Yesterday was our Great Basin Costume Society's "Fancy Fillies Derby Day Tea," where bunches of eccentric people got together, wore weird clothes, and watched some horse race...
Hehe <3
The biggest hat I have is one I snagged on sale at Nordstrom a few years back. It's collosal, and I didn't have anything at all to match it, so I thought it a good time to put together one of my vintage patterns, Simplicity 3063, from 1959.
I attempted some new-to-me things in this project. One was pattern matching with this giant crazy plaid. I had to re-cut the midriff pieces a couple times, but in general it went quite smoothly. The second was pattern grading. All of the vintage patterns I have are, of course, at least one size smaller than I wear, but luckily most of them are simple and good practice for grading. I used the instructions from Threads, and this diagram:
I'm pretty happy with how it came out! I made a mistake in the grading that meant the shoulders were too wide (a note for next time), but it was easily fixed by taking up the center seam on the bodice. Overall the dress is a tad big through the waist, but it's better to be able to take something in than have no room to let something out.
Next I need to acquire a decent petticoat to achieve the delightful shape shown on the pattern envelope. :-)
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| The pattern doesn't match up on the sleeve seams - that was just *too much* for me this time! |
Posts
Very nice job... great hat. I graduated HS in 1961 so you bring back memories with this "look"!!
ReplyDeleteI bet you had some seriously fabulous clothes in '61. I'm jealous!
DeleteFantastic job! Love the plaid!
ReplyDeletethank you!
DeleteDear Lauren,
ReplyDeleteFantastic outfit! You'd have fit right in yesterday at Churchhill Downs.
Very best,
Natalie
Thanks!
DeleteFabulous!
ReplyDeletethank you! btw, I know i've said this before, but your name always makes me laugh :-D
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ReplyDeleteHello gorgeous! You look a glamorous old Hollywood movie star!
ReplyDeleteI love it and am so envious of the whole outfit! Your classic beauty shines through in your costumes.
ReplyDeleteI love it, and you're right - it would look smashing with a petticoat.
ReplyDeleteThat is very beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreat job! The dress looks fantastic with that hat. 1950s style crinolines are fairly easy to make. You can use a circle skirt or similar pattern and sew 2 or 3 rows (depending on how fluffy you want the crinoline to be) of gathered tulle. There is also this pattern from BurdaStyle but I have not tried it. http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/the-50s-petticoat
ReplyDelete-Emily
So amazingly elegant! The whole outfit is just perfectly put together!! Jenny
ReplyDeleteThe dress looks splendid. I might have to pick up this pattern along the way myself.
ReplyDeleteWoah! And Wow!! My Mom made me an almost identical dress in 1962 out of royal blue faille! And another out of rose print chintz. A petticoat of organza will do the trick in that skirt. I think that's what Mom did.
ReplyDeleteYou look too good to be true,
Nancy N
Stunning!
ReplyDeleteAnd I just noticed that I recently bought the very same large, supercute hat ;)
Sabine
My lovely type of dresses! It is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteIt looks great! And will be even floofier once you make the petticoat.
ReplyDeleteFantastic dress. Makes a great outfit.
ReplyDeleteVery nice work on the matching patterns of plaid on the front and back part of bodice. Too bad plaids on the sleeves did not make " chevron " -way pattern. It definitely will bring your craft-skils to the higher level.
ReplyDelete