I cannot believe it’s finally here but after two years and two months, The Garden Dress is finally available on cooperathome.com. It is my dream of a dress and the first apparel item in our private collection of goods, made exclusively for Cooper at Home.
I officially stand in awe of brands and creators that can pump out apparel non-stop because it has been a tedious task. There is that little aspect of a surprise pregnancy that put a delightful delay in matters, but nevertheless, I had no clue how much went into creating custom clothing. I have a new appreciation for designers and the ateliers where ideas turn into products.
I will eventually share more about the “why” behind this private label and Cooper at Home as a whole below but first I want to tell you a little bit about why I think this dress is so special. Every single stitch of this dress is custom and was inspired by my love of throwing on a dress and feeling put together. I find myself reaching over and over for the same dresses in my closet but always wished I could change one little thing, adding pockets here, a slightly longer hem there. In some styles, I wanted a more feminine neckline or roomier sleeves or wished I could have a similar dress in a basic color. I love wearing fun seasonal pieces but I felt like the gap in my wardrobe was a few classic staple dresses that were well made, great fitting, and helped me feel put together in an instant.
I have actually designed 12+ styles for what I hope becomes our collection of dresses, but I knew I wanted to go with this feminine and functional silhouette if I was only going to be able to make one of them. I poured over what I loved about all of the dresses in my closet and made detailed lists and photos of how I could combine the styles I loved to wear and a lot of inspiration from the internet into what would be my perfect dress. I wanted to design a dress you can really live in – picking flowers in the yard, tending to the garden, running errands, cooking dinner, and halfway through the project with the addition of a baby on a hip.
This dress is comfortable enough that you will want to wear it all day and flattering enough that you can dress it up for any date night, concert, or party you need to attend. My hope with this brand, and this collection is that it helps to simplify and elevate your everyday moments. No matter what’s on the agenda, the Garden Dress is one you’ll reach for when you want to feel put together but also crave ease and comfort.
The Details
Featuring a feminine A-line silhouette crafted of breathable, pre-washed organic cotton, this versatile look is designed to go wherever the day takes you. An easy fit for all body types and a closet staple throughout the seasons.
As women on the go, we need our clothes to be both purposeful and beautiful. Some design factors that were considered:
- Comfort – Made from breezy 100% organic cotton so you won’t sweat to death in the summer and it’s comfortable to layer with a jacket in the spring and fall.
- Wearability – A flowy, slipover style without zippers or buttons. Body-lined so you don’t have to be too particular about your undergarments.
- Fit – Flattering on any body type with shirring all around the dress and the *perfect* sleeve length.
- Length – A soft high-low hem that is long enough to bend down and pick up kids.
- Function – Deep sideseam pockets that fit your phone.
Manufacturing + Specs
I eventually would love to be able to produce this domestically at a price point that people would be willing to pay, but I am very pleased with the factory we landed on. This small-batch collection is American-designed & European-made. The Garden Dress is made from 100% organic pre-washed cotton, manufactured with sustainable and ethical practices including GOTS (100% organic), Oeko-Tex 100 (certified that products have been tested for harmful materials) & Axpo Green Energy (energy comes from clean sources).
Sizing & Fit
For this initial launch, we are offering small, medium, and large sizing with the hopes of expanding should the demand be there for a re-order. I am wearing a small in these photos but prefer a medium for a relaxed fit. You can refer to our sizing chart for fit guidance.
When we were creating the fit, I wanted to create a dress that you didn’t have to stay one size to love. As women, our bodies change and fluctuate throughout the seasons and, for me personally, even throughout the day sometimes. This dress is meant to move with you throughout your days and months, from times when you are a little more bloated or just not wanting to wear tight clothing to the moments when you’re feeling your best. You can size up for a larger fit or size down for a more tailored fit and I think it is a perfect dress for pregnancy and postpartum. I tried on the first sample (in a size medium) right after I had Isla.
Care
Technically you are supposed to machine wash cold and hang dry or lay flat to dry. I will tell you though that it was important to me that it would not completely ruin this dress if someone through it in the dryer. We used pre-washed cotton to help with that and I have dried them to make sure they didn’t shrivel into oblivion. The legal answer is that you should wash cold and hang dry or lay flat to dry and we cannot be responsible if your dryer nukes it. But I was able to successfully dry it on low. Also, do not use bleach or fabric softener and you can absolutely use a steamer or warm iron to smooth out any wrinkles.
Price
The dress is priced at $168 and you can use CRISTIN for 10% off. I went back and forth on how much I should listen to consultants that I hired to help me price this. It needs to be priced at a certain level to make a margin and I needed to consider things like built-in shipping costs since all orders over $49 ship free from Cooper at Home.
Also on a personal note, you would not BELIEVE how expensive it is to produce things. I am hoping to break even with all of the costs I have put into development, design, consultants, shipping, fabric, manufacturing, and the like. The upside is that if we don’t sell out or have a demand for reorders then you might have your hands on a limited-edition, one-of-a-kind item. 🙂
Shipping & Returns
Orders made by 2 pm EST M-F will ship out the next business day. Shipping is free for orders over $49. All apparel, jewelry & signature candles are considered final sale. If there is an issue with your item or if you are just absolutely unhappy with the fit you can visit the returns page for more information.
To see more, visit cooperathome.com and follow along on Instagram @shoppecooperathome!
