Small Women-Owned Businesses to Support

Hello wildlings,

Occasionally people ask me for recommendations for fantasy or cottagecore dresses. Somehow, I've just had the groundbreaking realisation that a blog post would be helpful! I invite you to read on for my favourite brands and styles.

Here's some context before I dive into my guide. I am an HSP (highly sensitive person) that is easily overstimulated by visual and mental clutter. I deeply feel the emotional and physical burden of being crowded by things that don't hold meaning or joy, or that mismatch my energy, ethics and values. Every possession (and everything else) in my life must pull its weight for me to keep it. In addition to my minimalist tendencies, I live a nomadic life in a van - for me to keep something, it must tick a lot of boxes. Otherwise, it impacts my location and time freedom.

My criteria for dresses: 

• the fabric must be top quality and feel nice against my sensitive skin. I used to only opt for natural fabrics like linen, wool and organic cotton. Now I allow photoshoot dresses made of high-quality synthetics that don't wrinkle when stored in my van.
• slow, ethical fashion only - I want to be able to have a knowledgeable conversation with Greta Thunberg about each of the brands I've chosen.
• if it's a cottagecore daily wear item, it has to be comfortable and be made of hardwearing, natural materials that keep me cool in the summer (linen) and warm in the winter (linen and wool layers)
• if it's a photoshoot dress, it needs to make me feel like a magical goddess, and blow beautifully in the wind. If I can wear 3 pairs of pants underneath and keep my shoes on during cold weather shooting, fabulous!
• major bonus points for small, women-owned businesses and sole proprietorships
• more bonus points for packing down small, and not showing wrinkles (vanlife problems)
• even if I like an item, I will usually rehome it if I own a visually and functionally similar piece that meets more of my criteria

Checking off this whole list is a tall order, and it comes with a matching price tag. My recommendations are expensive, and are not in everyone's price range. It is okay to not be able to afford to buy something designed with love and handsewn with skill by fairly paid people. In this case, finding pieces second-hand can be a rewarding alternative. And the constraint of budget can lead to major creative inspiration - how about a thrifted king-size sheet as a fantasy cloak, or embroidering whimsical touches on existing pieces? Even if pieces like this are out of reach, dreaming is free, and so is inspiration.

On to the recommendations, part 1 loosely categorised as fairytale dresses and part 2 being cottagecore. None of this is sponsored, and the companies don't know about this write-up, although I do have 2 affiliate codes that will get you a discount for Selkie and Son de Flor. This is not a definitive guide, as it only contains brands I have personal experience with that I can vouch for. However, my presented opinions reflect my wardrobe - I put my money where my mouth is. The titles are clickable and take you to the brand home page, and the photos link to the specific style when available.

Part 1: Fantasy Photoshoot Dresses

Top Three:

Selkie

Sustainability: 3/5

Style: 5/5

Quality: 4.5/5

A small, women-owned company of about 8 employees, they are based in USA and manufactured ethically in China. I own multiple of their fantasy gowns (oracle, astronomer and waltz) and one of their tournure trains. They have enormous visual impact and unapologetically romantic styles that enhance the storytelling of my images. The sewing and construction quality is consistently good. Note that for comfort and values, I only opt for their cotton and silk styles, rather than polyester. My affiliate discount code AQUIETWILD gets you 10% off your Selkie order and is a great way to support me.

Over the Sea Dress

Sustainability: 3.5/5

Style: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Over the Sea is small, women-owned company based in Ukraine. I own 2 of their San Francisco dresses, which are my favourite ever. They also have amazing visual impact, very ethereal. Although the only synthetic option on this post, the polyester is fabulous quality, like none other that I've seen - it is so soft, light, blows beautifully in the wind, packs down very small, and does not wrinkle. If I am taking a budget flight with a personal item backpack only, I always bring one or both of these dresses because they take up no room. Coming in One Size, this style fits many of my photoshoot clients.

Aya Sacredwear

Sustainability: 4/5

Style: 5/5

Quality: 4/5

The most affordable of my top picks, this small brand is based in Bali and specialises in organic natural fabrics that are handloomed/handwoven! The textures are incredibly drool-worthy as a result. They have many boho goddess styles, but the Makosh Goddess dress is my favourite. (In the photo above, it is paired with a robe from Hanfu Story.)

