Verity Vintage Studio

Vibrant 1930s Colorblock Dress

Taking a short break from vacation outfit pictures to show you this fun dress I made back in July, and took me ages to get pictures of. 

 

It had quite a long evolution too. I got the retro blue flowered rayon from JoAnn when it went on clearance a few years ago. Modern rayon that is suitable for vintage sewing is hard to find, so I got enough for two dresses, but it sat on my shelf for a while.

Then about a year ago at an antique store I got the pink fabric - not sure how vintage it is, because it feels synthetic, but it certainly was a pretty print with retro styling. Just so very, very pink! I honestly wasn't sure I'd ever use it (certainly not as a whole blouse!), but rather than sell it again, kept it also on my shelf for a while. 

 

Then one day I rediscovered this 1930s dress pattern that was an early project I made 5 years ago. I realized it really was a cute pattern that just might work for nursing, and wanted to make a better fitting version now that I am more experienced. Just on a whim, I pulled both these fabrics off the shelf and draped them on my mannequin. I'm usually pretty conservative with my fabric combinations, so using two very different bold florals in such bright shades was a first for me - but the pink was exactly the same color as the little flowers, and the crazy combination actually worked for me. Besides, many vintage dresses from this era were just as flamboyant. 

 

So I made it not much later - it's quite a quick project. The rayon from JoAnn has a lovely print and drape, but was a bit disappointing to work with. Everywhere I put a seam, the needle pulled little white threads - and there was a flaw in the fabric on the fold, too. Hopefully not too noticeable, but not very high quality - especially for the price they were originally asking for it!

 

I had to use two colors of thread for the hem, and also switch thread colors part way through sewing. I tried to minimize that by sewing as much with one fabric at a time as I could.

 

I love the little shoulder details. They were really fast and easy to do, yet help to make the dress interesting. 

 

I finished it up but didn't wear it for a while. One Saturday night I decided I'd wear it for church the next morning, and tried it on. I'd been planning to wear a white belt with it, but that just did not look right. The photo on the pattern shows a tie belt with a bow in front, and that really does suit it best. So at 10:00 at night I ended up quickly making a sash out of rayon leftovers, and altering the back a bit to fit me better. Rather last minute, but it worked!

 

I paired it with some vintage accessories, including a 1950s hat that was the only one which would work fairly well. Thankfully it was a classic shape that also works for the 1930s - they alternated between dramatic hat lines far over the forehead and little round hats for the back of the head (think of Margaret Sullavan's hats on Shop Around the Corner.) But since these pictures I've actually gotten a 1930s hat that would be perfect. Too late for these pictures, but maybe next time I wear the dress!

 

I was able to achieve a bit more 1930s hairstyle than my usual by not brushing so much and leaving it more in ringlets. 

 

The front closes with just a brooch, and was quite easy to nurse in. It is so nice to have a different style that doesn't either button or zip up the front! 

(Sometimes it's also fun to play with editing a bit.)

 

I wanted a more formal setting to take pictures in than golden Idaho rangeland, and once winter is here will want good indoor locations anyway, so we experimented with my mom's parlor and I think it worked quite well. I rather like the different lighting it provided. Not shown are the two toddlers clamoring to climb up on the other end of the piano bench. :-)

 

Who knows...maybe I will become more adventurous with my fabric combinations in the future since this one had a happy ending.

 

I haven't made very many 1930s outfits this year, so this one is a nice addition. Plus it's so unusual for me that it makes me extra happy!

 

All photos by my lovely sister from Elsie's Adventuring.

1950s Magnolia Dress

I made this dress back in July and never got photos of it, so it was another one I brought along on our recent Oregon coast vacation in order to take pictures there. It was too windy to take many pictures on the shore, but the fading flowers beside the house we were staying in made a nice backdrop too. 

