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The Dress
Lily Fitzpatrick loves vintage clothes - made all the more precious because they were once owned and loved by another woman. Thousands follow her vintage fashion blog and her daily Instagram feed. But this passion for the beautiful clothes of the past is about to have unforeseen consequences, when Lily stumbles upon the story of a 1950s New York beauty, who was not only everything Lily longs to be, but also shares Lily's surname.
Joy Fitzpatrick was a legend. But what was the famous dress which she once commissioned - said to be so original that nothing in couture would ever match it again? What happened to it - and why did Joy suddenly disappear from New York high society?
Kate Kerrigan's enthralling novel interweaves the dramatic story of Joy, the beautiful but tortured socialite and that of Lily - determined to uncover the truth and, if possible, bring back to life the legendary dress itself.
Joy Fitzpatrick was a legend. But what was the famous dress which she once commissioned - said to be so original that nothing in couture would ever match it again? What happened to it - and why did Joy suddenly disappear from New York high society?
Kate Kerrigan's enthralling novel interweaves the dramatic story of Joy, the beautiful but tortured socialite and that of Lily - determined to uncover the truth and, if possible, bring back to life the legendary dress itself.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2015
78 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Kate Kerrigan
32 books244 followersKate Kerrigan is an author living and working in Ireland. Her novels are Recipes for a Perfect Marriage, The Miracle of Grace, Ellis Island, City of Hope, Land of Dreams and The Lost Garden.
Kate began her career as an editor and journalist, editing many of Britain’s most successful young women’s magazines before returning to her native Ireland in the 1990’s to edit Irish Tatler. She writes a weekly column in the Irish Mail about her life in Killala, County Mayo – and contributes regularly to RTE's radio's Sunday Miscellany.
Her novel, The Dress, published by Head of Zeus was shortlisted at the Irish Book Awards in 2015, and her new novel, It Was Only Ever You, was published in hardback edition, October 2016.
www.katekerrigan.ie
I devoured this book in one sitting. I LOVED it!
Marian Keyes
This story is written with so much heart you can hear its beat and feel its pulse in every word on every page.
Cecelia Ahern
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
November 7, 2016
This was a great premise. Joy, a socialite lived in the 1950's and Lily is a vintage fashion blogger in the present time. Lily is fascinated with a picture she discovers of a woman wearing a beautiful dress in a magazine in the 1950's. She begins a journey to find out who it is and the story behind the exquisite dress.
I really enjoy historical fiction that moves back and forth from past to present. I also liked the fashion aspect of the book, and the mystery that surrounded the dress. I guess the "mystery" about the dress is what left me a bit flat. There wasn't much of a mystery to it. The characters were developed pretty well but I was left dangling a bit about their ending.
Still a pretty entertaining and easy to read book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Trafalgar Publishing for the opportunity to read this Advanced Copy.
I really enjoy historical fiction that moves back and forth from past to present. I also liked the fashion aspect of the book, and the mystery that surrounded the dress. I guess the "mystery" about the dress is what left me a bit flat. There wasn't much of a mystery to it. The characters were developed pretty well but I was left dangling a bit about their ending.
Still a pretty entertaining and easy to read book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Trafalgar Publishing for the opportunity to read this Advanced Copy.
May 13, 2018
Purple is one of my favourite colours. I just love this beautiful purple gown on the front cover of the book THE DRESS. I totally just loved this story of THE DRESS. Such a perfect beauty that I stayed up most of the night to read it.
Lily Fitzpatrick loves clothes, shoes, handbags things made all the precious because once they were owned and loved by another woman. Lily was pure glamour, always done up to the nines with full retro hair and make-up.
I wish I was like Lily Fitzpatrick she had a quarter of a million Twitter followers and even more blog subscribers.
While Lily is looking at old article about a 1950s evening gown, there was a woman in a divine, full-skirted evening gown. She got a big surprise when she read Mrs Joy Fitzpatrick wearing what has become known among the discerning couture clientele of New York as The Dress. What if Lily had a whole family in America just waiting to be discovered?
I would say to readers who love fashion this would be one your biggest priorities to buy THE DRESS that will be published by Head of Zeus in September.
I hope that all readers who buy the book THE DRESS enjoy it as much as I have.
May 10, 2016
The Dress. I really enjoyed this story about a beautiful, spoilt, flawed (alcoholic) New York socialite – Joy, who in the 1950s is looking for the perfect dress. And not just any dress. The dress must save her marriage to her wrong-side-of-the-tracks Irish immigrant turned rich-boy husband.
Across town, unknown Irish seamstress, the homely Honor, knows she can create and design. But when Joy discovers her work and commissions Honor to create her much needed masterpiece, she struggles with self-doubt. Is she good enough to create the exquisite gown her high-maintenance client demands? And even if she is capable of the task, will it change Joy’s life for the better, and by extension, her own. It’s a lot to ask of a dress, even if thousands of dollars are being spent on it. The women become close friends, but will they stay that way?
The Dress roles fluently across time periods as the reader is subtly transported from 1950s New York to 1930s Ireland and Present day London, Miami and Ireland. The modern day narrative centres on vintage fashion blogger, Lily who stumbles across a picture of Joy and the dress during research, discovering they share the same surname, and eventually learning they are loosely related. This leads to Lilly deciding to recreate the dress and to embark on a search into the past.
This is an easy read, carefully written, with wonderful historical detail. Fabulous fashion and lifestyles of the rich and famous appeal and there is no doubt that the author seized on those elements with zeal. Modern-day fashion shoots and hunting for Irish lace aside, I could have read more about Joy’s world than Lily’s, martini anyone? For me the strongest sections belonged to Joy and Honor, two very different women. As for whether the dress succeeds in reuniting Joy and her husband, well, you’ll have to read the novel. The Dress was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards.
Across town, unknown Irish seamstress, the homely Honor, knows she can create and design. But when Joy discovers her work and commissions Honor to create her much needed masterpiece, she struggles with self-doubt. Is she good enough to create the exquisite gown her high-maintenance client demands? And even if she is capable of the task, will it change Joy’s life for the better, and by extension, her own. It’s a lot to ask of a dress, even if thousands of dollars are being spent on it. The women become close friends, but will they stay that way?
The Dress roles fluently across time periods as the reader is subtly transported from 1950s New York to 1930s Ireland and Present day London, Miami and Ireland. The modern day narrative centres on vintage fashion blogger, Lily who stumbles across a picture of Joy and the dress during research, discovering they share the same surname, and eventually learning they are loosely related. This leads to Lilly deciding to recreate the dress and to embark on a search into the past.
This is an easy read, carefully written, with wonderful historical detail. Fabulous fashion and lifestyles of the rich and famous appeal and there is no doubt that the author seized on those elements with zeal. Modern-day fashion shoots and hunting for Irish lace aside, I could have read more about Joy’s world than Lily’s, martini anyone? For me the strongest sections belonged to Joy and Honor, two very different women. As for whether the dress succeeds in reuniting Joy and her husband, well, you’ll have to read the novel. The Dress was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards.
June 21, 2015
The Dress combines many of my favourite things; vintage fashion, Ireland and the glamour of the America in the 1940s and 50s, of and of course, the world of blogging!
I hardly know where to start when talking about The Dress. It's such a dream of a story, so beautifully written that the reader is transported off to the world of high fashion and wealth and glamour. The Dress is a dual-time narrative, with the modern-day story being told from the point of view of Lily. Lily is a hugely successful vintage blogger, she has over a quarter of a million blog and Twitter followers (I wish!), and has really made a name for herself in the world of fashion and vintage. She has a collection of fashion pieces that are much sought-after, she's lively and pretty and popular. Lily is also a frustrated fashion designer. Scared of rejection and failure, she has put all thoughts of creating her own designs to one side. Until, that is, she stumbles across a photograph of 'The Dress'. Probably the most beautiful dress ever created, and worn by a stunningly magnificent woman.
Lily is determined to find out as much as she can about both the dress and the amazing woman that is wearing it in the photo.
We readers are lucky enough to know all about both of these, as Kate Kerrigan effortlessly weaves the story of how and why the dress was created back in 1950s America. Joy Fitzpatrick is the owner of the dress. Joy is married to Frank and is the darling of high-society. Rich in her own right, beautiful, kind and just a little bit spoilt, Joy knows that the dress will ensure that her husband will love and adore her forever.
