I like to keep up with fashion, but I definitely pick my trends to follow, leaving the totally unsuitable ones to the wayside (anything involving shorts or capris, I’m looking at you!). But the catwalk looks for SS/10 are just so full of lovely pale nude colours that I just couldn’t resist. I mean, Celine are the source of it all (say UK Vogue, anyway), but you know a trend is here to stay when the high street gets involved, with even Zara hyping up nudes and neutrals for spring!
And need I remind you that neutrals were big at the Oscars, too!
So when I saw some nude, pale pink poly/viscose stretch suiting in one of Totally Fabrics‘ fantastic sales, I knew it was time for climb aboard the hype train and ride this one all the way through to warm weather. I ultimately decided on the Divine Details sheath dress (Vogue 8576) for its great neckline and pleasing geometric seamlines.
I did make up a muslin for this dress but the fit was pretty much perfect straight off the pattern paper so I jumped in and ended up with my very own catwalk look!
Even with my pale skin it just feels perfect for spring!
Here’s some side views:
And the back (there’s honestly not this much wrinkling under normal wear, I was horrified to see how the back shots turned out here!):
I’ve been talking about pairing it with my grey tweed jacket so I couldn’t possibly disappoint you all!
There’s a lot going on in this dress, with all those triangular sections and godets coming together at fun angles, but the crowning glory here is the front neckline:
I found it interesting that there’s no need to interface the points, but you do need to do directional sewing to keep them even, which Vogue doesn’t instruct. Also, I found it much easier to wait until after the lining was in to do all the bodice topstitching rather than do some early on and hope your later stitches match up perfectly (ha! I can avert disaster!).
Here’s a better view of those front section seams:
From my topstitching samples, I knew I wanted to use Gutermann upholstery thread for the nice thick line it produces, but the colours in my stash (gold and silver for jeans) weren’t great so I bought some taupe and it’s perfect! The colour is just slightly different enough from the pale pink to stand out, but not so much as to be garish. I like that the topstitching is a feature when you’re close to the dress, but it blends in when seen from afar.
The sleeves here are just a short cap sleeve which is integrated with the front and back yoke pieces, so there’s no armscye:
Lining up all the section seams around the waistband was fun, but made much much easier by my fabric having a little bit of stretch!
Here’s a view of the back:
This invisible zipper makes me happy (I installed it by machine, with a regular zipper foot, in my usual two-pass method)! It doesn’t matter how many I do, now that I’ve hit upon a winning formula, a well-inserted zipper still gives me the warm fuzzies.
And here’s the back laid open to reveal the lining:
I lined the bodice with a peach-coloured nylon tricot mesh, which preserved the stretch of the suiting while keeping everything tidy inside (there’s no facings for the pattern so you pretty much have to line the top, or draft your own). And the mesh feels really soft against the skin, too!
If you’re keeping track, this is the second of three Planned Partnerships, but I’ve decided I’m not going to carry on with the last one. I’m just not 100% certain of where I want to go with it (use the frilly blouse but with pared down trousers instead? Or keep the A-line skirt and pare down the blouse?) and because the colour palette is really for cold weather so I feel like shelving it until Fall to give myself more time to decide.
But there are BIG things on the horizon that I’m really excited about (and are currently occupying most of my sewing time right now), plus my birthday’s coming up, so it’s hardly like I’m wanting for things to sew!