Sexy and Complicated

That's what Rita at Chez Cemetarian called this dress, and I agree. Wholeheartedly.

The pattern's up on eBay right now; click on the image to visit her auction.

This dress has me completely bowled over. That's one ... engrossing ... project, right there! I've seen simpler skirts on wedding dresses. In fact, this would make a pretty kick-ass wedding dress. Or I'd love to see someone wearing it at the Oscars. Heck, I'd love to see someone wearing this in their living room. I just want it to be worn!

Also, I'd never seen an "Advance Import" pattern before, but you can be sure I'll be looking for them now. This one, as you can see (and is discussed more in the listing) is from Battilocchi of Rome.

Oh, and if you check the back of the pattern (helpfully provided by Cemetarian) you can see that the width of the Incredible Skirt at the hem edge? THIRTEEN YARDS. That's five or six packages of bias binding, to put it in perspective. Thirteen yards of hem ... again: serious project.

I wish I could see just one version of this made up -- actually, I wish I could hover unseen over the shoulder of someone making this up, back in the day. I've never really been into sewing shows, but I'd make an exception to watch someone putting this together ... of course, if they were filming me they'd have to bleep a lot. Those godets! The in-seam folds! Matching all those seams!

I think I have to go lie down now, and I just got up. Thanks, Rita!

Comments

[India]

Wow, gorgeous.Last fall, Max Studio had a lot of dresses with interesting tucks and folds and so forth, but the fancies were mostly in the bodices, not the skirts--no doubt because of the massive amount of fabric required for a skirt like this.

[enc]

I really like the look of that. The seams of the bodice, following their way down to the skirt are so interesting. Also, that notch at the neckline is so pretty. It's really fantastic.

[Kristen]

exactly what you said! that is one serious project.

[Sydneys Vintage Clothing]

That pattern is FABulous! I would LOVE to see a dress like it. And the thought of owning one, better get out the credit card!

[Summerset]

WOW! I have seen Advance Imports before; they're rarer and demand a higher price; even back then the pattern cost $1.00!This would make a great series for my blog. The sewing isn't a problem, but wining the pattern would be the real trick!

[Ladygrande (Texas Marie)]

That one is a headache dress if I ever saw one - but, gorgeous!

[Latter-Day Flapper]

Oh, that skirt has potential, transcontinental hem-width or not. I can see contrasting inserts. Droooool.

[Anonymous]

Wow times a million! How are the tucks made in the inserts? Any ideas?

[Jonquil]

Cigarette? ::offers you one in candy::I wonder how you'd keep the inset pleats at the top partly open. Horsehair? Tulle? I saw in Patterns of Fashion a hem treatment I absolutely adored: there were vertical slits in the hem folded back, making large triangles with lapels, if you can visualize that, and pleated patches in a contrast color inserted underneath. I always wanted to do those in some red textury fabric (velveteen?) with crisp white pleats.

[damngoodvintage.com]

I've had this on my watch list since Rita listed it.Just amazing and those in seam folds...just wow....

[Diane]

Yikes! Even my size 6 daughter couldn't fit into a B30. Since this would be a grading nightmare I think it would easier to modify Vogue 2903. The skirt already has pleats that could be stitched down farther and adding godets would be easy enough. The tricky part is the pleat opening and that, of course, is a detail that should not be ommited. I'd love to see Somerset tackle this one in Dupioni silk perhaps?

[Mad Fashionista]

My dears, don't any of you have seamstresses? Any modish woman should have some poor half-starved old woman grateful for one's trade ready to whip this up! I confess, I have had one or two die on me, but another always turns up. That's the beauty of New York City. Sewing would destroy my manicure!

[twollin]

Erin - I may be treading on thin ice here, but I have to say that I like the purple one in the back a whole lot better than the ice blue one in the front with all the extra schtuff going on in ths skirt. All that is missing from that one is about 30 bows highlighting each and every one of those folds. Jeeze. I can see that one in the back in dupioni (yep, I do love me some dupioni) is..well, I think any color will do because all of those seams will just set everything off nicely.

[nance]

wow, those insets are intriguing. on the pattern back, under suggested notions, it says "36 yards of yarn for insets". i am wondering how those insets would stay open? the yarn must have something to do with this. anyone have a clue?

[anthrok8]

If Judi Chicago or Georgia O'Keefe designed dresses, this would feature in their collections.It's very cool!

[lindylady1]

I'm with twollin. While the godets and in-seam folds are interesting, the version without is more classically elegant. And I'd never make this in a print or you'd obscure those beautiful seam lines - not to mention that seam matching nightmare you pointed out. I'm getting a headache and eyestrain just thinking about it.

[Jonquil]

Hmm. If you got thick yarn, you could use it as cording behind the insets, running down the center of each pleat. That might give it enough volume to work. Lots of handsewing there, though.

[Anonymous]

Katie you just COMPLETELY ruined this dress for me. Ewwww!!!

[Katie Alender]

Fair enough, Anon, I'll retract. ;-)

[Anonymous]

Oh Katie - now I see it!

[La BellaDonna]

At a guess, the yarn could be used as a stay to keep the pleats open; if the yarn is shorter than the pleat, the pleat will, perforce, have to stay open - and it looks as if there is a double strand of yarn right down the center of the little dickenses - you can see where the dress pulls up at the hem, by the godets. It would be VERY easy to modify one of the Vogue Vintage patterns for this; I don't have the pattern in front of me, but I think it's one of the 1957 princess-line patterns. It would be dead easy to add godets at the hem, but for it to be an ERIN dress, I don't think it should have pleated sections - I think each one of those should be POCKETS. In colours to match the godets.

[Theresa]

I am with twolling and lindy lady -- to me it's a little over-egging the custard. My wedding dress was VintageVogue 2903 and it took the seamstress 2-1/2 hours to do the hem and it was only 7 yards of fabric.

[Jen ~ MOMSPatterns]

I'm putting it on my watch list for you, too, Rita.. let us know when you hit the Pulse!My jaw absolutely DROPPED when I first saw Rita post about this. This would be one that I'd find and never be able to sell because it would just be stood up on my desk to drool over for years. Did anyone ever find any information out about the designer? I wonder what other treats she had up HER sleeve?

[Joni]

I agree, the skirt openings look fairly obscene. I'm glad I'm not the only one whose filthy mind went there immediately. ;-)I do like the normal version though. Since this is one of those million-gored wonders, couldn't one (if one is a B30, which no one over the age of 12 actually is) do this in two colors for a striped effect? I'm thinking it would look really striking in black and ivory satin... Of course, then someone might try to play you but that's the risk you take.

[renee]

I am stunned -- just last week I was talking with my mom about a dress she made in the early 60s which was a Vogue pattern by a designer ( who I won't name because I am searching for it ). From her description it sounded exactly like THIS dress! She explained that the instructions said that when you wore it you were to 'pouf out' all of those insets. Which would give an entirely different look than what some above have eluded to. I wonder if Battilocci of Rome was 'influenced' by the Vogue pattern or vice versa...........