This dress was completed back in September of 2010, but I
just got around to wearing it. Why? Because the original design just did not work
for me. The fit is made for a slim
hipped woman with broad shoulders and a large bust. That is NOT me!
This is one of those patterns
that is difficult to fit without finishing the dress which can make things complicated. And sometimes I do not want to bother with a muslin.
Just for fun (and looking for something suitable for the
heat), I pulled this out of the closet.
And yep, it still did not work for me.
But my stubborn streak was rearing its ugly head, so I kept messing
around with the dress.
With a little bit of inspiration from the runway version
(which seems to have a set in sleeve rather than a slight cap?), I pulled the neckline
off my shoulders. This actually took
care of the gaping that was occurring from the oversized neckline, but as
designed, was not wide enough to remain in that position.
The solution was unexpected and a complete fluke. Trying the dress on for the second time, I managed to leave a few inches of the zip undone which made it easy to pull the
sleeves off of my shoulders. When I
turned around to see what was going on, one side was tucked in,
which created a nice back line. The
excess that was tucked inside seemed to be staying put, so I tried matching the look on
the opposite side.
The other issue I had with the fit was that the waist was
kinda-sorta fitted, but not enough to be flattering. When in doubt, add a ribbon belt! I have been using this trick for years with
quite a bit of success, as evidenced by the boxes full of lengths of satin and
grograin ribbon on top of my bureau.
The textured cotton was purchased specifically for this pattern. When JoAnns is having a pattern sale, I like to wander around the store with my picks in hand. This bottom weight jumped out at me, and once I knew that it was free of synthetics, I could not resist.
A rayon lining makes this a very comfortable garment for the
stifling heat that the Bay Area has been experiencing.
To keep this one on the hanger, I added some ribbon hangers. And, of course, there is a little seam binding to be found on the hem.
After years of frustration with this failed project mocking
me from the closet, I got the last laugh!
Dress: Made by me,
Vogue 1117
Necklace: Banana
Republic
Shoes: Colin Stuart
