A Dress A Day

A dress.
Mostly every day.

March 01, 2007

A Biased Opinion


Simplicity 2230

Laura and I are in accord: this is one of the most gorgeous patterns we've ever seen.

It's at Vintage Martini, for a not-unreasonable $45.

I love the tulip sleeve, and if I were, oh, five inches taller I would be buying this and making it. Or maybe it would make me LOOK five inches taller?

Don't miss the pocket -- see, there, on the right?

If I had seen this in time I would have definitely put this in the Oscar-dress lineup. I liked Gwyneth Paltrow's dress this year fine, but this one would have been even better.

I think you could get a really interesting effect by doing the gathered parts in an ombre fabric -- it would be difficult, but really beautiful. Maybe in shades of blue, for a brunette?

In a very dull, matte black, with an updo, this would be a great dress to show off a pair of spectacular (borrowed) earrings, although I wouldn't do much more jewelry than that.

How would you make and/or style this dress?

Labels: ,

posted by Erin @ 7:20 AM  

28 Comments:

  • At Mar 1, 2007 7:54:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Well, I'm biased, too. I'm a big girl, so I'm not going to buy the pattern, but I will make a copy of it. I love, love, love the long version with the tulip sleeve, but I'm going to make the left version with the long sleeve. I was planning on a grey or dark chocolate solid...maybe a tweed or heavy flannel. With all this design detail, a solid is the only way to go. I'm going to try to eliminate the waist seam, but that's going to be playing with grain lines. We'll see if I can.

    If anyone does buy this, I'd love to ask you a ton of questions about the layout.

    Laura Anderson

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 8:13:00 AM, Anonymous lin said…

    I love that dress! Wow! A modern matte jersey would be perfect for something like this, or a slinky knit with a dull shine. Alternately, I would also make this as a summer day dress, with the petal sleeves and the day length skirt in a nice breezy rayon in a brilliant colour with a very small floral, so it doesn't interfere with the diagonal lines of the dress. But before I did anything I would find some way to lower that neckline about four inches to show a bit more skin, the way it is now looks like it would almost choke me. the lower neckline can then also show off a spectacular necklace that matches the earrings. This could also be wonderful in the evening made in silk satin or crepe with hand embroidery and beading along the diagonal lines. And one final interpretation, in a feather light chiffon in an ombre print, underlined with a contrasting colour of silk, once again with the petal sleeves. Day length for a summer garden party, full length for a summer wedding. I'm actually coming up with more ideas, but four is enough for now!

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 8:18:00 AM, Anonymous twollin said…

    OK - for a fancy evening, but definitely '40s look, I'd use heavy crepe-backed satin in something like midnight blue and I'd use the crepe side out for everything EXCEPT for the gathered drape on the top - I'd flip the fabric over and use the shiny side for that. I think forest green wouuld also be a good color, or copper brown. For something different, I'd go for a nice little bunch of flowers and put that on the left hip - very '40s (for someone tall - for someone who is short like me, I'd do the brooch on the shoulder or flowers on the shoulder thing..draw the eye up)For a day dress - with long sleeves, I'd go for a fairly light-weight wool crepe - burgundy, forest green, medium grey. With the day dress, I'd accessorize with a nice big brooch - nothing with a lot of stones in it, mind you, but a nice silver brooch that's about 2" across would be a good spotlight accessory.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 8:44:00 AM, Blogger Henriette said…

    Oh, it's absolutely beautiful, I actually quite like the brown color...but I do find the price a bit much - I actually came acros a site that sold vintage patters for 95$...THAT is too much!

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 9:06:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Oh, I agree. That neckline is way too high to be comfortable! I love the summer day dress idea....and the reverse satin idea....hmmmm

    Laura Anderson

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 9:21:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You don't have to be 5 inches taller--notice that this is a half-size pattern designed for those of us 5 foot 3 inches and under. Go for it!

    Madam Wu

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 9:24:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    How would you make and/or style this dress?

    I wouldn't. That slash/gather concept terrifies me. Plus, my wide shoulders and wide(r) hips look awful in this style of dress. *sigh*

    That said, I'm on a floral print jag at the moment, so I might make this up in a cream cotton lawn, with a tiny little daisy motif. The lines of the dress are very serious. I'd lighten the mood with a charming fabric.

    --Lydia

    --Lydia

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 9:57:00 AM, Blogger elsacapuntas said…

    This reminds me of Vintage Vogue pattern 2787, which I think would be gorgeous for spring.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 9:58:00 AM, Blogger caroline said…

    I thought I would point out for anyone that loves the style but isn't the right size for the vintage pattern that there are a couple of modern Vintage Vogue patterns in a similar style--2354 and 2787. I've been planning on doing the latter in a day fabric (maybe a nice drapey crepe if I can find it) in a grass green shade, not too bright but not too minty either.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 10:35:00 AM, Anonymous kim p. said…

    This pattern is just jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Damn, I wish I could sew! I love all the great ideas for fabrics.

    Anyway, maybe because I am really sick of winter, I also see this is in a breezy, summer-y, small-patterned fabric.

