, 3 & 4 by Peter Gordon
Jewelry: Montana agate pendant from Wrywire
Purse & Shoes: Alexander Wang gray 'Prisma' tote & Bloch wedge ballet pumps from The Real Snob

Why didn't I announce any Black Friday deals? All the major retailers are doing it. Some small businesses in Canada even do Black Friday now.

There are a couple of reasons.

Black Friday doesn't really have good associations. Some people even find the name itself offensive. It's origin was a negative commentary about the heavy traffic the day after Thanksgiving in the US. I personally was tremendously saddened to hear about the deaths associated with Black Friday. Since 2006, there have been 7 reported deaths and 98 injuries throughout the United States.

I also simply don't believe in participating in Black Friday, as a retailer or as a shopper. I'd rather support "Buy Nothing Day". I strongly believe in the ideas of reduce, reuse, recycle. I believe in living simply and only buying items you really need.

That's why the Hourglass Heaven LBD is over-engineered and designed to last for years. That's also why I choose to create a dress with a classic, timeless design, so it would always in fashion and on-trend.

I don't believe in "fast fashion" where the clothing is made cheaply in a foreign country with cheap materials and child labour. I don't believe in having clothes that only last for 7 trips through the washer. I think that's crazy!

I believe in products that are well-made and last. I believe in clothes you can wash and wear many times and they still look good. I believe in making items with quality materials. I believe in making sure child labour isn't involved! I believe in making sure workers are being treated and paid fairly. I believe in supporting my local economy, that starts with BC and extends to Canada and the US.

I want to make products I believe in and I want to create a business that reflect my values.

So, yeah, no Black Friday sales. Sorry. I will be announcing some winter holiday specials very soon. Stay Tuned!