Pretty/sexy/sweet/edgy/tacky is all in the eye of the beholder

My long time blog friend, Gail, posted an interesting comment on a previous post about wedding dresses.  She commented that one of my dresses looked very sexy, raising the question of whether brides should be sexy.  Good question, Gail!  What is a sexy bridal gown?

Interestingly, when I search Google Images for "sexy bridal gowns," the top hits are a variety.  Withholding judgment (for now), here they are.

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Exhibit C.

Exhibit D.

Exhibit E.

Now, I'm not about to wear a dress like any of these for various reasons, but I imagine that most of you reading all have your opinions about these dresses.  For example, I don't think any of them are sexy.  I think dress C is rather sweet looking and a little bland (this appears to be a very common design for sale in the States right now), B is a yawn as well, E is arguably modes with its sleeves, and A and D are outright tacky.  I don't know why D is bothering with a veil, as her dress is split to her navel, has a front hemline that looks like it's shorter than the length of her arm (if she straightened it) and the bodice is see through.  But you know, there's no accounting for taste, eh?  Maybe she can get a second wear of it if she becomes a can-can dancer? 

All that trash talking aside, this opens questions about what is sexy, what is modest, what is classy, and what is tacky?  I guess part of this is cultural, and part of this is personal preference.  I have friends from Africa and Southeast Asia who are very modest about their upper arms and shoulders but have no issues baring their bellies or lower backs.  On the other hand, although I enjoy wearing sleeveless tops and dresses, you will never see my belly unless I am in athletic wear.  Or maybe it's more contextual than that.  I remember a few years ago I had the awkward conversation of "just because it's nice doesn't mean you can wear it to work," with an intern who showed up every day of her first week in club wear.  But I guess the thing about a wedding dress is it's all individual taste, right?

There are two sides to this argument.  One, if you can't wear what you want on your big day, well, when will you ever get to wear it?  Two, your "big" day is more than "your" day -- it belongs to all the people who helped you get there, whether it's your parents, friends, and your husband, so shouldn't they see you in something respectful?  Frankly I'm somewhere in between these two camps.  While you won't see me in a can-can dress with see-through bodice and navel exposure, that doesn't mean I'll knock you if you decide to wear it yourself.  Hell, props to you for having the nuts to wear that in front of your grandmother!

What are your thoughts?

Draft 0: Testing V1351

I bought Vogue 1351, thanks to Beth at SunnyGal Studio for the recommendation.  I also had a spurt of Crazy and bought Vogue 2880 in hopes that the corselet pattern will be handy.

Vogue 2880 has a corselet pattern that looks like it could stand on its own.

I've just finished a first test of 1351 to get an idea of how it fits right out of the package.  I sewed a size 6 and made a poor choice of fabric for the front drape.  The default design has a side zip, and front drape and skirt pieces cut on the bias.   The front lining and the back bodice/lining are cut on the straight grain.  The front lining is just as promised - keeps the cowl from rolling out and as drafted keeps you modest. 

I think that this dress is a great start to get to the inspiration dress...  I need to redraft the front so that it is lower and has a drape at the waist.  I also need to draft a drape for the back and redraft the back bodice so that it is low cut to match.  But so far, so good - at least I know that this fits out of the envelope!

Front of the 0th draft.  As drafted the bodice is quite fitted except for the cowl.

Side of the zeroth draft.  I think I might have a bit of a swayback, or perhaps excited about taking pictures?

The contenders

Sorry, no photos of my latest projects.  I made a plum colored brocade shrug for my mum (sleeves need to be shortened) and an Amy Butler flannel tunic (believe it or not, it works) for my sister.  Both gift recipients are happy with their gifts.

After they so graciously accepted these gifts, I dragged the two of them out to watch me try on dresses.  I turns out that there is no escaping piles of lace, sequins, beads, or at the very least a pile of crinoline or a train.  Even the shortest train seems to envelop me.  I don't want lots of glitter, and I don't want lots of seams.

Dress #1
There is one dress that I tried on that is a possibility, but I don't want the little blingy thing on the waist, the buttons down the back, and wish that the top were a little more draped.  I learned, though, in trying on this dress that even a simple looking dress like this has a substantial structure inside.  It's like a strapless dress within a dress, and I am keeping that in mind because I think it makes a big difference in the way the dress looks.  More on that later.

Behold, Casablanca Bridal 2128 from the Fall 2013 collection.

Front of dress.

 I think that this is possible to piece together.  This is a bias cut skirt with a halter top similar to Cynthia Rowley's Simplicity 2281, minus the flutter sleeves.

Halter top, with keyhole back, spot on.

