Adding a Little Bit of Whimsy

This past spring I was able to help a grieving mom in a very special way.  Her mom had passed suddenly and she found herself juggling family life with everything that comes with losing a parent and on top of all of that ... it was prom season.

As her daughter and I were figuring out whether or not we could make her prom idea come to life in a very short amount of time, she sat quietly on my sofa skimming through images on her phone and next to her sat a black dress suit.
For the prom dress, time was a factor and we quickly realized that it just wasn't possible due to time restraints and a schedule that required both her and her mom to be out of town.

Turning my attention to my friend, she asked if I could do a small favor for her.  She held out her black suit and asked if there was any way I could give it a little more flare.  Her idea was to add some ruffled trim to edge of the skirt and maybe some to the jacket, but not too much just enough to make a subtle change. If there was anything I could do to comfort her now, it was changing her suit, adding a little bit of whim to match her personality and in the process, giving her a lift during this difficult time.

I found one inch wide black organza trim that looked like it was made for her suit. Starting with the edge of the skirt I added her bit of whim by pinning it and then stitching it in place.

The black organza trim was a subtle change, added just the right about of whimsy.

The jacket trimmed in leather around the collar and across the waistline.  Adding ruffled trim to the lower edge would give it a new look.

After adding the trim to the edge of the jacket, the sleeves looked like they needed some too. Too much? Not in my mind. Knowing the woman who was going to wear this, adding a little more trim was going to be just right.

Perfect.

Losing a loved one is hard, one of the most difficult moments a person will go through in their life. Making a simple change to a black suit was something I could do that hopefully comforted a grieving mom even just for a moment during this very sad time.


P.S.   If you're wondering about the prom dress, they were able to find something to wear, so that worked itself out too.