Honor is the dress designer. Plain and not interested in wearing beautiful things herself, she's a quiet girl from County Mayo in Ireland, come to America to realise her dream of designing gorgeous clothes for rich and famous women.
The story skips back and forth, following Joy and Honor as they work together to create the dress and then back to the present day as Lily tracks down the story of the original dress and becomes obsessed with recreating it.
Combined within the story of high fashion and wealth and beauty are more serious issues and Kate Kerrigan skilfully weaves these into the storyline, adding a depth and substance to both the story and the characters that takes this novel up a level.
Kate Kerrigan is a talented author who has created characters who are vivid and authentic. She has combined a touch of romance and glamour with heartbreak and treachery, often taking her characters to their lowest ebb, but always engaging the reader with her magical gift for storytelling.
With a cover that will shout from the shelf of every bookshop and a plot that will delight fans both old and new; The Dress is engaging, charming and elegant. A highly recommended read.
December 13, 2015
How could you not want to read a book with such a lovely cover? To begin with I really enjoyed this book, but by the middle, it had descended into melodrama, which is not necessarily bad, but several important plot turns were not adequately developed so they really jarred as they progressed. A lot of it was predictable, some of it was ludicrous, and some of the writing was just plain lazy. But many reviewers here loved it, so perhaps I'm just being cantankerous. I should also say that I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator was ghastly. It was as if she had decided that Emma Watson's Hermione Granger in the first HP film was the last word in great thespianing. Add to this a constant, almost whistling pronunciation of the letter S, and sounding the G as hard in -ing words, no matter which character was speakingG, thinkingG, dreamingG, screamingG. Also, The Dress itself sounded more like something Dame Edna would wear than the height of fifties couture. Still, the writer has done much for inducting the name Gareth into the pantheon of potential love interests. It's not the worst book you could take on a beach holiday, but if there are early Jackie Collinses you haven't tried, I'd go for one of those.
September 1, 2015
The Dress is a story that slips seamlessly between 1950’s New York and the present day and it's ‘The Dress’ that ultimately binds three women together, Joy Fitzpatrick, Honor Conlon and Lily Fitzpatrick.
The story really begins in 1930’s Ireland with a young boy from an abusive family wanting to get away and make a success of his life. How this fits into the story becomes clear as the story progresses.
Joy Fitzpatrick is a New York socialite. She has beauty and wealth and a seemingly perfect marriage to Frank, but despite all this, she is still not completely happy. When she discovers a talented young seamstress Honor Conlon, a partnership and a friendship develops and Joy commissions a dress that she believes will make her husband fall in love with her again and will make her the envy of New York.
Lily Fitzpatrick is a modern day vintage fashion blogger living in London. She adores vintage clothes – she wears them, she buys and sells them and she very successfully blogs about them. However Lily has a hidden desire to be a designer but what holds her back is a lack of confidence. When she comes across a picture of a beautiful vintage dress, owned by someone with her own surname, she wants to know more – and this is how the present day story blends into the 1950's.
As is often the case with dual time novels, I often favour one period more than another. In this case I only very slightly preferred the time spent with Joy than with Lily and I think this was only because I was so enthralled by Joy and her story that I wanted to find out more before leaving her. Having said that all the characterisations are superb and Lily was a wonderful character in her own right; I really enjoyed the time spent with her best friend Sally and Gareth, the very nervous owner of the second hand shop frequented by Lily.
I have read several books by Kate Kerrigan – all 5* reads, including this one. I loved The Dress. I loved the glamour of the 1950's setting and the shifting relationships between Joy and those close to her. This is not just a story about a piece of fabric, it’s about love, betrayal and relationships and how life can so suddenly change. There were some deeper issues reflected within the story which had a rippling but devastating effect across the lives of our main characters. There were many times when I could have wept for Joy and others when I wanted to shout at her for being so spoilt. I’m trying not to give away too much of the story as you really need to discover this for yourself, but all I can say is read it – you won’t be disappointed.
The story really begins in 1930’s Ireland with a young boy from an abusive family wanting to get away and make a success of his life. How this fits into the story becomes clear as the story progresses.
Joy Fitzpatrick is a New York socialite. She has beauty and wealth and a seemingly perfect marriage to Frank, but despite all this, she is still not completely happy. When she discovers a talented young seamstress Honor Conlon, a partnership and a friendship develops and Joy commissions a dress that she believes will make her husband fall in love with her again and will make her the envy of New York.
Lily Fitzpatrick is a modern day vintage fashion blogger living in London. She adores vintage clothes – she wears them, she buys and sells them and she very successfully blogs about them. However Lily has a hidden desire to be a designer but what holds her back is a lack of confidence. When she comes across a picture of a beautiful vintage dress, owned by someone with her own surname, she wants to know more – and this is how the present day story blends into the 1950's.
As is often the case with dual time novels, I often favour one period more than another. In this case I only very slightly preferred the time spent with Joy than with Lily and I think this was only because I was so enthralled by Joy and her story that I wanted to find out more before leaving her. Having said that all the characterisations are superb and Lily was a wonderful character in her own right; I really enjoyed the time spent with her best friend Sally and Gareth, the very nervous owner of the second hand shop frequented by Lily.
I have read several books by Kate Kerrigan – all 5* reads, including this one. I loved The Dress. I loved the glamour of the 1950's setting and the shifting relationships between Joy and those close to her. This is not just a story about a piece of fabric, it’s about love, betrayal and relationships and how life can so suddenly change. There were some deeper issues reflected within the story which had a rippling but devastating effect across the lives of our main characters. There were many times when I could have wept for Joy and others when I wanted to shout at her for being so spoilt. I’m trying not to give away too much of the story as you really need to discover this for yourself, but all I can say is read it – you won’t be disappointed.
December 14, 2015
Published: 10/09/2015
Author: Kate Kerrigan
Recommended for: fans of YA
I received this book through GoodReads FirstReads competitions for free.
I thought that this book was brilliantly and beautifully written by a clearly very talented author. I was so happy when I found out I had won this book as the storyline had hooked me in straight away and the beautiful front cover made me want to read it even more.
This book is set in the wonderful period of the 1950's in the stunning setting of New York, Joy is trying to hunt down a dress, but not just any dress....the most wonderful and beautiful dress in the whole world, in the hope that it may save her marriage. Her life has always been pretty easy with looks and wealth, however she finds that her life is now a struggle as she starts needing a drink of alcohol in the morning to face the day that lays ahead of her, to make things worse she also feels her husband is drifting away from her but cant think why.
Then there is Honor who is an unknown steamstress who doesnt believe in the talents that she has been blessed with. She has the beautiful setting of Ireland and has the incredible task of doing the dress for Joy but is worried she wont be good enough or skilled enough for the high demanding socialite.
Then we also meet another wonderful character who is Lily, she is a vintage fashion blogger (in the modern day) who comes across the picture of Joy who shares the same last name as her, after abit of investigating she finds out that she is loosely related to Lily. This news has a really good effect on Lily's life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was a real pleasure to be able to read it. It is Kate Kerrigan's debut novel and I think that it is an amazing way to kick off her career, I look forward to reading more books by her in the future!
Author: Kate Kerrigan
Recommended for: fans of YA
I received this book through GoodReads FirstReads competitions for free.
I thought that this book was brilliantly and beautifully written by a clearly very talented author. I was so happy when I found out I had won this book as the storyline had hooked me in straight away and the beautiful front cover made me want to read it even more.
This book is set in the wonderful period of the 1950's in the stunning setting of New York, Joy is trying to hunt down a dress, but not just any dress....the most wonderful and beautiful dress in the whole world, in the hope that it may save her marriage. Her life has always been pretty easy with looks and wealth, however she finds that her life is now a struggle as she starts needing a drink of alcohol in the morning to face the day that lays ahead of her, to make things worse she also feels her husband is drifting away from her but cant think why.
Then there is Honor who is an unknown steamstress who doesnt believe in the talents that she has been blessed with. She has the beautiful setting of Ireland and has the incredible task of doing the dress for Joy but is worried she wont be good enough or skilled enough for the high demanding socialite.