The tricky thing was to find the right kind of bias skirt draft.  I won't go into details, but if the bias skirt wasn't a circle skirt, it has an elastic waistband.  While there's nothing wrong with elastic waistbands, I want to be sure that the skirt waist matches my own waist.  I spent a few hours yesterday scouring Etsy for a narrow bias skirt with fitted waistband.  I came up with McCall 4258.  I have several bias cut dress patterns with trains so figure I can combine patterns to make a small train - I wanted to be sure, though that the waist would fit.

McCall 4258.  Bias cut skirts with fitted waistband and narrow fullness options.  Harder to find than I'd have thought.

Dress #2
I found this dress during an internet search trying to figure out whether I wanted crepe back satin, 4-ply satin, or charmeuse.  It's made by a now defunct company called Alix and Kelly.  If they were still in business, I'd very likely buy this dress On The Spot.  Because that is not an option, I will probably try my hand at a draft of this with a few tweaks.

Kate by Alix and Kelly.  I love the drape and look of this dress.  I would make it with a shorter hem to avoid dress puddle, though.

This skirt is seamed at the waist to the bodice.  Through my internet stalking, I saw that there is a seam at the waist.  The bias skirt is split at the back to add a godet (I'm not sold on that, though.)  The killer part of this dress to me is the draped, double cowl bodice.  Is there or isn't there a zipper?  I can't make this dress as a pullover style because I value structure too much and don't want to run the risk of (a) showing everyone that I'm naked under my dress by leaning over too far (b) have the top slide around because it's not anchored to anything, (c) not that this is ever happened, but I don't want to run the chance of being cock-eyed or pancaked.

Not to worry though, because through my research, I've discovered that it's possible to have a blousy top WITH A ZIPPER.  Win for everyone!

There is a zipper there!  And it's blousy!

Finding this photo opened my eyes to several possibilities.  I could have a side zip and maintain the blousiness but create the fitted inside structure that I need.

Resources
I will need to figure out how to create an interior structure to these drapy dresses... a quick Google search told me the right reference would be Susan Khalje's Bridal Couture.  Talk about precious.  It's out of print and nobody's willing to sell their copy for less than $75.  I realize that's cheaper than any one of my engineering textbooks from my college days, but I've decided to check it out from the library before taking the plunge and buying my own copy.  

Regrading pattern and rejoining the world

Hello.  I've been absent for a long time, no?

I was sick for a while, and am now returning to my normal self.  Over the summer, I had an autoimmune condition that caused my body to attack its own muscle tissue.  As you can imagine, this presented a lot of problems and I couldn't do much of anything.  I don't recommend it as a way to lose weight, though it is quite effective!

Right now I am just bookmarking a note to myself on how to shrink a pattern.  I sewed up a test muslin of Vogue 2241 in size 8, which of course, is the smallest size available and too big at the same time.

Threads article on pattern grading

I would love for the dress to fit like this.

Instead it looks like this (Thanks SJP for modeling!)

Relearning pattern alterations for Simplicity 1607

Do you remember this Tracey Reese dress?  I do, and when Simplicity came out with this, I figured, close enough.  I'd change the full skirt for a straight skirt.

Simplicity 1607

Turns out that was easier said than done.

I've gotten lazy and used to how well Burda patterns fit me.  I am one of those lucky few who can just trace off a straight size and get it to work.  I know, don't feel bad for me.  So I didn't know how to make this pattern work.  The bodice is a princess seam pattern and I've done plenty of princess seam full bust adjustments in the past.  But that didn't work this time.

The first time around, I traced a size 6 and added 1 inch through slash-and-spread for a D cup adjustment.  The result (Sorry, no photos.  I threw it out in a fit of rage after cutting it off my body -- I know.  So. Frustrated.) was a floppy mess of some kind of hammock like sack on my chest.  I think it's because the bust point ended up getting shifted pretty high.

First attempt at full bust adjustment.  Bust point shifted up and out of place.  However, I liked how this adjustment tightened the armscye.  That is my ironing board in the background.  Yes, it needs a new cover.

The next attempt was making a straight size 10, which was too big all over (and again, no pictures, because there were too many undergarments showing and again thrown out in frustration.)

The last attempt, which is the closest to fitting (though I still like the armscye fit of the first adjustment) was a size 6 in the shoulders, shifting to size 10 in the bust and below.  This seems to have worked out well, because I do not have the 23 inch waist that Simplicity thinks I should have...  Again, don't feel bad for me.  I ended up borrowing the straight skirt from Vogue 9668, and in my muslin realized that my hips are not a size 10.

