High street dress

Hello there peeps, I have a special treat for you today, my take on a high street dress.  Occasionally I will browse the shops with a view to buying something to wear but mainly to get inspiration.   Little did I know at the time, that my new favourite thing (scuba fabric) is hitting the shops in dress form and is trending at the moment?! I toyed with the idea of buying the one I had seen (for about 5 minutes) whilst at the same time franticly running through all my patterns in my head before I made the decision to leave the shop empty handed.

The pattern I had in mind was, Simplicity 1873. However, I was slightly conscious that the pattern might be a bit on the young side for me and needed the ideal fabric to turn it into to something a little more appropriate. I headed straight to Abakhan Fabrics in Manchester to make my purchase.

So, the scene was set, I decided to make option B – as the cooler weather is drawing in, I didn’t want to wait until next summer before I could wear it, so the high neckline was a top priority (and it also looked like the one in the shop). Next up, the sizing. Scuba dresses are renowned for being a little on the snug side shall we say, so I decided to make a smaller size than I would normally.  Finally, my alteration, I decided not to line the bodice as the pattern suggests, so I made my own neck and armhole facings.

Pleats

The construction consisted of pleats, darts, pleats, facings, pleats, concealed zip and…..oh yes I almost forgot, pleats.  I have to admit I didn’t follow the pattern to the letter to make the dress, I have made so many now, I can almost do it with my eyes shut.  I tend to make it up as I go along and put it all together in my own order.  I pulled the pleats together and attached the side skirt panels before I started the bodice and facings (I was really pleased they worked, my first time making them was a success! Where will it all end I ask myself?)

Not much else left to say, concealed zip, matching seams, hem, pleats (only joking I was just dreaming about them at this point).  The dress, is a dream to wear, the drape of the scuba fabric works really well and the weight makes it easily wearable at this time of year, I have already partied in it.