 

Of course I realize now the flowers on my dress aren't actually magnolia blossoms, but I had already made a habit of thinking of it as my magnolia dress so that's what I call it anyway. It actually was made from a thrifted sheet - a favorite of mine to work with if I can find one nice enough! The sturdy cotton/poly fabric doesn't wrinkle, wears well, and it's so wide there is no problem fitting a circle skirt onto it. This one was particularly nice since it features a large print (hard to find!) and it's a good color for me that's not blue. ;-)

 

I combined two patterns for this dress - the bodice is the one from this dress pattern, but I changed it up with some dense pin tucks on each side, just for some subtle decoration. I chose it because I wanted one that fit me well, and was basic enough that I could decorate it a bit.

 

The pin tucks took up about 1/2" from the bodice width. I think I cut the side seams a bit wider to allow some extra room. If you were going to do a lot of pin tucks, you might want to do them first on your fabric and then cut out the pattern pieces. But these few weren't enough to concern me.

 

The skirt was a circle skirt from a different pattern, and I actually pinched some of the fullness out when I was cutting it out so it's not quite a full circle. You'd never know though! It is still super wide and swooshy. 

 

I was not wearing it with a crinoline for these pictures, and you can see how well the skirt still stands out. I cheated and went the narrow-top-stitched-hem route for this one, and it's not even noticeable. 

 

Partly because of taking time to do the pin tucks, I also was a bit more careful with the construction of this dress. And it paid off, since I actually won a best of show award at our local county fair - which surprised me greatly!

 

I chose a textured white fabric from my scrap drawer for the collar, and ended up adding white sleeve bands as well. It just seemed to look better to have that busy print broken up a bit more.

 

It was pretty straightforward to make, and I don't recall any issues I had with the pattern combination  or construction. The only thing that didn't quite turn out right was the collar doesn't lay perfectly. I think I could have solved it with under stitching, so I will remember that for next time.

 

I found the perfect white lattice buttons from my stash. The belt is modern, gloves are vintage, and the carved rose bead necklace and bracelet set are from the 1950s - I found them at my local thrift store for grand total of $1. There is a pair of earrings too, but I have not converted them to pierced yet. And my favorite dressy wedges from Rocket Originals rounded out the look. 

 

I had intended this for a house dress, ended up wearing it to church, and now it's sort an in-between dress. I like to have several "nice" everyday dresses (separate from the well-worn cotton frocks in constant rotation) that I can wear when shopping, or maybe just a day that I feel like dressing up a bit more at home.

 

This one is very classic 1950s. And I was so pleased with how it turned out that it made me happy to have an extra special backdrop to take pictures of it.

 

1940s Striped Nautical Blouse

We just came home from a lovely short vacation to the Oregon coast - my first time there! Of course my sister and I had to take advantage of the beautiful location for some photo shoots while we were there, so this is only the first of several outfits that will feature a seaside backdrop. 

 

This is the second time I made the 1940s Vogue pattern. The first used vintage barkcloth and had a contrast facing. But I really liked the striped version shown on the cover, and how the stripes change direction on the collar since it is folded back. 

 

So I knew a striped version would be on my horizon. I belatedly realized I could take pictures of it at the sea if I finished it in time, so made it up the day before we left. I had a small, narrow piece of thrifted striped fabric that would make a good everyday blouse, and it was a good match. I barely was able to squeeze out this blouse - I had to piece the arm facings!

 

I also got a better fit this time around.

 

The denim colored cotton has a pretty weave, and is a great cool choice for summer. I don't have to wear layers under it, and the color goes with everything. Like the first version, the cap sleeves are cool to wear and don't restrict my range of motion in the least. 

 

Usually I will wear it with more practical skirts, but for these seaside photos I pulled out an elegant long white skirt I recently found at the thrift store. It is handmade, but fits me very well - and I probably wouldn't have had the patience to make it! Inserted lace and everything. Plus it was only 50 cents, so what can you lose?

 

Naturally, I had to swan about romantically on the beach for a few minutes. My sister caught my reflection in the wet sand, which was fun. I didn't want to get caught by the waves, though...that water was COLD.

