There's something special about a home that welcomes people in, especially when greeted by a fabulous hostess dress that's impossible to miss.
We were incredibly honored when Kristy McCormally of Truitt House Living reached out to us asking to wear our Floral Embroidered Kaftan while opening the doors to the Truitt House for her Homeworthy feature. Built in 1909, the home is a celebration of Southern hospitality, thoughtful restoration, and timeless craftsmanship. The same values that are woven into everything we create at Brooks Avenue.
As Kristy beautifully wrote in her accompanying Substack, "the dress doing the most talking is usually the dress doing the least living." That sentiment couldn't capture our philosophy more perfectly. We believe the best pieces, from your elevated hostess dress to your everyday looks, aren't just beautiful... They're made to move with you as you host, gather, celebrate, and create memories.
The Inspiration Behind the Dress
The inspiration behind our Floral Embroidered Kaftan began thousands of miles away in a small town in Portugal in July of 2024, long before it served as the perfect hostess dress for Kristy McCormally.
While collecting research for my MFA thesis collection at FIT, I wandered into a small workshop where I discovered a hand-painted ceramic tile. I was immediately drawn to the joy and whimsy of its floral motif, along with its beautiful ombré coloring. I knew I wanted to bring the little tiled treasure home with me and transform it into something larger than the 4x4 square on which it first lived.
When I returned to FIT for my third semester that September, I began sketching. I hand-drew a floral motif inspired by the tile, not yet knowing exactly what it would become. What I did know was that I wanted it to live as embroidery on a dress.
Interestingly, the design began as a mini dress in September of 2024 (see below). During one of my critiques, my professor encouraged me to explore it as a full-length silhouette instead. That decision changed everything. Extending the garment into a kaftan gave the embroidery room to breathe and allowed the artwork and craftsmanship to become the focal point.
From there, I added complementary botanical elements to support and frame the original flower. I then worked through every detail of how it would come to life, specifying embroidery techniques, beadwork, thread colors, and finishes.
Designing this piece was truly a labor of love. It went through countless iterations behind the scenes: testing bead sizes, swapping thread colors, adjusting embroidery placements, and refining proportions until every detail felt just right.
The Kaftan Silhouette
When I designed the Floral Embroidered Kaftan, I was primarily designing around the embroidery. I wanted the silhouette to step back just enough to let the craftsmanship take center stage, a dress that felt effortless, timeless, and beautiful without trying too hard.
Growing up in the South, kaftans were always part of the women I admired most. My mother and grandmothers reached for them at dinner parties, family gatherings, and celebrations because they were elegant without being fussy. I noticed how they flattered every woman differently, never stealing the spotlight but somehow making the woman wearing it feel even more like herself. To me, the kaftan felt like the perfect canvas for vibrant embroidery, bold color, and thoughtful details.
One of my favorite moments from my conversation with Kristy for her Substack was when she asked me, "What's the difference between a tent and a kaftan?" I laughed because I'd honestly never put it into words before. I had always designed by instinct. But as I started explaining it, I realized that every decision I'd made throughout the design process had been in pursuit of exactly that distinction.
A tent hides the wearer. A well-designed kaftan frames her.
That difference comes down to intention. It's the proportions, the placement of the shoulder seam, the sleeve length, the neckline, the fabric, the embroidery placement, and the way the garment moves when you walk. A great kaftan should skim the body rather than swallow it, feeling relaxed without ever becoming shapeless.
The Art of Southern Hospitality
The perfect hostess dress starts with feeling like yourself.
When I first designed our Embroidered Kaftan, I was thinking of my mother and grandmothers, the Southern ladies who taught me the importance of getting dressed, especially when gathering, hosting, and making people feel welcome.
One of our favorite lessons from Kristy is that hospitality isn't about perfection, it's about creating spaces where people feel invited. At Brooks Avenue, I have always believed clothing can be part of that experience, especially a good hostess dress.
The right ensemble shouldn't distract you from the people you're with. It should allow you to move freely, host confidently, and feel completely yourself. It's why comfort and craftsmanship are never competing ideas in our collections, they're partners.
Whether you're hosting a dinner party, celebrating family traditions, or simply inviting friends over for an impromptu afternoon on the porch, we hope our Floral Embroidered Kaftan becomes part of those moments for years to come.