So all in all - size 6 in the shoulders, size 10 bust to waist, tapering to size 8 in the hips and below.  So much work.  So many muslins, so many seams to rip and re-sew.  So not surprised that people hate sewing with the big 4.  Don't even get me started on how Simplicity suggests you insert the zipper and then tack down the zipper ends to finish, so ugly and amateurish.

Size 6 in the shoulder, size 10 in the bust and waist.  I don't know how or why this worked.

After this project I'm ready for something easy.

Let's talk wedding dresses!

Enough time has passed that I think I've told all the people who need to know in real life - Lee and I got engaged.  I know this may seem strange to my blog friends, but I'm one of those weirdos who isn't on Facebook so that when Lee proposed around the winter holidays, I couldn't just post a status update (besides, who wants to find out that way?)  For the last few months, I've been catching up with friends and family.  It's been great to have happy news to share and then to learn about what's been going on in their lives.  So... if you know me in-person and this is the first you're hearing of this news, call me!  I have exciting news to share and want to know what you're up to!

All that frontspeak before we get to the good stuff.  We haven't picked a date, but of course, I am thinking of dresses.  I've been looking at ready-to-wear dresses and haven't really been all that inspired.  I guess I'm kind of boring.  I don't want a dress with a train (why would you want to drag all that expensive fabric on the ground?!) and I don't want to look like a layer cake.  Because I have ruled these two things out, I feel like there are few options to draw from. 

Sewing patterns don't offer much interest either, because I think most people either buy dresses or are pretty happy with the standard ballgown, mermaid, or full skirted silhouettes.  And then my moment of zen came to me - I remembered being at the Strand bookstore years ago and coming across a book of Vionnet designs.  That is what I want.

Vionnet on display at the Met.  They probably won't let me borrow this.

Another Vionnet with simple lines and beautiful draping - I love the ombre effect in the skirt.

I almost didn't include this one because of the photo quality, and because it's got Crazy Cape going on but it is still gorgeous and I can forgive the cape.

And so where to start for a dress like this?  After turning up my nose at all the readily available bridal and evening patterns available from Vogue and Simplicity I then remembered that the internet is a big place.  And you can find vintage 1930s patterns somewhere on the internet.  Turns out eBay isn't such a great place.  Etsy is even better.  I ordered one of these to make a muslin.  The reviews on PatternReview aren't exactly glowing but I figure this is worth a try.

OOP Vogue 2241, a reproduction of a 1934 dress. Stunning!

I did keep looking around and hit the motherlode when I found Mrs. Depew on Etsy.  All I can say is this is an Amazing Work of Love.  She is an avid pattern collector turned pattern designer who is digitizing and selling vintage patterns for download that can be graded to any size.  I am intrigued to say the least and will work up the courage to try this.  Sometime soon.  The selection is amazing and overwhelming.  I scoured the internet for that one Vogue pattern but here Mrs. Depew has 4 patterns that I want to try - FOUR! 

And just for good measure because there are other beautiful dresses from other eras:

Know when to fold 'em (Vogue 1221 and 1304)

I'm the the rebound from a sewing failure - I tried sewing Vogue 1221 (see my first fail here) which just didn't fit although I remade it in a size 6.  It was saggy in the bust, and kind of wide in the hips and the front drape didn't work no matter how much I fiddled with it.  I think there's a reason why the envelope photo shows the model with her hands on her hips.

Maybe V1221 would have worked out OK if I could figure out a way to spend the day holding my dress in place.

Here we have my muslined bodice of the LiaLia dress (Vogue 1304) that I liked so much about a year ago.  I don't think that this is a go.  I still think this is a cute dress, and the alteration to make it work would be pretty easy.  As it is, the seam under the bust falls under my bust, but the top of the bodice... well, I'm sure you're all grateful I'm wearing a bra.  This would be a simple princess seam full bust adjustment, but I'm not sure I'm sold on making this dress.  Maybe for a winter formal event?  It's very close-fitting, boned and lined.  All I can think of if I were to go through the trouble of making it is... sticky sausage casing.  Granted, it's not hot and humid all year long.  Maybe I will adjust the pattern and test it out so that it's ready to go if I want a winter fancy-dress.

Sorry for the blurry Myspace style phone photos.  Sometimes it's not worth the trouble to get the camera out.

Back

I think the benefit of making muslins is that it gives me a good idea of fit (even thought it doesn't always work out - as in the case of Vogue 1221) and have a better idea of what I'm getting into with the finished garment.  I didn't realize that the LiaLia dress is self lined and boned (I don't read the back of the envelope, just like I don't read the introductions in books) or that my b00bs would be hanging out until I put the muslin together.  They're kind of mashed in and up, which I guess I should have picked up on in the envelope photo.

See, it is a cute dress.  Just not what I'm looking for right now.