Terrible post title, I know. Every now and then, inspiration strikes and a fabulous
ly perfect Word that describes my new “thing” to a T springs to mind instantly. Other times I just plump for the obvious. Today, inspiration was like a wispy breathe of smoke in a dark shadows in the night. Barely present, fleeting and rapidly lost amongst the dusty cobwebs in ye olde brain.
But, enough of that… wot abart the dress eh??
Pattern; Vogue 1351; bought aaaaaaaages ago. With the intention of making it up immediately, funnily enough! but more on that later…
Fabric; a slightly stretchy crepe from Fabulous Fabrics. Also bought aaaaaaaages ago with the intention of making it up immediately, sigh. The aqua and indigo, sorta-floral/sorta-galaxy border print runs along one selvedge of the fabric, so to retain that I cut out the pieces across the grain, rather than on the bias as recommended in the pattern. I just love the colours in this fabric… but! I know pink doesn’t suit me, in fact I’m already anticipating that my Mum will have A Few Words to Say just as soon as she sets eyes on me in this sick-making, blemish-enhancing shade of pink. What can I say? I agree, but sometimes I just can’t help myself, I just LOOOOOOVVVEEE pink and navy together, and like a lemming I occasionally toss myself over that cliff. It’s one of my favourite colour combinations, with a lovely and natural yin/yang balance. Frivolous and girly; pitched against sombre and slightly masculine. Like a perfect summer sunrise over the ocean. It speaks to me.
Anyway, no doubt drawn to that; at some point about mumblemumble years ago I spotted it, oohed and aahed, and naughtily bought some. And cut out the pieces for Vogue 1351 that I’d recently bought in a club bmv sale. Honestly, I barely remember doing any of these things, but obviously I did and it’s been folded up and tucked neatly away in my fabric cupboard ever since. Then about a week ago I “found” it, and just set to, whipped it up. Whipped it, I say! Kt-chaaaaaaaaa! … that’s a whip-cracking sound effect there by the way, just in case it’s not immediately obvious, hehe.
Alterations; downsized the bodice. Hey, it’s Vogue, and something of this kind is an always-requirement for me in Vogue. Their patterns are designed for a more busty lady than I; but you know, I still want to use their patterns! Often I handle this by shaving something off princess seam curves, or doing some other variation of small bust adjustment. In this case, the bodice is one-piece with that draped neckline being the only feature, actually it’s the only feature of the whole dress…! So to avoid having to diddle around with that and possibly lose something essential to the neckline, the easiest thing to do is simply downsize.
I lined my dress fully with pale pink, polyacetate lining fabric, also from Fabulous Fabrics. The design of the lining is quite clever, the way it’s a little fitted around the décolletage and with a nice smooth joining seams still allows the drape to spill out over the top. It’s impossible for the lining to flip up or peek out in any way. Very clever. I love Donna Karan’s aesthetic, and am quite sad that we will no longer see her designs for Vogue patterns. She really knows how to flatter a woman.
Also! can I just say with regards to the Autumns in Pink = Verboten thing… see below how I’ve deviously dealt with that problem, by wearing it with my teal cardigan. Whammo! instantly counteracting and negating the death-warmed-up effect. I think the pink actually looks quite OK on me like this. WIN!!
Details:
Dress; Vogue 1351, printed crepe
Cardigan; Audrey in Unst, knitted by me, all details here
Wedge sandals, made by me, all details here
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