Shoe and Dress Update

Finally! The shoe decision was made, and yet I still managed to pack 4 pairs in my carry-on. And still wished I had my sneakers. But let's get to the dress first. You saw the picture on the mall and it was covered by the lovely green raincoat. How about the end result and just a few details (like what pattern is it, after all!).

Jacket: Vogue 8640. Originally blogged here. I shortened the length by 2" to make it less weird and somewhat wearable, but the honest truth is this is not a good shape jacket for me. Too boxy. I obviously forgot that I was not shaped like the drawing on the pattern... i.e., model tall and thin.

Dress: Bodice is McCall's 7569, a vintage pattern from 1964. Skirt is the Colette Macaron.

Fabric: from fabric.com. A cotton/linen blend designed by Valori Wells for Free Spirit. These 2 patterns were from the same collection which is a couple of years old, and now the remaining bits are on clearance.

The Starting Point:

 (which I had in my Etsy shop, but is now sold)

And my dress:

Many of the sizing changes were mentioned in this post, complete with pictures of the muslins, and the altered pattern pieces, so I won't repeat myself here. I will mention that instead of the ruffle from the pattern, I used self made piping from scraps from the jacket.

The piping went around the armscyes and the neckline, and down the back. Subtle, but I like it. Don't you love the birds?!

I tacked the crossover in the back just to avoid any gaping, though I don't think there would be any.

An alternate jacket (and possibly a better look than the jacket I made)... a linen Talbots blazer I bought a few years ago, that I don't think I've ever worn:

And the shoes?

Well, I wore the wedding shoes for the Friday graduation, but took them off after the walk to the restaurant. Those were seriously not walking through the city shoes. Last Sunday was drizzly in Washington, DC, and tromping across the Mall was way better in these closed toe, T-strap Naturalizers, with a sensible 2" chunky heel.

Finally... pockets!

Yeah. Barrett walked up to check out the photoshoot, and I was bracing for the "kiss".

Puppy love!

What Shoes to Wear?

Yesterday, I officially finished the "Dress For Laura's Graduation" (DFLG) and I'm starting to think about what to pack. Carry-on would be great, so I don't think I can take all 4 pairs that go with it. But this is a great problem to have. In fact, I have a 5th pair that would work too! You'll see why when you see the fabric for the dress. It's just a peek at the hem.

The Flat Sandals:

Land's End. Similar.

These will be packed no matter what. They take up minimal space, and are remarkably comfortable. If we have to do a lot of walking for the ceremony, comfort may win over looks.

The Naya Pump:

Similar

The Naya brand is billed as a comfort shoe, good for the environment. Truthfully, these are a little tight across the top of my foot, but could work.

The Wedding Shoes:

From Talbots, 2010

The last time I wore these shoes was on June 5, 2010, the day that Laura got married! Wow! Time to wear them again. These might be my top pick just for sentimental reasons.

The Talbots Outlet Bargain Sandal:

Follow the Talbots link in the wedding section for the current crop of gorgeous shoes. We're lucky enough to have a Talbots Clearance Outlet in Duluth, not too far away from me, so I got these on a deep discount, just because. But I haven't had an opportunity to wear them. Could this be it?

Do you like the fabric? Bold! Do you like the shoes? Which ones?

Shoe Review

Disclaimer: I am not being paid at all by this shoe manufacturer. I just love these shoes!

 I love sandals. Well, I should probably say that I love hot weather, so sandals are the perfect footwear. The downside is that sandals do not love me. I am way past the age where I can get away with wearing a pair of rubber flip flops as daywear, and not because they aren't sophisticated or refined, or should really only be worn at the beach or poolside. Rather, they offer zero support. And cushioning? Nada.

Two summers ago, I found a great pair of Clarks leather flip flops, but last summer, much to my dismay, one of them went MIA and has still yet to appear, even after an extensive cleanout of the shoe area in my closet. And this was pre-dog, so who knows where it is. When I saw the above pictured pair of Clarks, they just jumped into my shopping cart. Imagine my delight when I opened the box, and saw all the luscious cushioning, especially for the ball of the foot. Heaven. Of course, if wearing a style that goes between your toes is not for you, proceed with caution, but that's never been a problem for me. They also have a slight heel, or rather incline which is much preferred to completely flat. I have a high arch, and that little bit of inclination can make all the difference in the world.

Anyway, just wanted to share while I await my "muslin" order from Fabric.com. I bought these shoes at 6pm.com, and if you haven't visited that site, go. Go now! Great prices!