Then we also meet another wonderful character who is Lily, she is a vintage fashion blogger (in the modern day) who comes across the picture of Joy who shares the same last name as her, after abit of investigating she finds out that she is loosely related to Lily. This news has a really good effect on Lily's life.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was a real pleasure to be able to read it. It is Kate Kerrigan's debut novel and I think that it is an amazing way to kick off her career, I look forward to reading more books by her in the future!
July 25, 2015
1950s New York and one of the most beautiful women in the city is on the hunt for a dress. Not just any dress, one that is unique, alluring and awe inspiring. The hope is that the right dress could save her marriage. For Joy, beauty has always been part of her life. Blessed with looks, money and breeding, life has always been plain sailing. But lately things are not as straight forward. She finds herself needing a drink to help her get through the day, finds the walls of her fifth avenue home closing in around her and her husband drifting away for no obvious reason. A chance encounter with a talented young designer sets a plan in motion. The perfect party, the perfect dress and the return to the perfect marriage.
Meanwhile, unknown Irish seamstress, Honor, struggles to believe in her talent. She knows she can design and create, but is it enough for the high-maintenance socialite? Can she produce a dress so exquisite that it could change Joy's life? Or even her own? Thousands of dollars are spent as the two women pin their hopes on the dream of the perfect dress...
This is Kate Kerrigan's first novel with Head of Zeus and what a way to kick off! Using her talent for writing historical fiction, and blending it with a current timeline, this novel is pitched perfectly for the reader who wishes to escape to another world. There are actually a few worlds rolled into the this; 1950s New York, 1930s Ireland, Present day London, Miami and Ireland, all with their own tales to tale. Lily is a vintage fashion blogger and while researching images for her blog, she stumbles across a photo of Joy in an outstanding, intricate dress which blows the blogger's mind. As the woman also has the same surname, Lily delves some more and discovers they are loosely related. The photo inspires Lily to dust down her dressmaking equipment and re-create the dress.
The narrative shifts from time and location with ease and there is a softness about the overall story that remains throughout. While there are plenty of design and dress making moments in the novel, it is written in such a way that the reader is not overloaded. The big selling point of The Dress is very simple: imagination. The descriptions of New York in its Hey Day, the dresses, the dinner parties, the cocktail hours and the need for a drinks cabinet in the drawing room. Those days may be long gone, along with women's unequal status (for the most), but that doesn't mean we can't slip into these women's marabou slippers, and lives, for a bit. Look at the success of the TV show, Mad Men. Don Draper and fashion to die for. Simple. The imagination is also used to bring us on fashion shoots in 2014 Miami and lace-hunting trips to rural Ireland. Lily has a part to play in all of this, but it is Joy and Honor who remain to the forefront. Two very different women, from immensely different backgrounds, they somehow find solace in each other's company and form a special bond while creating the masterpiece. But what happens when it's finished? Can their friendship withstand the aftermath?
This is women's fiction at its finest. The writing is flawless, flows nicely and has a perfect pace. The past links well with the present and the overall package is finely crafted. A stunning cover is sure to call out to many from the shelves of bookshops everywhere,in September (when it is released in hardback) and no doubt will be downloaded to many an e-reader this summer. For anyone who has gazed longingly at the pages of Vogue, drooled over the costumes in period dramas or wondered what rich socialites in Manhattan really did all day, this is for you. A fusion of fashion and feeling...
Meanwhile, unknown Irish seamstress, Honor, struggles to believe in her talent. She knows she can design and create, but is it enough for the high-maintenance socialite? Can she produce a dress so exquisite that it could change Joy's life? Or even her own? Thousands of dollars are spent as the two women pin their hopes on the dream of the perfect dress...
This is Kate Kerrigan's first novel with Head of Zeus and what a way to kick off! Using her talent for writing historical fiction, and blending it with a current timeline, this novel is pitched perfectly for the reader who wishes to escape to another world. There are actually a few worlds rolled into the this; 1950s New York, 1930s Ireland, Present day London, Miami and Ireland, all with their own tales to tale. Lily is a vintage fashion blogger and while researching images for her blog, she stumbles across a photo of Joy in an outstanding, intricate dress which blows the blogger's mind. As the woman also has the same surname, Lily delves some more and discovers they are loosely related. The photo inspires Lily to dust down her dressmaking equipment and re-create the dress.
The narrative shifts from time and location with ease and there is a softness about the overall story that remains throughout. While there are plenty of design and dress making moments in the novel, it is written in such a way that the reader is not overloaded. The big selling point of The Dress is very simple: imagination. The descriptions of New York in its Hey Day, the dresses, the dinner parties, the cocktail hours and the need for a drinks cabinet in the drawing room. Those days may be long gone, along with women's unequal status (for the most), but that doesn't mean we can't slip into these women's marabou slippers, and lives, for a bit. Look at the success of the TV show, Mad Men. Don Draper and fashion to die for. Simple. The imagination is also used to bring us on fashion shoots in 2014 Miami and lace-hunting trips to rural Ireland. Lily has a part to play in all of this, but it is Joy and Honor who remain to the forefront. Two very different women, from immensely different backgrounds, they somehow find solace in each other's company and form a special bond while creating the masterpiece. But what happens when it's finished? Can their friendship withstand the aftermath?
This is women's fiction at its finest. The writing is flawless, flows nicely and has a perfect pace. The past links well with the present and the overall package is finely crafted. A stunning cover is sure to call out to many from the shelves of bookshops everywhere,in September (when it is released in hardback) and no doubt will be downloaded to many an e-reader this summer. For anyone who has gazed longingly at the pages of Vogue, drooled over the costumes in period dramas or wondered what rich socialites in Manhattan really did all day, this is for you. A fusion of fashion and feeling...
August 27, 2015
I have only finished reading “The Dress” a few hours ago and I can say that I have become an instant fan of Kate Kerrigan.
“The Dress” has just made it to my list of 2015 favourite reads (very small list by the way! :)) and I am about to tell you why.
This novel is a tale told throughout two generations of women linked by the most beautiful dress ever made. It will tell you the story of how a garment can make you or break you.
Meet Joy Fitzpatrick New York socialite and Honor Conlon budding designer in the 1950’s. They have forged a friendship over the making of that “One of a kind dress”. However this gorgeous gown gets lost in time. About 60 years later Lily Fitzpatrick designer turned vintage fashion blogger takes on the challenge of making a replica of the dress understanding that it has a story to tell.
I probably will not be able to convey how wonderful this book is through this short review as rambling about it would simply dilute what I would like to share, however here are a few things I felt just jumped out.
The author shared her love of fashion through beautiful story telling. Throughout this book, I felt that I was not only on a journey through time but also travelling to all those places that made each piece of the dress, from the material, exquisite lace and jewellery belonging to Joy in the 1950s to the intimate talisman of love Lily used in our time.
I also really enjoyed how as the reader I was introduced to the 1950’s glitz and glamour with that layer of ugliness behind. This was really well told in Joy and her husband’s Frank Fitzpatrick’s story. He, who was always going to be lost unless he understood that the demons he left behind miles away in Ireland were going to be with him unless he faced them.
This point in time is also the dawn of the feminist movement and Honor and Joy’s tale is a real testament to that period.
However what I felt really came through and what the novel explored throughout is the notion of a woman’s happiness and freedom, what it was back then and what it is now. And the truth is, its essence has remained the same. Freedom to be, freedom to choose and remaining true to oneself.
This is a fabulous and moving story and it will stay with me for a while.
“The Dress” has just made it to my list of 2015 favourite reads (very small list by the way! :)) and I am about to tell you why.
This novel is a tale told throughout two generations of women linked by the most beautiful dress ever made. It will tell you the story of how a garment can make you or break you.
Meet Joy Fitzpatrick New York socialite and Honor Conlon budding designer in the 1950’s. They have forged a friendship over the making of that “One of a kind dress”. However this gorgeous gown gets lost in time. About 60 years later Lily Fitzpatrick designer turned vintage fashion blogger takes on the challenge of making a replica of the dress understanding that it has a story to tell.
I probably will not be able to convey how wonderful this book is through this short review as rambling about it would simply dilute what I would like to share, however here are a few things I felt just jumped out.
The author shared her love of fashion through beautiful story telling. Throughout this book, I felt that I was not only on a journey through time but also travelling to all those places that made each piece of the dress, from the material, exquisite lace and jewellery belonging to Joy in the 1950s to the intimate talisman of love Lily used in our time.
