Prom Dress (Finally!)

Oh my goodness. Well, here we are approaching 2 months since Prom happened. Yikes.

In my defense, I managed to lock myself out of most of my sewing accounts by accident and only just got back in today ... but still. No more excuses! Time to actually give this blog the attention it deserves!

When we last left off on the saga of the Prom dress, I'd completely changed my direction. Unsurprisingly, the finished dress wasn't anything like the second plan either, but really, what's a sewing project without a few last minute design overhauls?

As I described in my last post, the original plan was to make a silver dress with dark blue ribbon embroidery, but when the fabric arrived it was just too gorgeous to embroider over.

I'd worried that a solid colored dress would be too plain, but the stunning sheen of the silk dupioni was more than enough on its own. I think that anything over top of it would have looked tacky.

The design stayed mostly the same - strapless bodice, circle skirt. The bodice has three layers - dark blue cotton lining and canvas which were stitched together and boned like a corset and then the silk over that.

The skirt is also lined with cotton and the hem is supported by about ten yards(!) of horsehair braid.

The actual construction was pretty uneventful; surprisingly enough, this might be one of the simplest dresses I've ever made (mostly because there were no sleeves involved! Praise be!)

The biggest hiccough was really just getting the bodice to fit right. As anyone who's ever worn a strapless dress knows, there's really no room for error here! After multiple mock-ups I was running out of time to experiment finally ready to begin with the silk.

A nice mid-process mirror selfie ...

I'm still not super thrilled with the fit over the bust - if I'd had more time I would have drafted my own custom-fit pattern rather than eyeballing some reductions to the commercial pattern (I think I read somewhere that the average commercial pattern is drafted for a B cup and that was definitely the case here - I just didn't have the bust to fill it out!)

And another one ...

That's really a minor grip though. I'm in love with how the back of the bodice turned out:

(Look at that zipper! Look at it! Admittedly it's kind of gross inside but look how pretty it is outside!!! Hand sewing it really made all the difference!)

My mom and I tried to recreate this photo from last year ...
of course it looked a lot better as a candid than when we tried to pose it!

I'm also really, really, really in love with the drape of this silk. It's so effortlessly elegant - like a waterfall or a sheet of ice flowing down around me.

(Even if it didn't feel like ice - my high school makes everyone wait in the unairconditioned gym before the Promenade and wow did this skirt trap the heat!!)

Overall I'm super pleased with how this dress turned out - I got a lot of compliments on it, and people were so surprised that I'd made it myself. All evening I felt elegant and refined; almost like I could be one of the ladies in this picture:

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I'd hoped to blog more about the construction process for this gown, but it all came together in such a blur that I forgot to take many progress pictures! Besides, two months later I don't much feel like playing catch up - time to move on to new and exciting projects!

(Oh, and here's a bonus picture of me and the ladies in the photobooth - I think the mustache really completes the look!)

~ Emma

Prom 180

So ... guess who totally changed her mind on the prom dress design ...

Well, not entirely. I still like the pattern and the shape that I have picked. Those are staying. But the color scheme and design are out the window.

I thought I had a plan - I'd even picked out my two fabric shades (strawberry and rhubarb, funny enough ... anyone else craving pie now?). I was dragging my feet about ordering, though, and I realized that something just didn't seem right.

Prom has turned into a bit of a mess this year (shocking, right?) and what with all the drama and discomfort I found that I was nowhere close to glowy, happy, pink - this mess calls for confidence, sophistication, timeless elegance, and I know that for me, that means blue.

(Yeah, I know I put way too much thought into color associations - but a dress is all about the feeling, right? and this is what feels right).

The actual design came to me in a dream.*

*Actually, it popped into my mind as I was drifting off to sleep, but we'll call it a dream because that sounds so much more dramatic.

I'm not 100% sure, but basically I want a sort of bluish grey - something of a slate or pewter, maybe, but with more of a bluish tint - for the base, which will be the same sweetheart neckline, circle skirt pattern as before. Then, the whole bodice will be decorated in swirling vines of dark blue ribbon embroidery that twist down in tendrils along the skirt.

Kind of like this, I guess:

I'm still figuring out exact colors (I've ordered 10 more silk swatches, bringing the grand total to 25. I'm not crazy, I promise - just particular). I'm not sure if I want to go for more of an indigo or navy for the ribbon or maybe a dark aquamarine? Hmm, things to be decided ...

