Love in Ireland

/7/

-Saturday July 1st-

Today's the garden party. I sewed about a dress a day and managed to finish mine yesterday morning before we left. We arrived at the Belfast castle late last night. Alannah showed me to my room, and I literally passed out within five seconds.

"How do I look?" Alannah asked, walking in. I decided to make her dress pale pink, and it looked so pretty on her. The bodice of the dress was tight, and it had a high neckline and spaghetti straps. The skirt flared out from her waist and fell to her knees in large ruffles of fabric. To cinch in her waist, I made a thick white belt that tied in a bow in the front. It sectioned off the bodice and skirt and made the dress look less plain. Her hat was a derby hat, the same white color as the bow, and had a pink bow around the middle of the hat which matched her dress. It was literally a reverse of her dress, and it looked amazing. To complete the look, Alannah had her dirty blonde hair fall in perfect soft waves and she had on white wedge sandals. She also had a small white clutch purse, which held her phone.

"You look amazing, Alannah." I gushed.

"Alright. I'm going to help you put your dress on and do your hair, and then I'll go down to the sitting room." Alannah stated. The royal family was all meeting up in the sitting room before heading outside to greet guests. This will be Declan and my first appearance as a 'couple' which will confirm the tabloids predictions. So I was kind of nervous. Zach also informed us that Tara got back yesterday morning and would be coming to the garden party. So I was also scared to run into her.

I took my dress off the hanger it was on and unlaced the back and unzipped it. I stepped into it and held it up so Alannah could do the laces. "Done!" She exclaimed, tying the bow at my waist.

Alannah had me sit down at the vanity while she did my hair. She put it up in a simple yet elegant bun and left a few pieces of hair in the front to frame my face.

"You look amazing!" She beamed. "You finish up and meet me in the lobby."

Alannah the left my room to go wait in the sitting room.

I put on some light makeup and then slid my glasses back onto my face. Then I added some black stud earrings and found my black lace up sandals. These sandals had thick laces which I tied around my ankle and they had about a half inch heel. Once I was done lacing up my shoes and tying them in a bow in the back, I grabbed my black clutch, which I embroidered with the same flowers, on my dress, and went to look at myself in the mirror.

My dress was a fit and flare style. The bodice was a modern corset bodice with a slight sweetheart neckline and straps that tied in bows on the top of my shoulders. The skirt flared out from my waist and fell about an inch from my ankles in large billowing ruffles. I made the dress have two layers. The bottom layer was a bright blue satin fabric and the top layer was a light blue sheer fabric. On the top layer I embroidered flowers and leaves at the bottom of the skirt and on the bodice and waist I embroidered leaves and butterflies. I had to admit that I looked really pretty in the dress. But I was kind of afraid it was too well... me for a garden party. The last two garden parties I went to, Madam Bowden offered to make my dresses and hats so I could work on another project. And Alannah told me to make something that I would like and that if I didn't want to wear a hat this time, I didn't have to.

I took a deep breath and exited my room. I walked down the long, unfamiliar corridors to a small staircase that lead into the sitting room.

I went down the staircase and noticed that everyone was already there. Bridget was in the modest white dress I made her, which had a delicate purple and pink floral pattern on it. Her dress had a high, round neckline and sheer flowy sleeves that reached a couple of inches above her elbows. The dress fell a good bit past her knees and looked really pretty with the white flats she had on and the white fascinator I made her. She also had on her silver geometric glasses. I guess she's making an effort to wear them to events more often.