I also really enjoyed how as the reader I was introduced to the 1950’s glitz and glamour with that layer of ugliness behind. This was really well told in Joy and her husband’s Frank Fitzpatrick’s story. He, who was always going to be lost unless he understood that the demons he left behind miles away in Ireland were going to be with him unless he faced them.
This point in time is also the dawn of the feminist movement and Honor and Joy’s tale is a real testament to that period.
However what I felt really came through and what the novel explored throughout is the notion of a woman’s happiness and freedom, what it was back then and what it is now. And the truth is, its essence has remained the same. Freedom to be, freedom to choose and remaining true to oneself.
This is a fabulous and moving story and it will stay with me for a while.
July 12, 2015
OK, let's just get this out of the way: the cover should make you want to read it. The cover was designed by Lou Brennan who is a professional fashion illustrator and, boy, does it draw you in! Looking at this sumptuous work of art, how could you not want to open the cover and devour the story inside?
And the story is as enthralling as the illustration on the front cover. Lily Fitzpatrick loves vintage clothes and the stories behind the outfits. She finds the fact that women have owned and loved pieces before her exciting. Thousands of people follow her blog and Instagram feed daily. However, Lily's love of dresses hides a passion that she left behind several years ago: designing. But when Lily stumbles upon a gorgeous dress worn in the 1950s by a woman that shares her surname. With that, Lily sets out to recreate the dress.
The readers get to discover the story of the dress with Lily as well as the wearer, Joy, and the designer, Honor.
This story is not the vacuous yarn many may expect it to be. 'The Dress' tackles many serious issues including alcoholism and betrayal. It interweaves the story of three women in a similar vein to 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham. It spans time and space, travelling from 1930s Ireland to 1950s New York to modern-day London. Kerrigan's descriptions are beautiful; when Lily visited Miami, I felt like I was there with her thanks to the vivid explanations.
The story is, however, easy to follow and would make the perfect holiday read.
The relationships portrayed in this terrific novel are complex and believable. Whether it's Joy's relationship with her husband, the rich and successful businessman, Frank Fitzpatrick or Lily's friendship with her best friend - Kerrigan doesn't sugar coat a thing and that's really refreshing. The characters jump off the page, they're so realistic. I'd also like to commend Kerrigan for her compassionate portrayal of an alcoholic and for making this a story of, ultimately, redemption.
I urge you to read this book.
And the story is as enthralling as the illustration on the front cover. Lily Fitzpatrick loves vintage clothes and the stories behind the outfits. She finds the fact that women have owned and loved pieces before her exciting. Thousands of people follow her blog and Instagram feed daily. However, Lily's love of dresses hides a passion that she left behind several years ago: designing. But when Lily stumbles upon a gorgeous dress worn in the 1950s by a woman that shares her surname. With that, Lily sets out to recreate the dress.
The readers get to discover the story of the dress with Lily as well as the wearer, Joy, and the designer, Honor.
This story is not the vacuous yarn many may expect it to be. 'The Dress' tackles many serious issues including alcoholism and betrayal. It interweaves the story of three women in a similar vein to 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham. It spans time and space, travelling from 1930s Ireland to 1950s New York to modern-day London. Kerrigan's descriptions are beautiful; when Lily visited Miami, I felt like I was there with her thanks to the vivid explanations.
The story is, however, easy to follow and would make the perfect holiday read.
The relationships portrayed in this terrific novel are complex and believable. Whether it's Joy's relationship with her husband, the rich and successful businessman, Frank Fitzpatrick or Lily's friendship with her best friend - Kerrigan doesn't sugar coat a thing and that's really refreshing. The characters jump off the page, they're so realistic. I'd also like to commend Kerrigan for her compassionate portrayal of an alcoholic and for making this a story of, ultimately, redemption.
I urge you to read this book.
February 22, 2016
Such a great premise - I love books with history and that jump between past and present. However, the writing in this book just felt like something a very inexperienced writer would come up with. The description of "the dress" was just so over the top (not to mention that nothing sounded like it would match...), and the weird turn into alcoholism just didn't feel like it fit into the book at all. By the end, when they finally find Honor, the explanation and story is so rushed it feels like the end was just an afterthought. I'm always in favor of a happy ending, but this one just felt a little weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2015
For a more detailed review, please check out my review below:
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
Debra's Book Cafe
Debs :-)
September 14, 2015
I firstly noticed the buzz about "The Dress" on Twitter, where early reviewers were raving about it, and it made totally curious about this book. After reading the blurb I was sure that it is going to be a great story, and well, I was not wrong! I couldn't believe when this beautiful hardcover edition (it is really exceptionally beautiful edition - so masterfully made, and the cover is just stunning!) arrived in the post, as I wasn't expecting it at all, and I dived into it immediately after opening the envelope.
Kate Kerrigan is a new author for me, and it is one of my best discoveries this year - after reading "The Dress" I will make sure to get acquainted with her other work as well. I adored the way she has written this book, blending history with present so wonderfully, and choosing many brilliant settings for this story. Together with the characters we travel through Ireland in the 1930s, to move into New York in the 50s, to go back to Ireland in present days, as well as London. I absolutely loved it. Also, the plot was so fresh and unique - who would have thought that a dress can be made a main character and that a story can be so brilliantly build around it? How a very unexpected photo in a magazine can lead to some research that helps to discover not only the truth about The Dress, but also about people who made it, who wore it, and to find a family?
The narration switches seamlessly between 1950' New York and present London. I must admit here that I much more adored the story of Joy and Honor, it was so much more colourful and vivid in comparison to this of Lily - and maybe because I couldn't totally warm to Lily, she was too childish for my liking, too moody and I'd expected much more mature behaviour from her. While when the narration switched to New York I couldn't have enough of it - the lives of the characters was so meticulously described, to the smallest detail, and I'm not forgetting here the descriptions of clothes and The Dress - it was all beautiful, so full of joie de vivre and spirit, and really, Lily's life, compared to it seemed so dull. But nevertheless, it is incredible how the characters were jumping out of the pages and how realistic, vivid and authentic they felt. The author wasn't afraid to make their lives complex and complicated, and to expose them to many tests, trials, heartbreaking moments, taking them low, low down to let them come up high again. It was truly amazing roller - coaster of emotions, and I couldn't put the book down, also thanks to the characters. For example Joy was such a complex character, she was one of the most three - dimensional characters that I've come across in my books. She wasn't afraid to show her weakness and to admit that she was wrong, and following her and her story has truly broken my heart. She has so loved her husband and she was punished for this love, and I couldn't help but to fell for her so much. At the beginning she seemed to have it all, Joy, but soon she has started to loose everything, and in my eyes she really didn't deserve this, and I kept my fingers crossed for her and hoped she is going to find joy in her life again, with or without Frank.
Some of the chapters were told from Honor's point of view, and what I also adored was the fact how the book has actually come full circle, how people, who weren't looking for each other, who didn't know each other in fact, found each other. It might have seen a little too far - fetched, impossible to happen, but somehow it worked in this book perfectly. And Honor was one of those who were found. She was truly a good woman and it was also heart - breaking to see how from this joyful, happy girl she's turning into unhappy woman, who, in fact, didn't do anything. Her only fault was that she fell in love with the wrong man - or maybe this wrong man fell in love with her.
But no matter which character, if it was Lily, Joy or Honor, they have all their own distinctive voices and all their stories were gripping, captivating and incredibly hooking. Also, all the stories intertwined, and it was done by author in the most perfect way, and she has made impossible to turn into possible - for two totally different woman to meet and become the best friends with incredible bond.
Truly, The Dress is one of the main characters in this story, and fashion altogether, but even though there is a lot of talking about it, it just sits perfectly with this story and even if the readers are not so much into fashion, I'm sure they won't feel intimidated or overloaded - I wasn't. I truly enjoyed all the descriptions and right now one of my biggest dreams is to see The Dress with my own eyes.
But of course it is not only a story about vintage fashion. The author writes here about many more sensitive issues, such as domestic violence, alcoholism, love, hate and friendship, and this is a perfect mix that makes a perfect book. The author has incredible talent to transport the reader into the world of her characters, no matter if it's the present days, or the past, and she wonderfully describes the world of fashion, glamour and wealth, not forgetting about this depth and complexity that are indicators of an exceptional book.