 

This has to be the easiest blouse pattern on the planet. A few darts, side and shoulder seams, and facings - that's it. I think I made it in an hour and a half, except for buttons.

 

I didn't bother with matching the stripes, so I was happy when they accidentally lined up on the shoulders. (Also I loved a good chance to wear my starfish brooch!)

 

Despite its dressy styling here, it will actually be a staple in my everyday closet. But I'm glad I had the opportunity to give it its first outing with some nautical flair in the sand and seagrass.

 

 

1940s Summer Suit

I first used this 1940s pattern as one of my earliest sewing projects years ago. It was a pretty terrible suit since I made it sloppily out of a striped sheet, and cut all sorts of corners. You can imagine how awful stripes can look if they are done badly - and it did! So I decided it was time to try it again now that I'm more experienced, since I love the style lines.

 

I remembered that the early version didn't hang right, so I decided to try it in a lighter weight cotton, hoping that would be the happy medium since I didn't really want to try it in rayon, with that more structured suit jacket.

 

It worked out better, but still initially not so great. The skirt was fine, but the jacket back stood out like a bustle era dress, with all kinds of weird peaks. I tried to make it better by deepening the back seams so there was less peplum in the back, and that helped a great deal.

 

The giant white floral buttons were the perfect match for the spring-green and white pinstriped fabric. Actually, I could even have used the other side for more of a white look, but I wanted to emphasize the green a bit more. It's fun to have reversible fabric, whether it's purposefully reversible or not. :-)

 

My first version was made solely because I wanted to make those amazing cuffs on the 3/4 sleeve view, and I still love that element. But for a summer suit, I went with the short, cuffed sleeves instead.

 

Of course it could be accented with many different colors, from classic to colorful. I went with a more classic styling with touches of pastel color, and my trusty Peggy pumps from American Duchess. I love how the white makes them go with almost everything all-white shoes go with, yet the darker color makes them more versatile. 

 

Also I love these vintage corsage flowers I got at an antique store! I pinned two together, and I really like how they look.

 

While overall pleased with the styling of the suit, I didn't really like it on me when worn the first time (also when these pictures were taken.) In thinking about it and looking at the pictures, I believe it's the double-breasted jacket I don't like on me - though I love double-breasted jackets in general!

 

So I think this pattern will go on the shelf, and I will find a suit pattern that I like better, to use those unique button-on cuffs on. That is an easily transferable element from one pattern to the next. 

 

And I don't think this suit will end up staying in my closet. But it was a fun trial - and turned out SO much better than my early sloppy version!

1950s Raspberry Dress

Last summer I saw an image of this lovely low-volume quilting print from an out of print line by Riley Blake (I think), and had to have some. I tracked down some yardage, and now this summer I made it up!

 

I used a new to me 1950s pattern. It has dolman sleeves, cute yoke detail on the skirt, and a fairly slender silhouette but with plenty of walking room thanks to the pleats on the front of the skirt.

 

I cut it easily out of the 3 yards of quilting cotton, and really enjoyed making it. It was overall a simple make, with just enough fiddly pieces when putting the skirt front together to keep me challenged.

 

I chose not to use an accent fabric for the collar because there are so many colors in the print, I wanted flexibility in choosing which one to accent with accessories. 

 

I just love the adorable raspberries scattered across, in all their different shades of coral, pink, and white. I'm not sure exactly what the background color is - it looks blue, but beside blue it looks gray. I call it steel blue. But whatever it is, it's a flattering color for me. 

 

Other than the skirt yoke, the rest was quite straightforward and maybe took me 2 days to finish. I was very pleased with the finished fit of the bodice, and the skirt is close enough, though still a bit big at the waist. 

 

Not having to set in sleeves was a big plus. Also this kind of sleeve is so comfortable to wear!