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I've never actually done ribbon embroidery before (and I have a pretty hideous track record with regular embroidery), but it doesn't look too too hard. (And I figure that imprecise, monochromatic twisting vines leave a lot of room for error). I'm sure this is going to be miserably time-consuming, but hey, what's life without a few poorly planned, last-minute, overly-complicated sewing endeavors?

I'm having trouble finding any reference images that match up with what I have in mind - most ribbon embroidery tends to look low-key old-lady-ish.

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It's pretty, sure, but it would also go perfectly with a cat.

I feel like I know what I'm doing though, so a lack of reference and/or previous successes isn't that problematic (... she tells herself while trying not to panic).

Long story short, I don't exactly know what I'm doing here - but I'm going to take a leap of faith, because this excites me, and my other design just wasn't exciting anymore. I can't quite say what the dress will be like in the end, but I'm hoping that it captures what I love about some of my all time favorite dresses:

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This is probably my all time favorite dress ever. It makes me sad that I don't know that much about it (and I don't even know how to begin to go about making it - I don't have the draping skills or the budget for the fabric!). For years I've looked at this dress as the absolute standard of elegance, so I'm hoping to capture at least a bit of its beauty.

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No list of my favorite dresses would be complete without the infamous House of Worth dress - this isn't really what I'm going for, but the swirling patterns are definitely an influence.

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Found this dress on Pinterest the other day ... it's a little closer to what I'm imagining for the embroidery, but monochromatic and a little more emphasis on the vines rather than the flowers, if that makes sense. It's a really great example of how classy embroidery can be, though - this is not old-lady-ish at all.

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Next dress on the list is Rory Gilmore's Life and Death Brigade Dress. While I find myself cringing more often than not at Rory's early 2000s fashion sense, I have to say that this dress is stunning.

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This is a Pinterest find, and I haven't been able to find much about it, but I love this color and the shape - plus, is that a subtle brocade I see on the fabric? To die for.

Well, that's all I know for now. Time to look at swatches and choose some colors ... oh, and mocking up the bodice. And sewing the dress. Three weeks, here we go ... 

~ Emma

Adventures in 5th Grade Musical Costumes

Well, it's been almost a month since I actually finished these costumes and I'm only just now getting around to blogging ... in my defense, I've spent the past month deciding on my college, studying for AP exams and taking finals, so it's been a bit crazy around here.

Also, by the time I was done with these I didn't want to even think about them - all I wanted to do was sleep! :)

Last month our local elementary school performed The Emperor's New Clothes for their annual musical, and I was asked to make a couple of the costumes. Like most elementary schools, I'd imagine, ours has a stock of old prom dresses and other thrifted costumes that our frankensteined to fit whatever each year's show calls for (for example, this year featured lots of "townspeople" in old maxi skirts). I was asked to make costumes for the Minister of Style and the Minister of Fashion, who ought to look a little bit fancier than the average townspeople. The school already had two (very ... interesting) skirts that they wanted to use, so all I had to make were two shirts. Oh, and I had a budget of $80 (!!!!).

Sounds easy, right?

Since the skirts were pretty shapeless and had nasty elastic waistbands, I decided on a simple peplum top for the girls. I figured that the Minister of Style ought to be a bit more old-fashioned and formal, and the Minister of Fashion would be more avant-garde.

The best part of these costumes was definitely the material - have I mentioned how much I love love love having a budget?? It's so great to get to buy all the nice fabric and trims that I want and not worry about cutting corners. While I initially balked at the idea of $80 for two shirts (I'm a $30 dress sort of girl), I ended up spending every penny and I think it really payed off.

The white fabric that I used for the base of both shirts was an absolute dream to work with - easy to cut, easy to press, with a beautiful drape and feel. I'd never met a poly-blend that I liked, but this one was a-MA-zing.

I used Simplicity 1334 for the pattern - no complaints there, it was straightforward and came together nicely.

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This was my first ever try at using a print out pattern though, and I must say that I probably wouldn't do it again. Sure, it worked out fine in the end, but it took way too much time (and ink) to justify the "ease" of printing at home.

It also never helps to have a cat getting in the way.

I used the sparkly net as an overlay for the bodices, which worked really nicely.

I'm not sure what to make of this fabric - it's really very pretty, but definitely one of the stranger fabrics I've used. I'm not sure that I would want to work with it on its own, but after basting it to the white backing it was easy to work with.