I really can't express enough how beautiful, gripping, poignant this story was. "The Dress" is really women's fiction at its best, it is a book that has everything that you may look for in a story. Not only it has a perfect, hooking plot and wonderful characters, but it is masterfully written, with a huge attentiveness to details. I loved it whole - heartedly, and I am going to recommend it to all my friends.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
May 10, 2016
The Dress was a very enjoyable read. The author cleverly intertwined two eras, seemingly because of a dress.
But it wasn't any dress. It was a dress like nothing anyone has ever made before. It was dazzling and it was made to order for the beautiful American socialite, Joy Fitzgerald.
Fast forward to 2014 London, where the beautiful, vintage lover, famous fashionista blogger, Lily Fitzgerald, comes across the photo of Joy Fitzerald dressed in the marvelous dress. The surname coincidence and a few other elements trigger Lily's curiosity and she earns to discover more about the dress and the woman in the old Vogue. And things move on from there.
This type of novel seems to be quite trendy, I certainly have read quite a few of them this year. Regardless, this was a well-written novel, that flowed seamlessly. The story lines were interesting without the over-the-top dramas or situations. A perfect read for a holiday and not only. The fashion lovers will definitely get a kick out of it.
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, HarperCollins Australia, for the opportunity to read and review.
Cover: 5 stars! Absolutely divine!
But it wasn't any dress. It was a dress like nothing anyone has ever made before. It was dazzling and it was made to order for the beautiful American socialite, Joy Fitzgerald.
Fast forward to 2014 London, where the beautiful, vintage lover, famous fashionista blogger, Lily Fitzgerald, comes across the photo of Joy Fitzerald dressed in the marvelous dress. The surname coincidence and a few other elements trigger Lily's curiosity and she earns to discover more about the dress and the woman in the old Vogue. And things move on from there.
This type of novel seems to be quite trendy, I certainly have read quite a few of them this year. Regardless, this was a well-written novel, that flowed seamlessly. The story lines were interesting without the over-the-top dramas or situations. A perfect read for a holiday and not only. The fashion lovers will definitely get a kick out of it.
I've received this novel via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, HarperCollins Australia, for the opportunity to read and review.
Cover: 5 stars! Absolutely divine!
August 31, 2015
The Dress is a fabulous concoction - a story that effortlessly moves from 1950's New York to present day London gathering in the lives of three women linked, across time by the world;s most beautiful dress. But it's not all fashion, froth and glamour. Fashion blogger Lily is still smarting from a rejection that changed the course of her career. Ambitious designer Honor is drawn into a love triangle that will have devastating consequences, and socialite Joy is hiding a dark secret from her husband. This is a wonderful read! I stayed up till one in the morning to finish it!
October 25, 2016
The Dress by Kate Kerrigan Lily Fitzpatrick loves vintage clothes - made all the more precious because they were once owned and loved by another woman. Thousands follow her vintage fashion blog and her daily Instagram feed. But this passion for the beautiful clothes of the past is about to have unforeseen consequences, when Lily stumbles upon the story of a 1950s New York beauty, who was not only everything Lily longs to be, but also shares Lily's surname.Joy Fitzpatrick was a legend. But what was the famous dress which she once commissioned - said to be so original that nothing in couture would ever match it again? What happened to it - and why did Joy suddenly disappear from New York high society?Kate Kerrigan's enthralling novel interweaves the dramatic story of Joy, the beautiful but tortured socialite and that of Lily - determined to uncover the truth and, if possible, bring back to life the legendary dress itself.
I felt it was a little odd that the dress was a way of earning or maintaining love which Lily already seemed to have even though she didn't seem to think so.
The Dress could have used a little more development in the character area which felt a little incomplete but I enjoyed the past flash backs which were fantastic and I liked the exploration of the different time periods that Kerrigan described.
The Dress was well written, it just needed a tiny pinch more closing the gaps which she began building in the beginning of the story.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley
.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! I love hearing from followers! Thank you!
I felt it was a little odd that the dress was a way of earning or maintaining love which Lily already seemed to have even though she didn't seem to think so.
The Dress could have used a little more development in the character area which felt a little incomplete but I enjoyed the past flash backs which were fantastic and I liked the exploration of the different time periods that Kerrigan described.
The Dress was well written, it just needed a tiny pinch more closing the gaps which she began building in the beginning of the story.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.
Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley
.
If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! I love hearing from followers! Thank you!
August 31, 2015
Review first posted on my blog: http://spoonfulofhappyendings.blogspo...
Twenty-something Lily Fitzpatrick always wanted to be a fashion designer. Yet her fear of being a failure led her to decide to focus on her successful vintage fashion blog instead, sharing her passion for fashion with thousands of followers each day. One day, Lily unexpectedly finds an article about an amazing dress which was worn back in the 1940s by high society woman Joy Fitzpatrick, who also happens to share Lily’s last name. Lily decides to do some research in the hopes of discovering more about Joy herself, this amazing dress, and the person who made it. As Lily finds out more and more about both the dress and Joy, she realises she has discovered quite an amazing story and won’t stop until she has gotten to the bottom of it.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best women’s fiction reads I’ve read so far this year. Kate Kerrigan is a fabulous author and I honestly already can't wait to read her next work! 'The Dress' focuses on two main points of view: a modern-day storyline told from the perspective of vintage fashion blogger Lily Fitzpatrick and a point of view that brings us back to 1940s America with at its centre married socialite Joy Fitzpatrick. Next to that, there are several chapters told from the perspective of Honor, an Irish small-town girl who is a truly gifted seamstress. Each of these three women has a distinctive voice and a thoroughly captivating and interesting story to tell; stories that are intertwined and which I couldn't get enough of.
While the story includes fun aspects such as the focus on vintage fashion and blogging, it also deals with quite a few serious topics. Kate Kerrigan is a wonderfully talented author with a great writing style. It felt like I was flying through the pages and I could easily conjure up every single detail of the story in my head thanks to all the vivid descriptions. In my opinion this is women's fiction at its best and I understand why this novel has already received numerous 5-star reviews. Overall, 'The Dress' is an amazing and well-written story filled with authentic characters and an engrossing storyline. It grabbed me from the start and I ended up falling in love with it; a book I can recommend to anyone, a truly wonderful read!
Twenty-something Lily Fitzpatrick always wanted to be a fashion designer. Yet her fear of being a failure led her to decide to focus on her successful vintage fashion blog instead, sharing her passion for fashion with thousands of followers each day. One day, Lily unexpectedly finds an article about an amazing dress which was worn back in the 1940s by high society woman Joy Fitzpatrick, who also happens to share Lily’s last name. Lily decides to do some research in the hopes of discovering more about Joy herself, this amazing dress, and the person who made it. As Lily finds out more and more about both the dress and Joy, she realises she has discovered quite an amazing story and won’t stop until she has gotten to the bottom of it.
This is, without a doubt, one of the best women’s fiction reads I’ve read so far this year. Kate Kerrigan is a fabulous author and I honestly already can't wait to read her next work! 'The Dress' focuses on two main points of view: a modern-day storyline told from the perspective of vintage fashion blogger Lily Fitzpatrick and a point of view that brings us back to 1940s America with at its centre married socialite Joy Fitzpatrick. Next to that, there are several chapters told from the perspective of Honor, an Irish small-town girl who is a truly gifted seamstress. Each of these three women has a distinctive voice and a thoroughly captivating and interesting story to tell; stories that are intertwined and which I couldn't get enough of.
While the story includes fun aspects such as the focus on vintage fashion and blogging, it also deals with quite a few serious topics. Kate Kerrigan is a wonderfully talented author with a great writing style. It felt like I was flying through the pages and I could easily conjure up every single detail of the story in my head thanks to all the vivid descriptions. In my opinion this is women's fiction at its best and I understand why this novel has already received numerous 5-star reviews. Overall, 'The Dress' is an amazing and well-written story filled with authentic characters and an engrossing storyline. It grabbed me from the start and I ended up falling in love with it; a book I can recommend to anyone, a truly wonderful read!
July 21, 2021
Firstly thank you to Head of Zeus Publications for sending me a copy to review.
This was a beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t what quite I expected but was so much better than I could ever have imagined. It kept me hooked until the very end.
