It’s become our family tradition!

UPCYCLING gowns is not just for brides you know. A popular tradition among families is to transform wedding dresses into heirloom christening gowns. The Earls family in Limerick have done just that — and no less than six babies have now worn their grandmother Ann’s wedding gown, albeit refashioned to suit their own special occasion.

‘It was my sister Ursula’s idea,’ explains James Earls, 43, from Lisnagry in Co Limerick. ‘Our other sister, Mary, who lives in Australia, was coming home to christen her new baby, Ava, and we wanted to make it as a surprise for her.’

That was over six years ago, and their thoughtful gesture has become a firm family tradition, with both James daughters, Sophia, 4, and Maria, 2, wearing the beautiful garment and bonnet on their first big day.

‘It’s gas, each time it’s used, it has to be altered, as some of the cousins have been christened at six weeks old, while our girls were about six months before we got around to it,’ says James, who is from a family of nine.

His mother wore the dress on her and his father, Albert’s, wedding day on New Year’s Day, 1971. The quality of the fabric, a pure lace crochet, is very rare, and has stood the test of time, says James, whose wife, Caroline, is the managing director of Zipyard Ireland.

‘It’s actually a very popular alteration these days, and the fact it’s such a special occasion for your baby, upcycling a bridal gown makes it so much more meaningful than just buying a mass produced one in a store,’ says Caroline. ‘Also, most wedding dresses are left gathering dust in an attic, so this gives them a new lease of life.’

On this note, Caroline advises that if you are keeping a vintage gown or delicate dress for future generations, wrap it in acetone paper for preservation.

And with such a big family that continues to grow, it seems the Earls gown will get plenty more airings in the years to come...