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Friday 31 August 2018

Velvet Vintage Dress - BurdaStyle 05/2012 #133

Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage DressJulia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress

The Dress

When I first fell in love with sewing, vintage dresses from the 60's were my thing.
I loved the silhouettes and the drama of those well thought out garments. The styles emphasised proportion and conveyed subtle but undeniable sexiness.

Fast forward through my sewing journey, my style has inevitably evolved and developed as I have learnt more about my shape and my tastes. With the help of modern influences I have been able to find a balance between what I like to wear as well as what actually looks good on me.

This new dress is a perfect example of what I like: A little bit vintage, a little bit modern, a little bit fancy and a little bit sexy.

Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress

The Pattern

When I first saw this BurdaStyle patten, I knew I had to make it.
The dramatic back draping in velvet was just the sort of eye-catching vintage that I love.

I made the bodice of BurdaStyle #133 from 05/2012 issue but not the attached skirt. The pattern had box pleats at the waist of the skirt and I just knew that the velvet fabric manipulated into box pleats would look bulky and unflattering on my curves.
Image curtesy of BurdaStyle
Instead, I followed Mimi G's 'DIY pencil skirt' tutorial on Youtube; I have a similar shape to Mimi from waist down. The tutorial was easy and quick and resulted in what I think is a more flattering shape for my figure.

Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress

Fabric used

I found this gorgeous stretch velvet fabric from GJ's in the most beautiful wine-red.
I love how the light picks up different tones of the colour and the fabric feels lush and firm to touch.

The bodice is lined in the same velvet and the skirt I left unlined.

Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress


Pattern Changes

I omitted the petersham-ribbon bows on the shoulders as I felt the silhouette and the fabric colour were enough of a statement without the embellishments.

I replaced the BurdaStyle skirt with a DIY pencil skirt and didn't elasticise the waist. The Mimi G tutorial had you add a band of elastic to pull the waist in. I may potentially add this in later as extra reinforcement for the waistline.

Because the bodice is quite loose and the fabric has a fair amount of stretch, I decided to remove the side zipper, which could potentially look messy and bulky in this thick stretch fabric. The dress is easy to pull on over my head.

The drape on the front and back bodice are held into place with little pleats at the shoulders, which I hand-stitched together. Being able to pin and hand-sew the shoulders together made it much easier to control the drape and minimise bulk.

Love

That draping though!
The full low back drape, mixed with the subtle drape on the high neck front is just everything I love in an evening dress.

The pleats on the shoulders with the wide neckline give great proportion to the dress and the cut and fit is emphasised so well in this rich, stretchy velvet.


Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress


Conclusion

All dressed up and nowhere to go!
I have a habit of making evening dresses without an occasion to wear them, and I'm not fighting it any more!

I get such joy in making these dresses, potentially more than I even get wearing them. In any case, I think I might have to invent an excuse to wear it. A dinner party perhaps, or maybe just a trip to the grocery store. Sometimes a girl just wants to get glam for a bag of potatoes, k?!

Occasion aside, I'm very happy with how the dress turned out, and glad to have a new vintage-inspired dress in my wardrobe.

Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress
Julia Bobbin - Velvet Vintage Dress

19 comments:

  1. I love it and I love your tailoring on it! Great job! Now you're ready for the Holiday Season!!

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  2. Dangerous curves ahead! So fabulous on you!

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  3. This color is fabulous on you. Love the dress.

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  4. Beautiful. You and the dress. A stunning outcome. Love that draped back.

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  5. Thanks for the link to the Burda pattern. When I looked, it seems that the back on their dress is much much lower than yours. Did you alter the back at all? I like yours much better because you can wear a bra and it won't show. But I think it's a more beautiful drape.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Barbara!
      Yes I actually wanted the drape lower too, but that's how it came in the pattern! I'm not actually convinced that the burdastyle image is actually the same as the pattern. Because my fabric had a lot of stretch in it and I made the bodice extra loose and it still didn't drape anywhere near as low at the image on Burda!
      Thanks for your lovely comment :)

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  6. The color of that velvet is so luxe! What a perfect color for holiday parties, or any party! It suits your coloring perfectly, too. The drawing of the bodice is fabulous!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! Yes I'll definitely be wearing it for the holiday season coming up! :)

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  7. Adore! I remember when I discovered the online sewing world and Burdastyle and this dress which has been in my favourites list for years!

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    Replies
    1. Oh my goodness you have to make it then! It really is a lovely pattern :)

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  8. This is so pretty! I absolutely love your choice of fabric :)

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  9. Oh this is gorgeous. I made myself a red velvet dress last year for Christmas, looks like I might be putting another one in my queue this year...

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    Replies
    1. YASSS! Thanks Pippa :) Velvet dresses for the WIN!

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  10. This colour, fabric and style look so glam, sophisticated, luxe and fabulous on you! This is really impressive! I'm currently finding it all the more so since I'm at the point of wanting to transition my own style from the girlish fluffiness of 50s inspired to something a little more, dare I say it - mature - and ideally sophisticated. I'm thinking of moving into the early-mid 60s with narrower skirts and that more "grown-up" look. I think I need to revisit pencil skirts. Thanks so much for the inspiration, you look gorgeous!

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  11. OMG this dress is stunning and you look amazing in it!!!

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  12. Well you know I love a knit dress turned glam, and this one is EVERYTHING!! You look smashing. Wear it every chance you get.

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