I wasn’t sure how I would find the flipping from present day to the 1950’s and thought it might be difficult to follow but I was wrong. It flowed perfectly between the two eras. I was never confused by what was going on with the characters, what had happened or anything I knew exactly who was who and what was going on. The story was easy to follow and the characters were so easy to connect with. I felt a strong connection to Lily from the start and felt like I was personally affected by everything that goes on in her life. I was truly on the emotional rollercoaster that she is taken on. I could picture everything so vividly and was completely drawn into Lily’s story and the fashion world it flips between. I even found myself not hating the characters that were probably supposed to be not liked but feeling sorry for them. Kate managed to create such wonderful people that you couldn’t help but feel and believe in them.
It had a mix of romance, fashion and unexpectedly more serious themes like alcoholism. I wouldn’t have put all these together and thought they would work but it does. The story isn’t predictable and I didn’t even want to guess what would happen. I hoped in parts but I just wanted to enjoy the read and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t expect. It was a story that honestly blew me away and I am sad I have finished reading it.
Kate is an amazing author who has managed to combine all the above with such perfection and keeps you captivated until the very end. This was definitely one of my favourite books of this year so far.
This was a beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. It wasn’t what quite I expected but was so much better than I could ever have imagined. It kept me hooked until the very end.
I wasn’t sure how I would find the flipping from present day to the 1950’s and thought it might be difficult to follow but I was wrong. It flowed perfectly between the two eras. I was never confused by what was going on with the characters, what had happened or anything I knew exactly who was who and what was going on. The story was easy to follow and the characters were so easy to connect with. I felt a strong connection to Lily from the start and felt like I was personally affected by everything that goes on in her life. I was truly on the emotional rollercoaster that she is taken on. I could picture everything so vividly and was completely drawn into Lily’s story and the fashion world it flips between. I even found myself not hating the characters that were probably supposed to be not liked but feeling sorry for them. Kate managed to create such wonderful people that you couldn’t help but feel and believe in them.
It had a mix of romance, fashion and unexpectedly more serious themes like alcoholism. I wouldn’t have put all these together and thought they would work but it does. The story isn’t predictable and I didn’t even want to guess what would happen. I hoped in parts but I just wanted to enjoy the read and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t expect. It was a story that honestly blew me away and I am sad I have finished reading it.
Kate is an amazing author who has managed to combine all the above with such perfection and keeps you captivated until the very end. This was definitely one of my favourite books of this year so far.
October 11, 2015
The Dress was an absolutely delightful read which brought together three women with their own intriguing stories. This book captures the glamour of the fashion world and the passions of the wearers and designers of beautiful clothes. But this story also involves passions of the heart too with a heady mix of love, betrayal and regret. This is highly enjoyable and I can definitely recommend it, and the hardback edition is a lovely book with a great cover.
Our story starts in Ireland in the 1930's and seamlessly moves between modern day London and New York of the 1940/50's. Francis (Frank) Fitzpatrick leaves Ireland as a boy in 1935 and sets off for New York where he will seek and find his fortune. Lily Fitzpatrick lives in London in 2014 and loves vintage clothes and has a successful fashion blog. In 1950's New York Joy Fitzpatrick is famed for her beauty and style. Joy turned to a young Irish seamstress, called Honor Conlon, to commission and create 'The Dress' for her 30th birthday. A dress of great cost and such beauty it would be hard to find its equal.
The author weaves together the lives of the four main characters around 'The Dress', but she also captures the sense of family history, place and relationships. The characters all come across as interesting, believable and the reader can't help but feel for them. The book touches compassionately on the issues of alcoholism and is ultimately uplifting. The author brings the story to a satisfying conclusion which left me happy and pleased to have had the opportunity to read this excellent book. I am one of many reviewers who have enjoyed this book and I'm sure you will too. (Received ARC)
December 11, 2016
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a weird one. Not great writing by any means - but it had a compelling enough story (particularly the story of Joy and Honor set in the 1950s, not so much the incredibly cliched present-day story about Lily) and I finished it in two nights. There were some lovely scenes between the brittle socialite Joy and budding clothing designer Honor. But here's why I still only gave it two stars: about halfway through, I started to get a weird vibe about the way the story was going, and how the narrative set up the "moral" trajectory of the novel. By the last third, it was pretty clear that I was reading a Christian (presumably Catholic?) novel which had a clear High Catholic message to convey. This is totally fine, of course, and those novels have their own often very enthusiastic audience. So I'm baffled as to why this isn't part of how the novel is sold? To be clear: I have no idea if this was intentional on the author's part or not, and the answer to that doesn't really matter. Reviewers who have been surprised at some of the novel's harsh judgements of the characters' so-called sins (with ensuing life-long punishments) might be less surprised if they read the novel in the context of a fairly unforgiving Catholic belief system. Again, not a problem - but this is not in any way how the novel is sold to readers, and the end result for secular readers like myself is a feeling of disappointment at the incredibly forced and contrived plot events that try to turn a fairly sensitive historical novel about women's lives into a tired morality tale.
This was a weird one. Not great writing by any means - but it had a compelling enough story (particularly the story of Joy and Honor set in the 1950s, not so much the incredibly cliched present-day story about Lily) and I finished it in two nights. There were some lovely scenes between the brittle socialite Joy and budding clothing designer Honor. But here's why I still only gave it two stars: about halfway through, I started to get a weird vibe about the way the story was going, and how the narrative set up the "moral" trajectory of the novel. By the last third, it was pretty clear that I was reading a Christian (presumably Catholic?) novel which had a clear High Catholic message to convey. This is totally fine, of course, and those novels have their own often very enthusiastic audience. So I'm baffled as to why this isn't part of how the novel is sold? To be clear: I have no idea if this was intentional on the author's part or not, and the answer to that doesn't really matter. Reviewers who have been surprised at some of the novel's harsh judgements of the characters' so-called sins (with ensuing life-long punishments) might be less surprised if they read the novel in the context of a fairly unforgiving Catholic belief system. Again, not a problem - but this is not in any way how the novel is sold to readers, and the end result for secular readers like myself is a feeling of disappointment at the incredibly forced and contrived plot events that try to turn a fairly sensitive historical novel about women's lives into a tired morality tale.
July 9, 2015
I'm still wiping the tears from my eyes after reading this book that had me hooked from the prologue and even before that with the stunning front cover.
The story is set in London in the present day and we meet Lily, a dress designer who has given up designing for wearing and selling vintage clothes.
While tracing her family history she comes across a photograph of a dress designed in the fifties for an American socialite and is determind to re- create it.
We fall seamlessly into the fifties and the story of Joy who wore the dress and Honor who made it. Attached to them is Lily's great uncle,Francis Fitzpatrick who Lily has just found out about.
As we move between the two stories I became drawn into their lives. Each of the characters in the fifties story had their good and bad points. One minute I loved them and the next I disliked them. I felt particularly let down by Francis or Frank. I thought he would turn out to be a really good man but I'm not so sure that he did.
Joy became a flawed character and then redeemed herself and as for Honour, she discovered what happens when you let yourself be manipulated and go against your inner voice.
The story of Lily was every bit as good and I loved the ending.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down.
The story is set in London in the present day and we meet Lily, a dress designer who has given up designing for wearing and selling vintage clothes.
While tracing her family history she comes across a photograph of a dress designed in the fifties for an American socialite and is determind to re- create it.
We fall seamlessly into the fifties and the story of Joy who wore the dress and Honor who made it. Attached to them is Lily's great uncle,Francis Fitzpatrick who Lily has just found out about.
As we move between the two stories I became drawn into their lives. Each of the characters in the fifties story had their good and bad points. One minute I loved them and the next I disliked them. I felt particularly let down by Francis or Frank. I thought he would turn out to be a really good man but I'm not so sure that he did.
Joy became a flawed character and then redeemed herself and as for Honour, she discovered what happens when you let yourself be manipulated and go against your inner voice.
The story of Lily was every bit as good and I loved the ending.
I loved this book and couldn't put it down.
June 14, 2015
Pre-publication copy to review for lovereading.co.uk. Here is my review:
This is a wonderful story about a dress. Well, not just any dress, it is The Dress – a beautiful item of couture created by a talented designer, Honor, in 1950s New York, for Joy, a beautiful, but tortured, socialite. Meanwhile, jump forward to 2014, where vintage fashion blogger Lily comes across a Vogue article featuring this magnificent dress. Discovering she is distantly related to Joy, Lily sets out on a mission to recreate the dress in all its resplendence.
