For most women, the little black dress is a wardrobe staple.
It’s fun, sexy and pretty, but typically pricey.
This little black dress is all of the above, except for the price.
It costs $38 and is sold at Citrine Health wellness center in Everett or by special order.
The cowl neck dresses are designed to fit and flatter all body shapes.
“I wanted it to look good across the chest area and hide a multitude of sins,” said Rebecca Gipson, 64, a Granite Falls seamstress.
Gipson stitches the line of little black dresses with breast cancer patients and survivors in mind.
“For women going through chemo and radiation, it is easy for them to get in and out of and go with prosthetics and whatever surgery they had going on. You lose a lot of flexibility with breast cancer surgeries,” Gibson said.
“It’s hard to get something comfortable to wear. When you go through radiation it just fries your skin. You are so raw. This is a very soft fabric. This is loose enough through the bodice and hips.”
Sleeves can be made short, three-quarter or sleeveless. Lengths come in short, knee or maxi. Whatever the woman wants.
“It’s important for them to feel good about themselves. It’s hard to do that when you are going through something treacherous like breast cancer,” Gipson said.
“They have radiation burns and surgery scars. They want something that looks feminine.”
She has been there.
“It’s something I wish I had,” she said. “I’m a breast cancer survivor so it was right up my alley to do this. It’s something that is close to my heart.”
She teamed up with Citrine Health to start making the polyester dresses about four months ago.
“I sat down and started going through pattern books. I wanted it to slip over the head and easy to get in and out of without back zippers for the ladies,” she said.
“I wanted to keep it down low enough to open it up to any price bracket a person can shop in. Somebody going through treatment can be really pinched for money.”
She makes the dresses on consignment, sharing proceeds with the center for breast cancer programs.
Gipson has been sewing since she was a girl. “My mom was a dress designer for Bobbie Brooks. I grew up right there at her design table. It has been part of my life forever. I used to have two bridal shops in Chicago.”
It takes her about three hours to make a dress.
“You can do anything with it,” she said. “Throw on any type of scarf or jewelry. Put a belt with it, a little jacket with it. It’s fancy enough to be worn by itself and simple enough to be combined with a scarf or jewelry.”
Citrine has about 25 dresses in stock in sizes 6 to 24 in varying sleeve and hem styles. Gipson will custom make the dresses to fit any proportion request.
“It’s that one little black dress that everyone should own,” said Citrine wellness center coordinator Angie Fair. “It’s a go-to dress. In case of emergency, grab that little black dress and go.”
Or little red dress. Or purple.
“I can do it any color a person wants,” Gipson said. “Or a print.”
Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @reporterbrown.
For more
Little black dresses are sold at Citrine Health, 2940 W. Marine View Dr., Everett. For more information, call 425-259-9899 or go to www.citrinehealth.org. Contact Rebecca Gipson at runway_3@hotmail.com.
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