The Bridesmaid of the '80s -- Bridesmaid Series

Way back in April I wrote a post about bridesmaid dresses, and how they are, most often, just never worn again. As I am semi-between my own current sewing projects, I thought it might be fun to go back to the dark ages reminisce about the bridesmaid dresses that I wore.

Besides my own wedding, I was in 4 other weddings. My cousin's, a sorority sister's, my own sister's, and my best friend from high school. Let's start with my own wedding because each of these dear women were also in my wedding, and you can see what they wore.

Susan, Cindy, Roland, Beth and Carrie

The date: October 29, 1983 (yes, our 30th anniversary is coming up). The place: Southern Methodist University's Perkins Chapel in Dallas, TX. The lovely maids are wearing burgundy moire taffeta dirndl style skirts with a blouse made using Vogue 2805, an Oscar de la Renta designer pattern. I did wear my sister's dress to a wedding in Italy the next year. No word on if anybody else wore the outfit again.

Before I go any further, let me add that until very recently, I actually still had all of these dresses. And no, I am not a hoarder... just maybe sentimental. Or something.

Backing up a few years, I was first in my cousin Carrie's wedding in 1977 when we were really but babes.

The peasant style top has a Sakowitz label, but I seem to remember that these were also made by my mom (or someone). There is also a Liberty print short overskirt that buttoned in the front that I plan to refashion into something else. It's just as full, so there is plenty of fabric. For a long time I also still had the 3 ribbons that we tied around our waists, but those are either squirreled away, or just gone. I may have worn the top again, but I don't really think I did. This one outlasted the marriage. All that lovely blue eyelet will make an adorable dress for a future granddaughter, don't you think?

For my sorority sister, Beth's wedding, we were in peach polyester taffeta.

This dress was floor length, and has since been sold in a vintage section of one of my Etsy shops. But it has been hemmed. Why, you ask? (Beth, if you happen to read this... I know we looked lovely on the day, but, well, it was just perfect for something else, too. Apologies in advance.)

Little Bo Peep and her little lost sheep, now found. Yes, Halloween.

Cindy was married in 1985 (I think) in January, which explains the burgundy velvet.

It doesn't really dip that low in the neckline... the elastic that goes over the shoulders, strap-like to hold up those great, puffy sleeves, is just shot. I wore this to a performance of the Nutcracker Suite in the late 80s, and I think that was it. I do still have it, thinking I might make some kind of holiday pencil skirt. May be time to just let this one go.

Finally, my sister, Susan's wedding. May, 1987. Again in Dallas, this time at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. Laura Ashley was very popular then, and that's what we wore. And I was 6 months pregnant. Can you tell?

I refused to let the photographer get a side shot of me. This time, I bought the dress 2-3 sizes too big, and had a friend help me make it a bit more pregnancy friendly around the middle. I never wore this dress again, and it was also sold from my Etsy shop.

Hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane! That was definitely the 80s for you... big sleeves, full skirts, bows, and that unflattering "tea" length.

Until the next bridesmaid/wedding post...

Red Dress Revealed -- Vogue 2692

Oops, I bet you didn't even know I was making a red dress! Well, I am. Or I did.

This is the pattern I used:

Hmmm, from the 60s, I think. I started this in May, I think and there is so much I've forgotten about the construction, but I do remember that I bought it from Denise, Miss Blue Gardenia herself!

Mine is red ponte knit, deliciously thick, but part of the reason I put it aside. It's actually quite warm, which makes it a great spring or fall dress, but definitely not a summer in Atlanta dress. And I made it with short sleeves. I think I used the long sleeve pattern, and used that as a guide for a short sleeve. Wanna see?

Necklace: Earlybird Creations
Bracelets: Amy Fine Design 

I did make a muslin, but don't remember much about the  alterations. Of course widening at the waist. The original size is a Bust 36, so I didn't have to do anything there. For some inexplicable reason, I lengthened the bodice, and now it is too long. Not really sure what I was smoking when I did that! I'm also certain that I shortened it. Oddly, even the 60s "mini" skirts are often too long for me. Was everyone super tall back then?

I made the recommended bound buttonholes. This is a Paris Original after all!

I am not the huge bound buttonhole fan that many other sewing bloggers are. For one, you make them first. For a skirt such as this, with somewhat unusual placement, if I were doing regular buttonholes I would have spaced them a little differently, or just made 3. My solution to that odd buttonhole placed so closely to the hem edge is to just leave it unbuttoned. There is a button under there, though.

I made the belt, but it is narrower than the pattern simply because I used a vintage buckle I already had in the stash and it was smaller. It makes the width about 1" which is good for me anyway. I also kind of made up my own belt making technique, using the thick black cotton pique from my Mad Men dress. On the back of the belt, I used a 7/8" wide satin ribbon, and even though the belt itself is curved I didn't have any problems with it.

