First, some thanks! Thanks to everyone who left a comment on the Flower Power Twinset post! It was a really fun garment to wear and I garnered quite a few compliments at work also. Second - thanks to everyone who left an opinion about the Birthday Gala Dress. Y'all had some very interesting opinions too...so let me address some of them.
1. Even though I look great in colors I really do want to wear a black dress.
2. There is no way if I want peace to reign in my relationship with my sister that I would ever, evah make a dress that looked better than hers will. It's her birthday and her day and I will honor that by wearing a really comfortable, classy black dress that does not stand out or take anything away from her.
3. Even after reading my blog, some of y'all think of my style totally differently than I do. I really am a classic personality with a lot of color and print thrown in. I don't do shiny fabrics. I don't do a lot of cleavage. I don't really do 'party' dresses either! *smile*
So what look won the day from the blogging votes? Hands down Vogue 1970. Even though it's an amazing pattern and purchased for this event in mind, I'm not using it for my dress. Originally I was going to make a longer version of the Dillards dress but after reading Vicki's comment:
"So go for one of the dresses with a lace insert. Sleeves if you want sleeves, none if you don’t. I can see a new version of your TNT here. Just look in the collection to see what you have and how much you have and then decide. How about a lace insert in the back too…."
It was the lace insert in the back comment that really got my creative juices stirred up. So I've decided to use Vogue 8666, a pattern that wasn't even in the running!
and the back view:
I chose this dress because if I deepen the front and back v's just a smidge, I can add black lace to them...because I loved the idea of lace in the front and the back of the dress - so thanks Vicki! I will use View C with the 3/4 sleeves in black lace. Already on hand, I have a black 4ply silk crepe for the body of the dress, black bemberg lining and the pattern.
All I need now is some black lace so I will head to the garment district this week (which will thankfully be quiet at work as most of the firm is traveling!) to search for the "perfect" black lace. I think I will end up with a casualfunkysexykewl but classic evening dress that will make me look pretty & curvy but won't upset my sister or my daughters! *LOL*
The dress will be comfortable to wear through the cocktail hour, the sitdown dinner and for dancing afterwards. And I'm going to do something I rarely do these days...I'm going to make a "wearable" muslin from the pattern...the dress in a short version to check and make sure that it's really the look I'm going for!
So besides the cape and "zorro-like" eye piece that I need to make for the Little Prince to wear to hand out candy on Sunday, these are my sewing plans for the rest of the weekend!
Thank you again for all of your suggestions...
...and as always, more later!
How exciting. Glad you like my suggestion :) Today DD (youngest) and I have been fabric shopping and snoop shopping for her school formal dress. We found a fabric we liked but couldn't find any shoes to match! Oh well, the search continues..
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful to get all this great feedback? You've made a great decision, particularly the loving choice to let your sister "shine."
ReplyDeleteI like that pattern and I love black lace. You are going to look great.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn it's great that you are being so thoughtful of your sister. When we got married my MIL wore a white dress, if you can believe it.
ReplyDeleteI think the dress will be great. I'd just like to add one piece of un-asked for advice (which you probably already thought about): I noticed that this pattern has a back slit. While that is fine on a knee-length dress, it's usually less so on a long one. For the long dress, I would consider making a (double) pleat instead of a slit, or even inserting a godet in the center back seam. Since you're making a wearable muslin anyway, it should be easy to experiment with that.
ReplyDeleteSince you won't need too much lace, have you been to Lacestar? I think that that's the name of the place. Lindsay has it on her blog in that series of shopping in the district. I was in one day and they have the most gorgeous lace I've ever seen. Certainly not cheap, but if you don't need much?
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a lace insert. I think that will be gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI'll be hovering to see how this goes; I love lace but have fear of using it as I have no experience whatsoever (I think when I was younger, I saw lace as something older women wore..now that I ARE one, I still don't know what to do with it. Also - could you use stretch lace for a sleeve if you were using woven fabric for the dress? I'm still trying to wrap my head around putting in a lace sleeve and I'm thinking working with a stretch lace would be easier..
ReplyDeleteGood call all around. Smart too to make sure you are comfortable. I think too often we dress up and don't look comfortable and the point is to relax and have a good time. I laughed too about the family politics - I have three sisters and do I hear you.
ReplyDeleteExcited to see how this develops.
Love your choice for the dress. But, I think the only way you won't out do your sister is to make a dress for her too! :) ~Valerie
ReplyDeleteWay to be your own person... something you have no problem doing! Your dress will be lovely I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteAll in all your sister will be happy too... hope that her birthday is a great one!
That's a great pattern. I'll look forward to seeing the finished dress.
ReplyDeleteLove this pattern. It sounds like it will be a beautiful dress.
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