· My Favorite 1930s Dress ·

Well.... Favorite so far. :-)

Going back through the archives of pictures we took in early December....  The landscape has changed considerably since then- we're covered in a beautiful blanket of snow now! :-)

I made this 1930s dress last February, after I had come across the fabric the previous autumn.  It was such a very fun print, and looked like it was perfectly suited to this style. :-)  I looked through a few books for inspiration, and eventually decided on imitating a collar design from an old Sears catalogue.  The dress was patterned from a mismatch of various bodices and skirts, so I don't really have any helpful information regarding that!  The fabric ended up being a royal pain to work with, as it was printed dramatically enough off-grain and the design turned out to be not-quite-square! :-/  I also ended up underestimating the yardage required *ahem*..... so that necessitated some careful squeezing- especially with the design to worry about.  But, all's well in the end.  The slightly crooked design and the un-planned and not-desired center front and back seams aren't terribly noticeable after all. ;-)

These pictures were taken the same day as all the other 1930s posts I've done recently.  Kathryn, Tara, and I went out for the afternoon and found lots of fun locations in a cute downtown. :-)  We brought along several different outfits, with the idea of changing in the restroom located in a shopping mall.  Best laid plans were foiled when the restroom was locked. :-/  We asked a nearby worker about it, and she stated matter-of-factly, "Well no it's not open- It's Monday!"

Oh.  Point taken.  I should have known Monday was "No One Needs a Restroom Day". :-P

A nearby Starbucks ended up serving the purpose, and I don't think we got too many odd looks going in there 4 times in 45 minutes... ;-)

This small vintage mother-of-pearl buckle was the best match in the stash.  I initially thought it was too small, but I ended up not having enough leftover fabric to make anything wider- so it all was for the best! ;-)

The skirt is based off of a Vogue re-print, with the top of the pleated inset shaped into a V.  The worst part of this dress- ironing all those pleats.  Since it's just a quilting cotton, it's starting from square one each time it comes out of the wash. :-/  Good thing I like ironing, right??

And I saved my favorite part for last. ;-)  This collar was such a fun challenge to figure out, and I'm so pleased with how closely the execution corresponds with my expectations!!  The collar is made from one piece of fabric, folded with 1/4" tucks to achieve the aesthetic of a triple collar without all of the bulk and shadow-through.  It is lined with a flat piece of fabric to hold its shape.  I debated which layer to put my fusible interfacing on, as I've found pros and cons for both.  I eventually decided to put it on the under layer, and that's been a perfectly acceptable choice.  I did have a major panic moment after pulling this out of the wash for the first time though; the upper layer of the collar doesn't stay creased and is a crumpled, droopy mess!  The pleats tend to "remember" where they're supposed to be rather easily though, so ironing is a breeze. :-)

Oh, and the brooch was a happy antique find right as I was finishing the dress. :-)

The cuffs follow the same construction principles as the collar, and close by a hidden snap placket.

· I'm sure you'll be surprised to hear this, but these fabulous photos were taken by the ever-unsurpassed Kathryn! ;-) ·