The only real modifications I made to the pattern were in the collars and the sleeves, because I wanted them to have a unique look. All of these parts were self-drafted without much of a real plan. For the red one I added a sort of mock yoke which was edged with a fabulous beaded trim:

This is the sort of trim that I'd never buy for myself ($7.00 a yard for beads? beads???) but I think it adds just the right touch of extra frippery! (It was also a royal pain to sew ... I used my zipper foot because I couldn't think of anything better but even that wasn't ideal ...)

I had also hoped to add some pink sequins in swirling patterns, but seeing as I finished the shirts at 2 AM the morning of the dress rehearsal that wasn't really an option ... :)

For the Minister of Fashion I wanted to do something more artsy and edgy. I got some great gold studs to decorate with (these were surprisingly easy to work with - though I don't feel confident in their lasting ability to hold onto the fabric. It would be interesting to test with a garment that's going to get more wear and tear).

I didn't really know what I wanted for the collar, and I'm not all that happy with how it ended up ... I had hoped for something that would stand out more - maybe even literally - but the gold fabric was slippy and didn't have much body, so my options were limited. Also, the whole 2 AM thing.

For the gold sleeves I just added tubes of gold and trimmed them with studs:

The red sleeves were a little more complicated, and involved gathering long rectangles of fabric and hand sewing them into a cuff. All things considered they were pretty simple, but I think they have a great impact all the same:

Ugh! So much fraying! This fabric was pretty but a real pain to use.

The other exciting feature of this project was it was my first time making homemade bias tape!

It was a little scary, and I'm not sure that this fabric was really ideal (remember what I said about it being slippy? I chose it more for looks than functionality, and believe me, I was cursing myself come 1 AM when it just wasn't doing as it was told!)

All things considered, the bias tape actually worked really well, and I think it added just the right touch. (Also, how else are you supposed to finish a curved hem?? Seriously, I have no idea.)

The costumes only got worn three times - dress rehearsal and two 30 minute shows. Sometimes I wonder why I put so much effort in when something simple and easy would probably have exactly the same effect - but, you know, so is the life of a seamstress.

Top stitching on all the seams ... so pretty, so satisfying, so time consuming

I also have a weakness for French seams, especially
when inserting sleeves ... these details make me so
happy, but they take so much time ... 

I actually really enjoyed working on these costumes, minus the whole time cramp thing; I really wish I'd had the time to do them justice - I think a few more little details (sequins?) would have just put them over the top.

This whole idea of detail work is becoming a bit of resolution I have for myself as a seamstress. I love details - they're what I notice right away when I'm analyzing a garment. I love all the little extras that go into a garment - things that aren't necessarily impressive on their own, but that taken altogether elevate the costume to something amazing. I also really enjoy doing detailed work - little fiddly hand sewing is just plain fun. Unfortunately, I always seem to find myself under a time crunch, so these little extras tend to get classified as "nice, but not necessary" and booted out in favor of things like zippers and, you know, sleeves.

Ah well. I'm still pleased with how these costumes turned out, and the kids did such a great job in the play. I've seen a lot of elementary school shows in my day, and this was one of the best. So to end, here's just a few adorable "in action" shots from the school website:

And backstage after the show:

(Oh, and an obligatory pic of the small child looking adorable in her homemade flower crown - she killed it as a narrator!)

Till next time,

~ Emma

Prom [Pin]spiration

There are several next steps on this prom dress endeavor: now that my patterns have arrived, I'm planning to mock-up the bodice (maybe even make a wearable muslin? Idk, it's hard to think of a cute spring dress when it's 30 degrees outside ...). I also need to actually choose and order my silk ... but that's an agonizing decision for another day! For now, it's time to have fun - with Pinterest!

Confession time - I have a slight Pinterest problem. Last time I checked, I'd pinned over 2,000 images ... and about 1,000 of them are on one generic board called "Gorgeousness". Basically, I need a better way of organizing all of the beautiful dresses and old clothing images that I find, because scrolling through 1,000 pins to find that one dress that you saw once and really loved but don't quite remember is a real pain. 

I have, however, been a bit better about organizing pins for specific projects. My board for last year's prom dress was full of pretty blue 50s dresses, but my board for this year has been a little more nebulous because, like I said, I didn't really know what I wanted for a while (and, if we're being totally honest, I'm still not sure even now).

I have, however, been pinning the dresses that caught my eye, so I figured today I'd share a few of my favorites and what I like and dislike about each - because really, what's better than looking at lots of pretty dresses?*

*Nothing. The answer is nothing. Except maybe chocolate.

1.

