It's also difficult to fit and difficult to wear. However I didn't know about the reputation of this pattern before attempting my own version:
Hmm... I debated with myself whether I'd post a photo of me in this dress because the only photos I have are really quite unflattering. So the above pic has been *ahem* digitally modified to make me look less like the lily-limbed blimp that was caught on camera. If you saw the original I would have to kill you. But rest assured that I barely re-touched the dress itself.
I am not especially proud of this dress. The fabrics don't suit the style and the style doesn't suit my figure. But it does make for a lovely case study, illustrating what I learned from my mistakes. It also demonstrates how the end product rarely resembles those gorgeous, stylised drawings on the vintage pattern packets. Especially when worn by a real person who isn't a 22" waist B-cup.
Where I stuffed up #1. I really should have carefully pre-checked the measurements of this pattern against my own because too late, after cutting, I realised the two sides of the dress wouldn't meet in the centre front of the waist as per the diagram. I solved this problem with the addition of six fabric loops and ribbon, to be laced corset-style. Unfortunately this made the bodice area look wider than it should, adding visual kilos to my already ample silhouette.
I should have checked the shoulder measurements too, which turned out to be too wide for my frame (pear shaped with narrow shoulders). By the time I realised how odd the shoulder extensions looked, I had already attached the hundred miles of bias edging. A spot of gathering along the top of the shoulders was a last-minute remedy: passable but not ideal. Note to self: extended shoulders don't look good on my figure.
Where I stuffed up #2. At the time I made this dress I was in the grip of "Amy Butler Fever", hence the floral motifs on the central panel and quirky (or possibly just plain misguided?) circular pocket. The combination of the floral fabric and lace-up waist treatment gave the dress an unexpected "Heidi" vibe. Live and learn. If I had to make this dress again (gun to head), I would choose a 50s style fabric for the bodice and front skirt, such as gingham cut on the bias.
Where the pattern stuffed up #1. The outer skirt is more massive than it needs to be. It's a full circle skirt. This means oodles of fabric, which can be quite heavy if medium-weight cotton is used. Circle skirts for some reason add visual heft to the hips, and who wants that? A half-circle skirt would have been adequate.
Where the pattern stuffed up #2. The front underskirt does not stay put! It's shaped like an apron and only anchored at the back waist by a small tie. Any lower bodily movement causes it to cling to the overskirt and ride up underneath. This may have been due to my choice of all cotton-fabric: slippery synthetics might not cause such a problem. But who wants to wear a synthetic 50s style dress?
Where the pattern stuffed up #3. The pattern calls for at least twice as much bias binding as you'll actually need, and either specifies the wrong width of binding or demonstrates an incorrect application. On the plus side, the contrast bias edging looked quite effective: I had so much left over that I continued it all the way around the hem too. Maybe a bit too much with those shoes, though.
Live and learn, ladies.