Jumping between 1950s New York and present-day London, this is an enthralling read. The author has put in a lot of research regarding dress-making; even for someone like myself, who has no interest in this kind of thing, it makes for fascinating reading. It is an easy read, but by no means frivolous; covering subjects as diverse as dress-making, romance, relationships and alcoholism. I read the entire book over a weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is a wonderful story about a dress. Well, not just any dress, it is The Dress – a beautiful item of couture created by a talented designer, Honor, in 1950s New York, for Joy, a beautiful, but tortured, socialite. Meanwhile, jump forward to 2014, where vintage fashion blogger Lily comes across a Vogue article featuring this magnificent dress. Discovering she is distantly related to Joy, Lily sets out on a mission to recreate the dress in all its resplendence.
Jumping between 1950s New York and present-day London, this is an enthralling read. The author has put in a lot of research regarding dress-making; even for someone like myself, who has no interest in this kind of thing, it makes for fascinating reading. It is an easy read, but by no means frivolous; covering subjects as diverse as dress-making, romance, relationships and alcoholism. I read the entire book over a weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it.
July 12, 2015
The Dress by Kate Kerrigan combines fashion and one’s search for love beautifully in a tale that spans generations. Told with an obviously deep knowledge of the world of fashion design, this novel made me root for Honor and Joy, the two main characters in the 1950s tale, and certainly for poor workaholic Lily in the modern tale whose grandfather’s past in Ireland is a mystery to her. There were a lot of characters in this novel, and at first I did not understand how their stories would connect, but wanting to know what would happen to them kept me turning pages, and the beautiful message that Honor learns late in her life gave me that satisfied sigh that I’m always looking for in a book. Recommended for those who love stories that dig to a level deeper than mere romance to explore human relationships and family legacies.
February 15, 2021
Finally getting to this review!
This will be short an sweet.
This story is in two part 1950s New York (hello 🥰) and present day London.
A story of three women and their link to the world most stunning/beautiful dress, made for a dazzling socialite like no other Joy Fitzgerald.
I really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a 4 or 5 star read but only because I got a little bored but the story and feel of this story is just amazing.
The writing was so seamless and interesting with out being over the top.
It’s a real story of heart and heartbreak, cheating in love and cheating at life. The ending was so fulfilling and I’m glad I decided to pick this up. (Also what a gorgeous cover)
Fashion lovers will adore this story and drama lovers. 😉
3 stars.
This will be short an sweet.
This story is in two part 1950s New York (hello 🥰) and present day London.
A story of three women and their link to the world most stunning/beautiful dress, made for a dazzling socialite like no other Joy Fitzgerald.
I really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a 4 or 5 star read but only because I got a little bored but the story and feel of this story is just amazing.
The writing was so seamless and interesting with out being over the top.
It’s a real story of heart and heartbreak, cheating in love and cheating at life. The ending was so fulfilling and I’m glad I decided to pick this up. (Also what a gorgeous cover)
Fashion lovers will adore this story and drama lovers. 😉
3 stars.
April 27, 2017
3.5 stars actually.
The plot had much promise. But I like my facts to be straight.. Either you are in love or you are not. Either you are. making a simple dress or a complicated one. There was much dilly dallying around as if the author was confused about her characters. But it had its points and talked a lot about vintage dresses- a theme no woman can resist.
The plot had much promise. But I like my facts to be straight.. Either you are in love or you are not. Either you are. making a simple dress or a complicated one. There was much dilly dallying around as if the author was confused about her characters. But it had its points and talked a lot about vintage dresses- a theme no woman can resist.
May 17, 2015
The Dress is a story set across two eras of couture fashion; 1950s New York and present day London, and the story of two women; Joy & Lily, who are distantly related. Their worlds are brought together through Lily’s grief following the death of her beloved Grandfather. She goes in search of his family connections after her discovery of a Vogue article about a magnificent dress modelled by the beautiful socialite Joy, with whom she shares a surname.
Lily has turned her back on her dreams of becoming a fashion designer, largely due to her fear of failure, but nevertheless has become a respected voice of the industry through her popular blog and social networking activities.
Lily feels compelled to remake ‘The Dress’ and sets out cautiously upon the journey to do so, even though she knows she is unable to fund the project. She unexpectedly finds support, which leads her unwittingly into a battle between two major fashion houses, but this is a small part of the story. The captivating and emotional story of the original ‘Dress’ unravels and we discover misguided motivation behind its creation and the fantastic resources it took to create, which is extremely sad in parts.
I was gripped right from the start of the book and found a wonderful escape into these glamorous worlds. However, it was also a cautionary tale about the superficial nature of beauty and the pain it can cause when it comes between friendships and families.
The characters of Joy & Lily are very different and both likeable in their own ways. Lily was gentle and often seemed vulnerable. Perhaps this is why she prefers her job behind the screens of technology rather than at the cutting edge of fashion, where she would be open to criticism. Joy appears to be every inch the ruthless socialite but as we get to know her, we realise that this is very much a mask to her inner insecurities. I often felt sorry for this woman who had everything materially but very little of substance.
The character of Honor, the seamstress/fashion designer who created the Dress reminded me of another of Kate Kerrigan’s characters, Ellie Hogan in the Ellis Island trilogy. She is a too a migrant worker from Ireland with an incredible work ethic and ambition. There was a moment in Ellis Island where Ellie made a fateful decision that took her home to her husband rather than into the arms of a lover. Honor is met with a similar challenge in this book, which inevitably marks her fate. It would be too much of a spoiler to talk about this further but just to finish by saying that the story is not predictable and I really enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns that the characters took.
I was sad to finish the book so quickly as I enjoyed feeling like a part of this journey, I wish I’d had the discipline to read slower and string it out for longer!
Lily has turned her back on her dreams of becoming a fashion designer, largely due to her fear of failure, but nevertheless has become a respected voice of the industry through her popular blog and social networking activities.
Lily feels compelled to remake ‘The Dress’ and sets out cautiously upon the journey to do so, even though she knows she is unable to fund the project. She unexpectedly finds support, which leads her unwittingly into a battle between two major fashion houses, but this is a small part of the story. The captivating and emotional story of the original ‘Dress’ unravels and we discover misguided motivation behind its creation and the fantastic resources it took to create, which is extremely sad in parts.
I was gripped right from the start of the book and found a wonderful escape into these glamorous worlds. However, it was also a cautionary tale about the superficial nature of beauty and the pain it can cause when it comes between friendships and families.
The characters of Joy & Lily are very different and both likeable in their own ways. Lily was gentle and often seemed vulnerable. Perhaps this is why she prefers her job behind the screens of technology rather than at the cutting edge of fashion, where she would be open to criticism. Joy appears to be every inch the ruthless socialite but as we get to know her, we realise that this is very much a mask to her inner insecurities. I often felt sorry for this woman who had everything materially but very little of substance.
The character of Honor, the seamstress/fashion designer who created the Dress reminded me of another of Kate Kerrigan’s characters, Ellie Hogan in the Ellis Island trilogy. She is a too a migrant worker from Ireland with an incredible work ethic and ambition. There was a moment in Ellis Island where Ellie made a fateful decision that took her home to her husband rather than into the arms of a lover. Honor is met with a similar challenge in this book, which inevitably marks her fate. It would be too much of a spoiler to talk about this further but just to finish by saying that the story is not predictable and I really enjoyed the unexpected twists and turns that the characters took.
I was sad to finish the book so quickly as I enjoyed feeling like a part of this journey, I wish I’d had the discipline to read slower and string it out for longer!
June 7, 2015
I adored this book! If you're a dreamer, romantic, lover of fashion, lover of vintage, lover of historical fiction, lover of Ireland, lover of New York The Dress is a true treat.
The Dress, by one of my favourite authors - Irish novelist, Kate Kerrigan. It was difficult not to judge this book by its cover... the stunning and elegant artwork was incredible and paved the way for a romantic and stylish tale which I devoured in a matter of days! I have a fondness for historical fiction, which is why I've loved Kate's previous novels; but this time we are brought back and forth between 1950's New York and modern day London, as we delve in to the lives and loves of distantly related Lily and Joy Fitzpatrick. Joy, a stunning New York socialite who made waves on the scene in her day, and Lily a quirky vintage fashion blogger who is top of her game on social media.
