Katie May is the Los Angeles label that began with one open-back wedding gown and grew into bridesmaid and evening dresses. I love a dress with a good back, so this edit is my favorite gowns from the line.
Katie May Gowns: Which Dresses Are Worth It?
A backless dress made the brand
Before there was a label, there was one wedding gown. In early 2012 Katie May Neu designed an open-back dress for her younger sister, Kristine, then posted a picture of it on her style blog, and the response gave the idea a life of its own. I love that the founding story starts with a real person and a real fitting, not a mood board. The brand's own history traces that first gown, Princeville, into a business that grew from bridal into bridesmaids and special occasion dressing. I went deeper on a related idea in A.L.C. Dresses: Is the Sabine Gown Worth It?.
What kept my attention is that the romance has a practical side. Neu returned to eveningwear after the pandemic pause, when she spent a stretch making masks in Los Angeles, and she cares about domestic production and quality. That feels right for a label known for open backs and close attention to fit: sensual clothes that do not ask you to forget how a dress is made.
In my fashion dreams, she is leaving a small Los Angeles ceremony for a dinner that starts after sunset, with an open back that needs no other decoration.
Dresses with a point of view
The Baby Cakes Gown is the one I would picture first, a long black floral chiffon with a ruffle that spills down the slit. Surreal Dress and Surreal Gown are the pair for anyone who loves a draped back, and the Valerie Dress is the short ivory party dress for a night that does not need a train. Arriving at a summer celebration in the Baby Cakes Gown, hair up so the neckline and slit read cleanly, is my version of an entrance.
The Drea Dress, Ariana Gown, Taylor Gown and Ursula Gown are the longer, more formal turn, and I would let each of them be the only dramatic thing in the room. Then Legs For Days Gown, Obey Gown and Nina Gown make the cheekier case, and I love that the names have a sense of humor.
What I would skip: any strapless or open-back dress before you have decided what goes underneath it. Katie May is a fit label, so I would sort out support first and the color second.
The back is part of the entrance
Some labels dress a bride for tradition. Katie May made room for the woman who wants the back of the dress to be part of the entrance. I would start with the plan for the evening and how much structure I want, then narrow it to one neckline and one length. The right dress should let you stop fussing with it and enjoy the night, although I suspect I would still turn around at the door to check. If you want to keep reading, With Harper Lu Dresses: Gowns and Minis Worth Knowing is a good next stop.