Okay, first one up is this adorable 1950s dress. Like a lot of great vintage dresses, there isn't anything super eye-catching at first - it's the little details that really make this dress stand out. I just love the ruching and clever seamlines of the bodice - they turn an otherwise simple bodice design into something subtly stunning. Also, love the neckline and sleeves - they kind of remind me of my prom dress last year. Oh, and the color is just gorgeous - like a perfect pink peony!

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Ooh, and can we take a moment to appreciate the floaty overlay on the skirt? I can just imagine this dress twirling and flouncing around at a party or on the dance floor. In fact, now that I think about it, it reminds me of one of my all-time favorite film costumes - this gorgeous number from White Christmas:

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Every time I watch White Christmas I fall in love with this dress, not to mention the dance number. Someone remind me why we don't dance like this anymore ...?

2.

Moving on to another Pinterest find, this one is a bit like the full-length version of the one above. I do think this is a very pretty dress (even though the bodice isn't as charmingly detailed as the above), but for my purposes it's a little more of a what-not-to-do - I'm really not in love with how the sheer overlay works on a long dress, and since length was one of my 4 nonnegotiables, as much as I enjoy the idea of floaty flounciness, I don't think this is the direction to take.

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3.

Okay, so, I'll be the first to admit that this next dress looks a little early 2000s Barbie at the Prom at first - but trust me, it's worth a second glance. Sure, the rhinestones are a bit tacky and the neckline is weird and the skirt needs a good steam, but you must admit that the color is stunning. I don't think I have the guts (or complexion) to go full-on fuschia, but it's pretty to look at all the same.

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The other thing that I just love about this dress is the drape of the skirt - isn't it just so perfect? (Or, at least, it would be sans-wrinkles). Looking closely at the waist seam, it doesn't look like pleats - I may be wrong, but I'm really tempted to say that it's a circle skirt ... here's hoping! 😊

4.

This next one is closer to the first two, with its 50s shape and flouncy skirt and pretty peony color. This is another great example of how subtle details can really make a dress stand out - just look at that lace overlay, with the beautiful center chevron. For a while I toyed with the idea of lace on my dress, but I couldn't figure out a way to do it that wouldn't be either majorly expensive or super tacky ... ah well, that dream will just have to wait!

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5.

Taking a break from our pretty pinks, this classy red number is absolutely stunning. The color is beautiful and bold - it reminds me of garnet, or maybe even blood. I bet it would be just incredible on someone with dark hair and sharp features (Scarlett O'Hara, maybe? 😄), but I think I'd get overshadowed!

I'm also just in love with this dress from a structural standpoint - from the perfect neckline to the elegant bow to the flawless silhouette, this dress is the definition of sharp. I really wish I could find a back view to see what was up with that cool overskirt. Is it a separate piece? I think so - at least, you can see corners along the hem. It's a great cross between the two iconic skirt types of the 50s, pencil and full, while still bringing a glamour distinctly its own. When I was first brainstorming I looked at a few vintage patterns with skirts like this, and briefly considered the idea, but that might be a little bit too out there for QVHS!

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6.

This next-to-last dress made an appearance in my last post, because I'm giving it credit for my chosen color scheme. These two shades aren't my exact favorite, but I love the idea of a blushing pink paired with a deep burgundy or merlot. The pink lightens the burgundy, the burgundy tempers the pink - it's a perfect balance between glowing youth and elegant sophistication. To be honest, the whole idea of shades and color families has always really intrigued me (maybe because my closet is exclusively shades of blue?). Almost like the subtle details I pointed out above, using two close colors provides just enough contrast to be interesting without being obnoxious. It's really very classy. 😊

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(While we're still on this dress, I'd also like to point out the bold pairing of what I think are silk and velvet - I wouldn't have gone for it, but actually seeing it, I think it works surprisingly well!)

7.

Our last dress for today breaks the trend of pink - but it makes the cut because it's one of my all-time favorites, regardless of color. Sure, there's nothing wrong with an elegant champagne, but when it comes to ranking as a favorite, this one's all about the silhouette. From the smooth sweetheart bodice to the gathered straps that somehow magically lie flat, the perfectly draped skirt to the clever sash that gives the illusion of an even thinner waist, this dress is, in my book, structural perfection.

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Sure, it's not exactly what I'm going for with my prom look - I'm not sure if I'm really ready to rock the sash quite yet! - but it's been a major influence on the shape I'm trying to emulate. If my prom dress ends up even half as effortlessly stately and elegant as this gown, I'll be happy!

~ Emma