Lily Fitzpatrick is a well renowned vintage fashion blogger, who is grieving the loss of her Grandad, Joe - who was an endearing and popular Irish man, whom Lily was very fond of. Whilst researching for her latest blog piece, Lily becomes transfixed by a beautiful couture dress - worn by a breathtaking woman named Joy Fitzpatrick in 1950's New York, and designed by an unknown, Honor Conlon. Is Joys surname a coincidence? Using the power of the internet and her London fashion connections, Lily begins a journey of discovery. On her quest to get over her Grandfather's death, Lily reverts back to her first love, designing clothes, and attempts to uncover the past. We are next introduced to Joy's life of glamour, social climbing, marriage and haute couture. Without giving away too much, when the novel focused on Joy's life, those were by far my favourite chapters - this was a complex woman, who seemed to have it all, but the perfect facade starts to slip...
I imagined Joy to look like Miranda Kerr, tall, slim, chiseled cheek bones and waif like physique. With each of the different characters in The Dress, I could truly identify with the reasons behind their flawed behavior. Joy was deeply misunderstood by many of those around her and as I read, I found myself really rooting for her to find happiness. Author, Kate really understands the complexities of human nature, and deals with heavy themes such as alcoholism and depression in a very insightful and honest way.
The way in which Kate entwined beautiful fashion in this latest novel, #TheDress, proves style and elegance must play a part in the novelists life - she really understood both the sense of femininity and class in New York during the fifties/sixties but also the importance of style from a fashion bloggers perspective, how it's a lifestyle - modern character Lily really came alive and I almost wished she was real so I could follow her online, and see all of her latest thrift-shop finds!
The Dress, by one of my favourite authors - Irish novelist, Kate Kerrigan. It was difficult not to judge this book by its cover... the stunning and elegant artwork was incredible and paved the way for a romantic and stylish tale which I devoured in a matter of days! I have a fondness for historical fiction, which is why I've loved Kate's previous novels; but this time we are brought back and forth between 1950's New York and modern day London, as we delve in to the lives and loves of distantly related Lily and Joy Fitzpatrick. Joy, a stunning New York socialite who made waves on the scene in her day, and Lily a quirky vintage fashion blogger who is top of her game on social media.
Lily Fitzpatrick is a well renowned vintage fashion blogger, who is grieving the loss of her Grandad, Joe - who was an endearing and popular Irish man, whom Lily was very fond of. Whilst researching for her latest blog piece, Lily becomes transfixed by a beautiful couture dress - worn by a breathtaking woman named Joy Fitzpatrick in 1950's New York, and designed by an unknown, Honor Conlon. Is Joys surname a coincidence? Using the power of the internet and her London fashion connections, Lily begins a journey of discovery. On her quest to get over her Grandfather's death, Lily reverts back to her first love, designing clothes, and attempts to uncover the past. We are next introduced to Joy's life of glamour, social climbing, marriage and haute couture. Without giving away too much, when the novel focused on Joy's life, those were by far my favourite chapters - this was a complex woman, who seemed to have it all, but the perfect facade starts to slip...
I imagined Joy to look like Miranda Kerr, tall, slim, chiseled cheek bones and waif like physique. With each of the different characters in The Dress, I could truly identify with the reasons behind their flawed behavior. Joy was deeply misunderstood by many of those around her and as I read, I found myself really rooting for her to find happiness. Author, Kate really understands the complexities of human nature, and deals with heavy themes such as alcoholism and depression in a very insightful and honest way.
The way in which Kate entwined beautiful fashion in this latest novel, #TheDress, proves style and elegance must play a part in the novelists life - she really understood both the sense of femininity and class in New York during the fifties/sixties but also the importance of style from a fashion bloggers perspective, how it's a lifestyle - modern character Lily really came alive and I almost wished she was real so I could follow her online, and see all of her latest thrift-shop finds!
January 2, 2016
Thanks to Lovereading.co.uk and Head of Zeus, I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.....
Meet Lily Fitzpatrick, a hugely successful vintage blogger who has over a quarter of a million blog and Twitter followers and also uploads what outfit she's wearing onto her Instagram on a daily basis, she has really made a name for herself in the world of fashion. She also has a collection of fashion pieces that are to die for. But this passion for the beautiful clothes of the past is about to have unforeseen consequences, when Lily stumbles upon a Vogue story of a 1950's New York beauty, with a photograph of 'The Dress' which is probably the most beautiful dress ever created, and worn by a stunningly magnificent woman who also shares Lily's surname. Lily is determined to find out as much as she can about both the dress and the amazing woman that is wearing it in the photo.
The Dress is a dual-time narrative, which is a beautifully written present-day story being told from Lily's point of view. It is mainly set in London in the present day and 1950's New York. I had it read in a few days, I couldn't put it down, I loved the fashion from the 1940's onwards in America so I felt transported there whilst reading & could visualise the lovely outfits that would've been worn back then too. It was such a heart-warming, uplifting story. This story had it all from love, fashion to more sensitive and a hard-hitting issue where I found I had a little tear in my eye at the end along with shedding a few along the way, so grab this book, curl up on the couch and prepare to have a few lump in your throat moments too.
Meet Lily Fitzpatrick, a hugely successful vintage blogger who has over a quarter of a million blog and Twitter followers and also uploads what outfit she's wearing onto her Instagram on a daily basis, she has really made a name for herself in the world of fashion. She also has a collection of fashion pieces that are to die for. But this passion for the beautiful clothes of the past is about to have unforeseen consequences, when Lily stumbles upon a Vogue story of a 1950's New York beauty, with a photograph of 'The Dress' which is probably the most beautiful dress ever created, and worn by a stunningly magnificent woman who also shares Lily's surname. Lily is determined to find out as much as she can about both the dress and the amazing woman that is wearing it in the photo.
The Dress is a dual-time narrative, which is a beautifully written present-day story being told from Lily's point of view. It is mainly set in London in the present day and 1950's New York. I had it read in a few days, I couldn't put it down, I loved the fashion from the 1940's onwards in America so I felt transported there whilst reading & could visualise the lovely outfits that would've been worn back then too. It was such a heart-warming, uplifting story. This story had it all from love, fashion to more sensitive and a hard-hitting issue where I found I had a little tear in my eye at the end along with shedding a few along the way, so grab this book, curl up on the couch and prepare to have a few lump in your throat moments too.
June 28, 2015
A dual timeframe story set mainly in London during the present day and in New York during the late 1950s, revolving around the designing, making and wearing of a magnificent dress, a dress which fairy tales and dreams are made of! After her grandfather dies, vintage fashion blogger Lily Fitzpatrick comes across an old photograph in 'Vogue' of a beautiful woman sharing the same surname as herself and sporting a glorious and bedazzling dress. Is she related to Lily and just what is the history behind 'the dress'?
This is an intriguing tale with some interesting characters, not all of them likeable. It is nicely written with a good storyline. It kept my interest throughout and I thought the flitting between eras was accomplished seamlessly. The fashion industry is well researched and I found this fascinating in itself. It is light hearted and entertaining, but it also covers some serious topics such as alcoholism and a marriage breakdown.
The Dress is an easy, delightful and engaging read which should appeal to those who have an interest in the creative arts, particularly vintage fashion design, and like relationship stories with a hint of glamour! I very much enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Lovereading.co.uk for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is an intriguing tale with some interesting characters, not all of them likeable. It is nicely written with a good storyline. It kept my interest throughout and I thought the flitting between eras was accomplished seamlessly. The fashion industry is well researched and I found this fascinating in itself. It is light hearted and entertaining, but it also covers some serious topics such as alcoholism and a marriage breakdown.
The Dress is an easy, delightful and engaging read which should appeal to those who have an interest in the creative arts, particularly vintage fashion design, and like relationship stories with a hint of glamour! I very much enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Lovereading.co.uk for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
January 25, 2016
There is a lot of fluff padding some story, it could easily have been a hundred pages shorter. I still haven't begun to accept hashtags and tweets and texts as an appreciable part of the written word. The narrative stumbles in the beginning and again at places in the middle. Never does it manage to capture and draw you in.
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