 

I settled on some pink glass buttons in my stash, after comparing various pink and white ones. I had six but only needed five. Thankfully I had one extra, because one of them fell off the first day I wore it, and I lost it. I don't know why glass buttons don't stay on for me! I have to resew them more than any other...no matter how strong the thread they still end up breaking the thread eventually. Maybe because glass is heavier??

 

My hair didn't turn out very 1950s this day because I was experimenting with using a different kind of rollers and needed to use a smaller size. But I did my best, put on a vintage hat, and called it good enough. 

 

It's a very nice summer Sunday dress, since the fabric is dark enough that I don't need a slip, and it's so easy to wear.

 

I'm really pleased to have this fabric off my shelf and in my closet! Hooray for modern quilting prints that are more scattered, and work for vintage even though they aren't reproduction prints!

1930s Satin Slip Trial

Hi all!

I have a few more outfits photographed, but this week I'm interrupting my original plans in order to show you my most recent project - my very first fancy slip in all my years of sewing garments.

 

I've done a few simple cotton ones for everyday in the past, but they don't open down the front. I have a favorite (newer) vintage one with elastic shoulder straps that I wear all the time, and often wish I had more than one. So when I was shopping an Instagram sale and saw this lovely slip pattern, I had to add it to my purchase. 

I immediately made plans for it, and actually was so exciting to start that I cut out the slip the very next day after the pattern arrived in the mail all the way from the UK. 

 

The first problem of course was suitable fabric. I don't usually keep lingerie-appropriate fabric on hand, and I don't like polyester next to my skin, but needed something limp and slippery. And of course it has to be a pale shade so it doesn't show through. I really wanted a pale pink slip, but then I remembered this length of light sage green rayon satin that I had listed on eBay a while ago, after coming to a realization that it wasn't a good color for me and I was never going to make a formal gown with it. Well, it would be perfect for slips! Thankfully it hadn't sold. 

 

The pattern is a few inches too small for me, and I couldn't size it up the usual way without injuring the pattern lines, so I added a few inches onto the side seams instead when I cut it out. This was a trial version.

work in progress photo 

 

It was really fast and easy, even though the instructions were so vague that even with all my experience I still had a hard time figuring out what they were telling me to do. I ended up winging it a lot. The hardest part was getting the top V nice and pointy while leaving a seam allowance out on the top pieces. I ended up doing a better job on the back, so I added a little bow to cover the less perfect front. 

 

I just serged all the seams, and covered the top ones with top stitched lace. For fun, I added insertion lace on the skirt.

 

One feature I like so much about this slip is all the options possible with those cute inserted panels on the bottom skirt. You could just sew them on and still give it some bias V detail front and back, or use a contrast fabric, or stitch trim to outline the V...or try insertion lace like I did. I used some thicker cotton lace I had on hand, so it actually doesn't hang as well as it should - the stiffer lace and all that stitching makes it stand out a bit even with the drapey fabric. If I used insertion lace again I'll want to choose heirloom lace, or something more delicate. 

 

Since it was already so long, I just turned up the hem and top stitched it with a decorative stitch on my machine. As you can see, the V doesn't meet at the hem, so next time I think I can be more precise. But it's still pretty.

 

I thought the pattern was 1940s from the illustrations, but it's pretty long even when hemmed, and very fitted through the hips, so I'm going to revise that to 1930s. It's ok - I can sometimes use a longer slip. Next time I will shorten it by folding the pattern piece below the bust, which should give me more room at the hips as well as shorten it. I prefer it to hit just below the knee.

 

The elastic lace for straps give me nursing access, without keeping it from regular wear. I had picked up the elastic lace for a few cents at the thrift store not long before the pattern arrived, which was serendipitous. 

 

So there's my first fancy slip! It's far from perfect, but certainly a wearable trial. I have enough fabric left for another one, and hope to make that one a better fit and fix some of the bobbles now that I know what I'm doing. If it turns out nicely I'll dress it up with embroidery, like the sketch!

