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Not the real Milanese panther of course which I understand is a very rare animal...I bought this fabric in Milan during our trip there two years ago. I realised after making up my caramel suede from Denmark that, well *blush* all of the fabric I bought on our Paris/Italy trip was still sitting in my stash virtually untouched. It's a bad habit of mine, buying precious fabrics and then finding myself completely unable to cut into them. Fear of destroying them, you know. Fortunately this beautiful fabric has been successfully not-destroyed ....I don't know whether to call it velvet or fur, it's not really like one or the other but a kind of hybrid of both. Thicker and more directionally "brushed" than velvet, and lighter than most furs. The pile is deep midnight black over a brilliant, almost neon, rusty-orange backing that reveals itself in the folds of the dress and in motion as sort of inner fiery glow, like the embers of a dying fire.please excuse that a vampire appears to be wearing the dress here but instead note the interesting inner glow and the luxurious velvet-y furry pile of the fabric, as mentioned above..
The pattern is Vogue 1220; and the design is, in short, lovely. In not-short; it achieves the trifecta of interesting and feminine and figure flattering; the neckline is pleated into a softly draped shawl collar with a slightly retro feel in its volume, the wide belt cinches the softly blowsy cocoon shape into a tiny waist, and a pegged hemline accentuates the hourglass effect further. I wasn't keen on that tie belt at first, especially the way it's been tied like a big juvenile birthday-bow in the middle of the model's tummy on the pattern envelope; but the dress does look nicer with the extra waist definition that a wide belt gives and I like it wrapped around twice and with the ties hanging down at the back like this. The tie belt is supposed to be unlined and simply finished with a narrow hem, meaning the wrong side of the fabric is exposed. And the bright rusty-orange reverse of my fabric would have shown in a very distracting and very not-good way! So I underlined the belt using a very thin, slippery black poly-crepe from Fabulous Fabrics. Also I like my winter-y skirts to be lined, so I improvised a lining for the skirt portion of the dress, using the same poly-crepe. It is cut the same as the skirt parts of the pattern pieces, the pleats and darts simply folded in position and the top edge sewed right sides together to the back skirt/ back seam. The skirt lining fronts have the raw edges turned under and are hand stitched invisibly to the dress front, and the raw edges of the lining at the side edges and lower edge are encased within the folded back front facings and the hem facing pieces. I hemmed the skirt facings by hand, to the skirt lining.The pocket linings are cut from the same poly-crepe; and due to my improvised lining the pockets are nicely hidden away between the layers of the skirt and lining, as seen above. Or not seen, I guess...The sleeve cuffs are supposed to be folded out so the wrong side of the fabric shows on the outside too; instead I sewed them in a deep inside hem, which I turned back outside on itself and hand-stitched invisibly in position to the sleeve about 0.5cm inside the edge of the cuff.How is it to wear? Well... first outing, I wore it out to dinner and found that when seated a little more inner/upper thigh is revealed than I am comfortable with! And also that attractive pegged hemline does make the skirt rather tight around the thighs, which, if you want, can be easily and quickly remedied by some discreet bottom-button undoing. Leading however, to even more revealing. Thank goodness for tablecloths and the ginormous linenware that restaurants drape across your lap! Anyhoo, I rapidly formed the opinion that a separate petticoat or slip is pretty much an essential accessory for this design.So: upon getting home I dug out of my wardrobe an old black satin and lace petticoat that I made about seven? eight? even more? years ago using NewLook 6035; I've re-hemmed it to the requisite length and will wear this underneath. I'm actually super happy about this, to be honest it's actually an absolutely brilliant turn of events ... why? because I pretty much haven't worn this black petticoat for years. Years! But I've hung onto it, thinking surely! it'll come in handy again, someday! And now it has! Finally! Woooooot!Just to give some perspective to the issue: seated, with petticoat... see wot I mean? Essential!!
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Details:Dress; Vogue 1220, black/orange brushed velvetPetticoat; NewLook 6035, black satin and lace, first seen hereShoes; Zomp, from Zomp shoes
no real reason for this picture other than that the sun broke through the clouds and I just liked it :)
Not the real Milanese panther of course which I understand is a very rare animal...