 Yesterday, I pulled the dress off my dress form to finish it. Turned out all I had to do was finish the back of the buttonholes, sew on the buttons and hand sew the hem (which was already pinned up). Really? Yippee!!

Vintage Simplicity 6385 and the SSS 11 Weekend Roundup #2

Today, I've got a full post because I want to tell you about the making of Vintage Simplicity 6385, the shift dress that I wore yesterday. Let's start there and work backwards, 'k.


September 11

Yesterday was the debut of my version of S6385. I bought this pattern recently when I lucked out with a bounty of vintage patterns. This one is missing 2 pieces: the back and armhole facings, both of which you can either recreate, or just do without, using bias binding. It's also missing the peter pan collar piece, but I didn't care about that anyway. Not sure if you can see, but this is a size 12, bust 32, and the copyright is 1966. I'm, however, not a bust 32, so let's see what I did.


After tracing the original, it was time to grade up, but I decided to do a tissue fitting first. Turns out, that across the chest, I didn't really need to do anything except lengthen by about an 1". The rest, I needed to add width.

The black line sort of represents the original, the red, the changes that I made (very roughly). Starting from the top, I lowered the neckline, narrowed the shoulder, and lengthened about an inch. For the back, I did the same, but did not change the back neckline. From there, I added overall width, and shortened the length. I made a muslin, and ended up not needing quite as much width as originally thought.


I drafted new neckline facings, both front and back, and opted for bias binding for the armholes. And I eliminated the ruffles.


The result:

The fabric is a stretch cotton shirting from fabric.com. AAnnnddd, it's a shift. Not too exciting, but actually a dress that really fits into my lifestyle. Here's a back view:

Yep, that's how I look from the back. With a little more styling, the look improves. I really like it with a belt, and I had on a wooden bead necklace earlier, but at some point must have taken it off.

I'm not sure if I'm a jumper girl, but I think it could even work as it got colder with a turtleneck, tights and boots.


For the rest of Self Stitched September weekend roundup, Friday and Saturday looked like this:
September 9

Top: New Look 6981

                     Skirt: Sewaholic Crescent

Shoes: a replacement for the bad Target shoes.

I wore this outfit for a road trip south to Macon to deliver some "fancy" clothes to Kyle who has pledged a fraternity and needed his suits and dress shirts for the Wednesday night meetings. It's a comfortable outfit, that is also presentable. The skirt is a rayon that doesn't wrinkle much.

September 10

Top: Vogue 8392 (made from a Liberty for Target scarf)

Shorts (my grandmother would have called these peddle pushers):

                             Talbots

Shoes: Clarks Indigo

This was an errand running morning, all leading up to a sewing and college football watching afternoon/evening. Kind of dorky, but I like to wear team colors (red and black!) and this outfit fit the bill. I've got the red in the earrings. Sadly, it didn't help us win. 

Weekday Roundup #1 -- Days 5, 6, 7, 8

These last few days have been a bit rainy and gray, and actually cooler than the entire summer. But who am I kidding? It will get hot again!


September 5

Top: Simplicity 2211, blogged here.

  Capris: Ann Taylor, several years old.

Shoes: I don't think I wore shoes all day.

This was the rainiest of the week, as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee rolled through. My dancing partner is Danny, wearing his "thundershirt". He loves it! But I'm not convinced its helping with his dislike of thunder.


Thoughts:
The top is a twill, so a little bit hot in high summer. Today it was perfect. One weird thing about the top... when I first put it on, it feels a bit constricting, but as the day goes on, I stop noticing the feeling. Weird.




September 6

Raincoat: Amy Butler Raincoat, blogged here.

Top: Vogue 8536, blogged here.

Jeans: from the Gap, and they're at least 10 years old.

Maybe older.

Shoes: Merona from Target.

Thoughts:
The sleeves are a bit short on the raincoat, which is kind of annoying. The top has been in heavy rotation this summer. You may see it again. And the shoes... these are the most uncomfortable shoes I own, or at least in the top 5.


September 7

Top: Vogue 8151, blogged here.

Jeans: the same one's as yesterday. Yep.
Shoes: Liz Claiborne black flats. Better than yesterday's.



Sorry for the horrible picture. It's been gray most of the day, and lightly raining on an off. Blue sky has been spotted.


Thoughts:
You can't really see what the top looks like unless you click through to the original post. But it's one that I do really like.  The coverstitching has some issues, and I'm afraid that it will just start to come out unless I do a bit of repair work.


September 8

Dress: Vogue 2006 (vintage 1960s), blogged here.

Belt: Talbots

Thoughts: This is the first outing of this dress since I did a bit of remodeling. And with the belt, which totally improves the look. Other remodeling included taking off the front pockets, and removing the hand done top stitching that ran down the side seams and pulled them up oddly. Today was delightful weather, in the upper 60s F, and this dress is perfect. I underlined it with tricot, so it's a bit warm for those hotter days. My only other complaint is the too high neckline. Choking!