Meet the dress: British wool, Yorkshire-woven cloth and an Ilkley tailor
If I’m going to wear the same dress for 90 days, it deserves a proper introduction!
The dress at the heart of my 90-Day Wool Habit is a sleeveless navy herringbone shift, made with British wool and brought to life by three Yorkshire businesses: Laxtons, Marton Mills and Norton & Townsend.
It will be coming with me through work, dog walks, family life and evenings out, from October into December. But before we see how it gets on, I want to introduce the people and skills behind it.
It starts with the sheep: Laxtons’ Sheepsoft yarn
The wool in my dress began its journey as Sheepsoft yarn from Laxtons, based in Baildon, West Yorkshire.
Sheepsoft is made from 100% British wool, combining Bluefaced Leicester for softness with Masham for durability. That combination feels particularly fitting for a garment about to be worn every day for three months!
Laxtons describes Sheepsoft’s journey from fleece to finished yarn as taking place within less than 50 miles, with full traceability and UK manufacturing. It’s a lovely example of the potential we have here: British fleece, British skills and a yarn made with everyday use in mind.
For anyone who assumes British wool must be coarse or scratchy, this is a good place to start looking again.
From yarn to cloth: Marton Mills
Next came Marton Mills, who wove the yarn into the navy herringbone cloth used for my dress.
Marton Mills has been weaving in West Yorkshire since 1931, with its mill in Otley. Having this part of the dress’s story so close to home makes it especially meaningful to me.
The herringbone gives the fabric texture and interest, while the navy provides a versatile starting point for the different looks I’ll be trying throughout the challenge. You’ll see the cloth clearly in some outfits; in others, it will sit beneath shirts, knitwear, scarves and coats.
Every one of those looks begins with the same woven fabric.
From cloth to dress: Norton & Townsend
The final transformation happened with Victoria at Norton & Townsend Tailors in Ilkley, who turned the cloth into my finished dress.
The brief was quite a challenge in itself: a dress that could work for ordinary days and special occasions, with enough flexibility to style differently as the weather changes.
The result is a simple sleeveless shift that finishes above the knee. It leaves plenty of room for layering and accessories, while allowing the wool cloth to take centre stage.
There’s also a little detail hidden inside: a sheep-print lining. It makes me smile every time I see it! The lining is synthetic, so when I talk about the dress’s 100% British wool, I’m referring to the outer cloth.
A dress with a story to tell
Through Little Beau Sheep, I spend a lot of time talking about the value of British wool. This dress gives me a very practical way to take that conversation further.
Behind it are farmers, yarn makers, weavers and tailoring skills. Wearing it repeatedly is a chance to celebrate their work and explore what happens when we make better use of a well-made garment.
Over the next 90 days, I’ll share how it wears, how I care for it and how many ways I can style it. There will be plenty of ordinary days alongside the dressed-up ones, because that’s where the most useful lessons will be.
A huge thank you to Laxtons, Marton Mills and Norton & Townsend for helping bring the dress to life.
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