The quest for the perfect shirt dress continues. I made this dress back in March. The fabric is a linen blend and it's a pale pink and ivory stripe. I love the bodice of this one - there are 12 darts, front and back and the darts are topstitched. There is a bit of fullness in the back bodice but not enough to worry about. 
The pattern is B5846. I made no alterations to the dress when I was cutting and sewing it. I should have added length. I ended up going back to JoAnn's to buy more of the fabric to lengthen the dress. I cut a band about 5" wide and sewed it to the bottom of the dress with the stripe running horizontally.
Photos were taken at the end of the day after working in my comfy commute shoes. You can really see how red my hair is these days. I felt pretty and girly wearing this dress - the skirt has some nice 'twirl' factor.
This past weekend - I was thinking about taking the bodice from this pattern and using the straight skirt to make the border print stand out. Might try sampling that in some 'throw away' fabric before using my lovely border print from New York. With any luck - I might have the border print sewn up before 2013 ends.
Well of course I love it! I am so glad to see you try out this shirt dress pattern - I really like all those tuck/pleats around the bodice and they do look good on a real person too. The puff sleeves look perfect and the back pleating is a really nice effect beneath that yoke.
ReplyDeleteYour fix to the length is a clever solution!
Super swishy twirling!
Well - you have to do something to make it work appropriate. My husband would have teased me mercilessly if it had become a 'weekend' dress because it was just slightly too short! g
DeleteI love the swing in the dress!!
ReplyDeleteHave you looked at Colette Hawthorne shirt dress? It seems cute as well.
I have seen hawthorne - have not bought it yet. I'm thinking the Sally Shirtdress might be next. g
Deletethis one looks pretty good! Instead of pairing it with a straight skirt, though, could you do an A-line that's not so full for the next one?
ReplyDeleteI, too, am on a perpetual quest for the perfect shirtdress pattern. I actually own a fabulous shirtdress, but it's one I bought at Nordstrom Rack from Cynthia Steffe. Instead of a waist seam (which I think at least on me leads to the puffy bodice issue) it has tucks that are released into the skirt. I've hunted for years for a pattern with that design detail, because I'd love to make another version of it, but I've never found a good one.
Wendy - have you seen the Sally Shirtdress pattern by Sew Serendipity? It sounds like exactly what you are looking for. Nessa (comment #1) made one and it's fabulous! g
DeletePretty and yes, girly!
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda! I really enjoyed wearing this one. g
DeleteLove the twirl pic! I also am in search of the perfect shirt dress...may have to give this one a go!
ReplyDeleteMary this would be adorable on you. Just know that the length is for the short girls - not us tallies! g
DeleteHow fun it that? I love this dress!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy! Believe it or not, I bought this fabric for something else entirely. That project didn't get made....
DeleteI love the dress and your RED hair! The twirly photo is quite awesome. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOh yes - hairdressers pregnant hormones let her think PANK hair would be okay - you know for my now very conservative job at an accounting firm. Umm - it was a bight bright - thankfully it's faded.
DeleteI like it! Lots of darts in the bodice are good; they improve the fit so much. Your hair looks great, and your twirly picture made me giggle.
ReplyDeleteThe darts in the bodice are good - making the fit excellent through the bust. I'm wondering how it would look in a print? Too much?
DeleteVery nice indeed. Looking forward to seeing the straight leg version. I am thinking of trying a shirt dress in Scary September so am very interested in hows your turns out. Love a good border print too.
ReplyDeleteOh BeaJay - shirtdresses aren't scary! I do think I'll try it with a straight skirt and possibly with a slimmer A-line. I was also thinking about putting the button up bodice on a pencil skirt with a zipper (where do you put the zipper when you do that?) for a 2 piece outfit effect. g
Deleteso pretty....
ReplyDeleteThank you Patty. g
DeleteI've always liked shirtdresses and recently bought a pattern for one that I may try one of these days. You look very cute and comfy in that one and I think it would be nice in a print.
ReplyDeleteI really like shirtdresses - favorite only to the knit wrap dress which I now have 6 of in my closet! Time to make a different style of dress now, eh? g
DeleteYOu look feminine and lovely in the shirt dress!
ReplyDelete