Never To Be Seen Again

At least on me.  This is Simplicity 8104 and it's a lovely dress with great details, which I will make again, I should just never wear this one again.

There is a fine line between comfortable clothing and sloppy too big clothing. 

Pretty sure I tipped the scales the wrong way with this make.   Again, it's my own fault.   I've been eating better and moving more and even though I take measurements before starting any garment now, I still have no idea what size I am.   In my head I see a very large woman with disproportionately large hips.   I'm not looking for confirmation here, just understanding.  

With that knowledge in mind, I take measurements, then I flat pattern measure, then make any 'necessary' adjustments.   For this pattern, I added 3" in length below the waist, I did a 3" sway back adjustment and I added 4" in width at the hips.  

The first time I wore this dress, I felt comfortable and confident and while I did realize that I had over-aggressively added to the hips, it didn't feel 'sloppy' big.  BUT the second time I wore it - sloppy big.  And I'm not sure why. I was on vacation for almost 3 weeks and all that healthy eating pretty much went right overboard.

But, let's go back to the beginning.  I did the pattern work and cut this one out back in early March.  I spent a couple weekends in May working on this as I got the puppies used to hanging in the sewing room.

I went right to the 'good stuff.'  My first thought was I have to muslin this pattern.  The next one was, I'm out of muslin, guess I better go buy something.  But then I shook myself and said - really?  There isn't anything in the stash closet you can use?   I pulled this lovely purple-grey striped linen and this floral.  I had originally bought them together to make a different dress 3 years ago.  Since it hadn't been made yet - why not use this fabric?  If it didn't work - I obviously wouldn't miss it.  

First - the linen is very thin - like I need to wear a slip under it thin.  Second - I made a few calculations errors when deciding to add the contrast.  I wanted the under collar, collar stand, button band, the underside of the buttonhole band, sleeve tabs, continuous lap and underside of the cuffs to be in the contrast.  Oh, and the hem facing.  Most of this worked well.  But the button/buttonhole bands are not separate pieces and when I 'guessed' where to cut them to make separate pattern pieces - I guessed wrong on the button side.  The button hole side worked fine.  The button side is sewn together, turned to the right side and then handstitched down.  Yep - not the right way to do it at all.  But it got done.   

Next - I think I did something I never, ever do.  If I remember correctly and I haven't had the time or desire to look yet - I remember cutting the tissue to make the alterations.  Rather than tracing, cutting the tracing up and having an intact pattern when I need to go back to the beginning.  

So - what's the gist of this?  Will I make this pattern again?  What will happen to my striped/floral version?

Yes - I will make it again.  But I'll go back to the beginning and not add at the hips.  You can see from the horrible #workbathroomselfie that there is too much at the hips and it wows out, rather than hanging nicely.  

And this version?  Well it will take a trip through the laundry and then go into the donation pile.  Someone will pick it up and love it - but not me.  I'm not comfortable in it any longer.  

My how our tastes change. 

So tell me - what did you think fit okay the first time you wore it, but rethought that after a second wearing?  Did you keep it?