So a few months ago I made this dress and went back to work before I could blog it. I wear it all the time and pretty much love it BUT I have to say my memory of its construction is rather hazy at this point.
I do know that I used my trusty McCall's 6070 for the bodice but did a (1"?) FBA to make room for a nursing mama's bust. Fabric is ITY jersey from -- where else? -- Spandex House.
The skirt was sloppily adapted from a random midi-length Simplicity dress I got free in a pattern swap — and I realized after sewing I could not actually walk easily, so ripped the seam back to make an improvised walking slit. (I folded the seam allowances to the side, ironed them down with fusible webbing, and sewed them too for good measure).
I needed the neckline to hold up to repeated nursing, so I bound the surplice edges with foldover elastic — it totally works.
I really agonized over the hemline. I tried searching for maxi dress hemline advice (having never made anything non knee-length before) but found all these goofy articles advising me to let the dress drag on the ground or to wear it with high heels to "elongate" the figure, because it is apparently a woman's duty to always look as thin and tall as she can possibly manage even if she has to tear her dress and cover it in dog leavings in the process. Definitely neither safe nor practical for my lifestyle (on New York City streets? while carrying a baby?) so I hemmed to wear with my favorite flats.
In other news, no idea why my daughter decided she had to throw a dress OVER her rashguard, but whatever.
I also made a lot of hats and other odds and ends I have yet to post... but for now I will leave you with this photo of me and baby D at a free outdoor summer concert (I made the hat, too, but that's for another post).
P.S. This is still early but it is possible we might be moving very soon. Which may mean a sudden onslaught of sewing... curtains. And pillow covers. I'm sure you can't wait!
Lovely dress, it looks perfect for summer! And I usually just hem long skirts and dresses to whatever length works with the shoes I'm most likely to wear it with.
ReplyDeleteI love this dress! You look goddesslike in your fabulous maxidress! And haha, I'm with you on the length. Why is the "right" length something stupid and impractical that requires wearing heels? Gimme a break! The older I get, the more annoyed I am with high heels, or even low heels for that matter. They are BAD for you! Special occasions only in my world.
ReplyDeleteMoving? Interesting!
The back is stunning--what a gorgeous design! And the slit really makes this dress so elegant. Nice work! I often wonder if the same advice about hemlines is not unlike similar advice on hemming curtains. Would you want a hem that pools on the floor, or just touches it or is a healthy distance above, but still long enough to be full length? The answer is yes, perhaps. I'd have hemmed for flats too. My boots have slight heels, but other than that, it's flats all year. How did our grandmothers do everything in heels? Ouch.
ReplyDeleteYou look gorgeous in that color! I love that vibrant pink. Love the neckline, too.
ReplyDeleteLovely dress. I didn't even notice your daughter's rash guard, I was too busy smiling at her posing for the camera :D
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks everyone! :)
ReplyDeleteSO behind on my blog reading...but I love this on you! Maxi dresses are my absolute favorite for looking glam while being comfortable, and now that I've got SHB I've realized that the long skirt also doubles as extra napkins :P
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to try that FOE on the neckline sometime!
This is beautiful! I love this color on you!
ReplyDelete