Honourable Mentions:

Loud Bodies

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 3/5

Quality: 5/5

A small, women-owned company of about 7 employees, they are based in Romania. They are size- and gender-inclusive. In terms of fabrics, they are the most sustainable of this list, for example using only organic cotton rather than conventional cotton. Some of their styles fall into fantasy, some fall into daily wear. Their Anette robe gown has major lonely heroine trapped in a gothic vampiric castle vibes.

 

Safarina Dreams

Sustainability: 4/5

Style: 4/5

Quality: 5/5

Janie is based in the USA and specialises in ultra romantic gowns and feminine nightgowns made of high quality cotton lawns and laces. Perfect for more sensual photoshoots and boudoir, and romanticising your evenings.

 

Costureroreal and Armstreet

Sustainability: 3.5/5

Style: 4/5

Quality: 4/5

These brands are more LARP/medieval in look, but are both small businesses that produce high quality, handmade accessories and cloaks. I don't have experience with their dresses.

 

Etsy

I also recommend the small sellers on Etsy that are hand-making each order. Unfortunately there has been an influx of dropshippers and low-quality goods pretending to be handmade on this platform, but if you are discerning, read the reviews and descriptions, and verify that the product photos are genuine, you can still find well-made photoshoot gowns at various price points. Pictured is a synthetic voile dress from Lelasilk, which has a variety of linen and silk options as well.

Part 2: Cottagecore and Daily Wearable Dresses

Top Three:

Son de Flor

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 4/5

Quality: 5/5

A small women-owned business located in Lithuania, they are the Queen of timeless, simple, intentionally-made, linen cottagecore clothing. I have several of their pieces, and wear them all year round. This company also does a lot to support artists. My affiliate discount code WENDYSDF gets you 5% off.

 

Cotton Candy Wear

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 4.5/5

Quality: 5/5

Owned by a sweet lady called Romana based in Ukraine, she custom sews classic linen dresses according to your provided measurements and wishes. Her linen is such high quality, I've worn it for years into waterfalls, lakes, mud and salt flats, and it didn't show a scratch.

 

Adoria Threads

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 4.5/5

Quality: 5/5

Owned by Lynn based in Canada, she also custom sews feminine linen dresses according to your provided measurements. Some of her styles make great dupes for more expensive pieces, e.g. from Of Her Own Kind. Her price point is lower than many (similar to Linennaive*), and is a great deal given that you are getting a lovingly custom made garment.

 

Honourable Mentions:

Bedra Vintage

Based in Poland, Camilla offers many linen and other natural-fibre masterpieces ranging from flirty modern to feminine classic that speaks of the Tuscan countryside. They are able to accommodate custom orders.

 

Your Ptashka

Sustainability: 4/5

Style: 4.5/5

Quality: 4/5

Based in Ukraine, each girly, romantic piece is handmade to your measurements. Pearls, ribbons, and lace are typical touches. The price point is also on the low end of the handmade spectrum.

 

Of Her Own Kind

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 5/5

Quality: 5/5

Based in the USA, this small brand has their eye on sustainable, local production and offers feminine, romantic dresses made of natural fibres. They produce small, well-made runs of their core styles in different colourways and plant-based fabrics over the seasons.

 

Little Women Atelier

Sustainability: 5/5

Style: 4/5

Quality: 5/5

Starting with a disclaimer that I do not have personal experience with this brand, it's a popular and trusted family-owned company in the cottagecore linen sphere, and I have friends that stand by them. They are based in Kazakstan and have beautiful vintage styles that are handmade to your measurements.

 

In Conclusion

Those are the brands I can vouch for, chosen based on my personal experience of their consistent and proven quality, their style, and sustainable, ethical production and business practices. Many of you may agree with me when I say I would rather eschew owning a large variety of cheaply made goods, so I can save up for, wear and maintain two or three exemplars of quality craftsmanship. I am a shameless, serial outfit repeater. Just like the people that used to own two outfits plus their Sunday best before mass production, I find I do not need more. Hopefully this gives you some inspiration for your own romantic dream wardrobe, or gives you an idea of what to look for if we have a photoshoot planned.

 

*P.S. Some of you are going to ask me about Linennaive. I have had good experiences with their linen pieces that are simple and unadorned, constructed with very few seams and no embellishments, such as their maxi circle skirt. Their more detailed garments, with pleating and buttons and extra seaming, have fallen apart on me. For this inconsistency in durability, I did not put them on my list. Sustainability: 3.5/5. Style: 4/5. Quality: 3/5.