 

 

Sunny Floral 1950s House Dress

Today I'm happy to share one of my favorite new makes from my sewing spree this spring...a cheerful floral 1950s dress. The pattern was a mail order one that I think I purchased with a pattern lot and decided it was cute enough to keep, though nothing too special. Meanwhile I've been watching The Donna Reed Show and admiring all of her lovely house dresses - most have full skirts, but some are more slender. When planning some new sewing projects, I decided to try out this pattern since it has a narrower skirt and isn't a silhouette I have much of.

 

I paired it with a lovely floral bed sheet I thrifted last fall, along with some others that you'll see soon. I love sewing with sheets when possible. They are sturdy, tightly woven, and usually don't wrinkle much with wear or in the laundry - unlike quilting cotton. No ironing everyday dresses is a win! Usually a poly/cotton blend, you can also sometimes find 100% cotton ones. You do have to check for stains, worn spots, and fading (and also I try to make sure it has a print that doesn't look too obviously like I'm wearing a sheet.) 

 

The other benefit is that they are SO WIDE that it makes cutting out garments a breeze. No trying to squeeze pattern pieces on a width when you use a sheet! The only issue is trying to get enough of it on the table that it doesn't slide off. This one was a queen size, so I have a lot of leftovers.

 

It's the prettiest, sunshiny color combo. I don't tend to wear yellow, but this was definitely an exception. The fact that it was paired with a sky blue made the decision easier. I also love the touches of rose-coral and green, and the soft, watercolor style of the print.

 

I accented the blue with the contrasting collar...the collar fabric actually came from a thrifted tablecloth that had some holes in it, so you can call this a very made-do-and-reuse sort of garment, and cost very little.

 

I was very happy with the pretty fabric, the nice fit, and also with the pattern choice - I'm so glad I kept it! It can be hard to find a well-fitting slender dress that isn't too tight or restrictive, and this one was a good balance with lots of different possibilities for different looks depending on fabric and sleeve choice. It has little pockets in the skirt, which are kind of useless since you can't put anything in them anyway, and they are kind of lost in this busy print...but I think they would add some nice detail in a different fabric. (I like it so well that I have a 2nd version planned soon so we'll see if the pockets look better in that one.)

 

I did find 2 points of difficulty in the dress making. One was the front opening; the other was the collar. I was busy sewing and hardly looked at the instructions because I thought I knew how it was constructed...until I realized I'd done the collar differently than the picture showed. Not really an issue, because it still looks nice and no one would know how it was supposed to look, but next time I'll follow instructions more closely.

I outlined the collar with a bit of embroidery floss, just for fun. 

 

The front opening I am still confused about how to make properly. There was one spot I was supposed to slash, and I did it wrong and had to mend it. Next time I think I'll lay it out since I know how it's supposed to be pleated, and just wing it.

 

I really love how the opening extends down into the skirt, but I'm not sure about how I like the rest of the faux opening. Even with pressing, the pleat doesn't lay flat. Yet if I tack it down, I'll have quite a few less inches in the skirt width, which may make it too tight. 

 

I was happy to use some vintage buttons long in my stash...If I remember right, they were part of a prize package I won years ago from a vintage photo contest. They were the absolute perfect shade of light blue!

 

Despite the few hiccups in the process, it was fast and fun to make, and presents very well. I love wearing it for everyday when I want to dress up a bit more, or for shopping. It makes me feel elegant and put together, but not too fancy for house chores and keeping up with the children. 

 

Since it is usually worn as a house dress, I kept accessories simple. My ubiquitous favorite white elastic belt, and some jewelry in the right colors - my toddler broke my vintage long, bead necklace and when I went to repair it, I realized that I never wear it because it's too long and heavy, but the painted beads are so pretty I couldn't get rid of it. So I restrung it as a shorter necklace, and also made a second necklace and 3 pairs of earrings out of the leftovers. Win!

