For more than 20 years, local designer, Charlotte Owen, has made it her goal to help young women across the South Plains slip into their dream dresses, one stitch at a time.
Owen is the owner of Sew Lovely in Lubbock, a boutique that sells custom-made and consignment formal and wedding gowns. She says there’s a huge responsibility in helping her customers find their perfect dresses, but it’s something she loves to be able to be apart of and help them do.
“I have been working in formal year for 21 years, and if they will place that stress on me and forget about the gown, then they can go do the fun part of the wedding and we just make their dreams happen,” said Owen. “I love doing that, I love interacting with the bride. We Have several fittings and we just get to know each other. It’s important to me because this launches the rest of their life.”
With any dress that Owen designs herself, she leaves behind “something blue” for the bride: their name and wedding date embroidered in blue in the hem.
As for “something borrowed,” Owen says a trend that has become popular is women bringing in their mothers’ and grandmothers’ wedding gowns asking they be altered or made more modern for their wedding.
“It’s very special for everyone involved,” said Owen.
Although exciting and fun to plan, Owen also says she realizes there are lot of other items blushing brides-to-be have to budget for their big day, which is why she unveiled the “Twice As Lovely” collection made up of consignment wedding gowns.
“The beauty of the consignment gown is that all of these are 25-50% off retail, and if you find a dress that you like, except, then we do have room to change it and make it your one-of-a-kind special dress.”
More than just a business, Owen says she’s living her best life, and perhaps the best part about it all: she never even had to leave home or venture far from her family to do so.
“We have lived in West Texas all our lives, and raised our family here, and we love West Texas, it’s a good place to be,” said Owen. “This is my passion, I wanted to this since I was a little girl, and so this is my dream.”
Custom-designed dresses can take roughly around four to five months for Owen to make. “Sew Lovely” is located at 8004 Indiana Avenue, Suite A 11, within the Melonie Square Shopping Center.
To schedule an appointment ahead of time, contact: 806-797-3332.
Sew Lovely is also a vendor within West Texas Bridal.