    I know this probably sounds really weird (not being a seamstress, I have no idea what this would look like) but I see it in my head with the short sleeves and length, no bow, with a more open neckline (being summer-y and all) in something like swiss dot, maybe with a matching strapless sheath underneath.

    One question: wouldn't it be hard to keep that pocket, in the fabric pictured, smooth and not ruining the lines of the dress by gaping open?

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 11:36:00 AM, Blogger Gail said…

    I don't think that is a pocket, I think she is just propping her hand on her side. That being said, it is a lovely dress as were most of the dresses of the 40's. Very feminine.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 11:40:00 AM, Blogger Summerset said…

    Not sure about color, let me think while I type, but I'd definitely look for an net or sheer embroidered/beaded/sequined fabric with a border that's more heavily embroidered. I'd placed the border at the bottom of the skirt and at the right shoulder so that there'd be a concentration of beading that grows out of the gathers. I'd make the sleeves sheer, without any underlining. Hmmm . . . how about a champagne color?

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 12:13:00 PM, Blogger Celeste said…

    As for jewelry, I would, as Erin suggests, just wear one pair of great earrings with it, or an eye-catching brooch. The necklace pictured in the version on the left doesn't go well with that neckline.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 2:58:00 PM, Anonymous Vicki Jane said…

    I have made this dress. I was working on costumes for a TV movie about Lucille Ball and it was one of the(80!!)dresses we made for it. It was made in the most divine chocolate silk jersy knit that was so fine it could be pulled through a braclet. The Actor that wore it was tall and stunning. Sadly it didnt make it to screen.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 3:34:00 PM, Blogger Joni said…

    At 11:36 AM, Gail said…

    I don't think that is a pocket, I think she is just propping her hand on her side.

    Be careful, Erin might take that as a challenge. :)

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 3:52:00 PM, Blogger Alison Cummins said…

    See also Vintage Vogue 2787:
    http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?s.item.V2787=x&TI=20006&page=2

    No pockets or tulip sleeves though.

    Vogue 2354 http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/voguepatterns/shop.cgi?s.item.V2354=x&TI=20006&page=3 has a sort of similar feel. No gathers, tulip sleeves or pockets, but it can be pieced with something glamourous and bias draping around the middle.

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 6:17:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    $45 for a vintage pattern? dear lord! That's crazy talk! (even for a dress as beautiful as that!)

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 7:58:00 PM, Anonymous Booty Vintage said…

    I have this pattern, or a very similar one, in my personal stash. I'll scan the back and post a link.

    anna

     

  • At Mar 1, 2007 8:03:00 PM, Anonymous doe said…

    That IS gorgeous. The ruched bit looks rather tricky, but still...really lovely. I'm thinking you'd want either a solid or a very small pattern.

    I also really, really want that hat.

     

  • At Mar 2, 2007 2:21:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hello,
    Will the person buying the pattern tell me if the skirt front is in one or 2 pieces?
    It is beautiful Erin thanks for sharing it.
    Carmencita

     

  • At Mar 2, 2007 9:29:00 AM, Anonymous Monique in TX said…

    I see this in a matte or dull black or midnight blue, with tiny crystal beads sprinkled among the gathers on the bodice and skirt--they'd look like the stars coming out...

    Monique

     

  • At Mar 2, 2007 1:13:00 PM, Blogger Pargolo said…

    actually, i love the neckline and the whole thing about it. I have a similar dress to the short one in brown crepe silk, gorgeous. I am tall with broad shoulders and the design makes me look like a model. I'd love to use the one on the right, the long one, as a wedding gown in ivory silk crepe - that tiny pebbled fabric. I kind of like the idea of looking elegant and simple without going strapless, and this struck me as just the thing.

     

  • At Mar 2, 2007 2:27:00 PM, Blogger iopine said…

    Wow, that is fantastically gorgeous, in both incarnations. Usually, I'm not that thrilled with the nigh necklines, but this couldn't succeed without it--the ruching is integral to the lie of the fabric. I love those "sleeve" gloves in the rust/long one, too. The waist tie is great.

     

  • At Mar 2, 2007 10:34:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Black and white--like a tuxedo; black for the gathered bits and the other parts white-ha cha cha!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2007 9:56:00 AM, Anonymous Sniper said…

    I can't sew, so we're firmly in fantasy territory here, but if I could I'd make the dress on the left almost exactly as it is. I'd use a very dark brown slinky fabric and make the neckline a little lower and change the sleeves to 3/4.

    Like I said, pure fantasy. Trying to make anything except a huge mess out of slinky fabric would drive me insane.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2007 11:55:00 AM, Blogger Neefer said…

    Check Out this dress

     

  • At Mar 8, 2007 4:22:00 PM, Blogger Fabi said…

    oh yes. this dress is encouraging me even more to continue my sewing classes. oh how lovelyyyy!! thankyou

    fashionfabi.blogspot.com

     

  • At Mar 9, 2007 9:03:00 PM, Anonymous mar said…

    lovely, elegant cut!

     

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