 

Usually I am barefoot, or if shopping I wear vintage style wedges, but for these photos I was going for more of a Donna Reed house dress look, hence the necklace and heels. I've been searching for a pair of white classic dress heels for so many years...I have one pair from Miss L Fire, but they are too strictly 1940s style to go with this dress, so I opted for these modern ones I thrifted as a teen. They are a half size too big for me, but are so pretty I use inserts to tighten them up, and make them work. The more slender heel, tiny peep toe, and embroidery keep them close enough to vintage style for my taste even though they aren't 100% accurate. 

 

I have been busy with deadlines and other projects recently, but am starting to feel my dress-sewing motivation coming back. I'm almost caught up blogging about my earlier projects from this spring (still have a few at the hand finishing stage), so I look forward to working on my sewing queue again, and making this pattern once more in the near future. Maybe this time I'll fix those trouble spots! But meantime, this cheery dress is a favorite, Donna-Reed-flavored addition to my daily rotation. 

Easy Floral 1940s Blouse Trial

Earlier this year I got a new vintage blouse pattern. This spring when the weather heated up (before it cooled back down again...*ahem*...), I realized I was constantly rotating through a few favorite house dresses and skirt/blouse combos that didn't need extra layers beneath. And I have very few blouses that both match that criteria and fit me!

 

So when I was in a sewing mood this spring, I took out my new blouse pattern and a piece of vintage bark cloth, and decided to whip up a summer blouse.

 

The fabric has a giant one way print, and had a stain in the center, and I didn't have much of it. Thankfully I could just so fit the front piece above the stain, and the back piece below it, and squeeze out the arm hole facings. I was able to manage even with the very limited wiggle room to place the front pieces so the print looked nice. Gotta watch where those large roses land.

 

I did not make shoulder pads for this one, so the silhouette is not as dramatic as in the illustrations. If I made a dressier version I might do it, but for this quick, everyday version (and my shoulders are already pretty wide) I just skipped it.

 

 

I didn't have enough fabric for a front facing, so I went with a contrast - and like it better with this busy print, anyway. 

 

I love how many colors can be worn with the blouse. Gray, rose, white, burgundy, black...and it's probably the only thing in the whole closet with chartreuse in it. I accented it with black fabric and vintage buttons, often wear it with this gray skirt for everyday, but I'm wearing it here with the dark green skirt from my recent 1930s 3 piece set. 

 

I think this will be my go-to summer blouse pattern, and it would work so well for both everyday or dressy wear. It is as cool as a sleeveless blouse, but with more shoulder coverage. 

 

And it is just so quick and easy! A few darts on each side (I like those slanted ones), sew side and shoulder seams, add facings, work hems and buttonholes. That's it!

 

The arm hole facings were the only part that was at all even slightly tricky, and they weren't that bad. Oh, and the pattern was missing the back facing, so I had to wing that. Thankfully that is the best piece to be missing!

I added extra to the back when cutting it out, since this is the trial, but I ended up taking it in enough that next time I think I'll cut out the pattern without any extra fabric. So the fit is not perfect on this one, but certainly good enough for a comfortable, easy to wear everyday blouse. 

 

The giant floral pattern certainly adds a splash of more unusual colors to my wardrobe. And I was delighted to find a good use for this lonely piece of heavy duty vintage cloth languishing for years in my drawer. Actually, since this blouse takes so little fabric, it really is ideal for those smaller or narrower pieces in my stash! I have several more versions planned for the future, so you'll certainly see this pattern again. 

 

Simple Gray late '40s House Dress

I got this cute quilting cotton off the clearance rack at JoAnn a while ago. I liked the scattered blue flowers, and the larger print. I paired it with a simple post-war 1940s house dress mail order pattern.

 

I wanted more of a utility-type dress - something that would be cool for summer, and easy to wear for dirtier work when I don't want to wear one of my prettier house dresses.

 

The comfort of built in cap sleeves gives me a complete range of motion (a common issue with vintage patterns is the tighter sleeves) and they are nice and cool. The only details are the top stitched tucks on the front bodice.

 

I did not get the fit perfect on this one, but that's ok since this is a casual house dress, and my size fluctuates a lot anyhow. Somehow it ended up too big, even though I just made my usual alterations to make it my size. I may adjust it a bit more before wearing it again.

 

I intended to use navy blue buttons, but didn't have enough blue in my stash for a button-front dress. I went with these textured clear plastic vintage ones instead.

 

The pattern also had a tie neck version, but I opted at the last minute for the square neck since it would be easier to wear. If I make it again I'll do the tie version, but I will also make some other alterations or pattern substitutions to make it better fitting.

 

With such a basic dress, there wasn't much to making it. I think it was completed in just a couple days. I had soooo many buttonholes to make, and so many buttons to sew on! I thought I'd never be done with them.

 

So this is not my favorite make of the year, or my prettiest house dress, but for down-to-earth busy days, it's certainly practical and not too utilitarian work wear.

My Rainbrella Dress

I don't know how long I had this late 1940s pattern, but it was one I got years ago soon after I started sewing. It just never made it to the top of my list. Then one day several years ago when I was looking for nice basic patterns that would be a good match for busy print fabric, I noticed how cute the double collar was. That restored my interest in this pattern, and I paired it with some cotton...but it just didn't feel the the right match and never got made, though it at least was on my radar now.

 

Well, fast forward to last summer when I was pregnant. I stumbled accidentally on this adorable umbrella print that was part of an out-of-print quilting line by Art Gallery Fabrics. I spent a whole morning tracking down a shop that had enough yardage for a dress and wasn't too expensive. But I wasn't about to sew a maternity dress with it, so on the shelf it went. 

 

Until this past spring, when I was planning ideas for summer sewing. Then I realized that it would be the perfect fabric for this understated dress pattern! After all that time, it finally has a chance to shine.

 

And shine it does. It is one of those happy blends of fabric and pattern. Plus the dress fits well, but has very basic except for the double collar - which was actually quite easy and fun to do!

 

I did a bit of pin tucking on the sleeves just to add a touch of trim without introducing a contrast color, and made a self belt for the same reason. I just thought it would be easier to accessorize, and more fitting for the classy look I was going for.

 

The fabric was sold as a quilting cotton, but it feels and drapes more like a poplin - which was a nice surprise and certainly fine with me!

 

It's a one way print, so I got 3 1/2 yards of it, but still used only about 3 yards...though perhaps I cheated since I took a lot of fullness out of the skirt pieces in order to make them fit on the width. 

 

I didn't cut them out right, so I had to do some seam adjusting when sewing it together, but it hangs correctly now - and still has plenty of fullness.

Post war era, this dress has the longer length and more graceful lines of after-fabric-rationing, but still with some of the classic 1940s styling. It's a nice bridge between WWII style and the 1950s.

 

Other than the collar, it was very basic and went together quickly. I was very pleased with the fit when I was finished. I used a card of 4 vintage dark blue buttons from my stash, used the belt buckle from this 1950s floral dress (I just safety pin the belt ends underneath so I can easily swap out belts), and put the zipper in by hand.

 

Initially I thought the umbrellas were navy blue, then at a closer look I thought them black. But when placed next to black they look more blue again - so I'm not quite sure what they are! But I wore them with my bachelor's button hat which has both blue and black on it, and it's a nice match - both in color and in style, since it's from the same era as the pattern is.

 

I love how it's a cute novelty print without being too spectacularly unusual, loud, or eye-catching. The steel-blue/turquoise background color is a favorite of mine and a good color for me.

 

So altogether, as you can probably tell, I was very happy with this dress from start to finish. Fun to make - easy and quick yet with some uniqueness and a bit of a learning curve - and certainly fun to wear!

It just goes to show that procrastinating is not always a bad thing...so if it just doesn't feel like a perfect match, just put it on the shelf and mull over it for a while!