EDITED TO ADD some better photos for Julia Bobbin's Mad Men challenge.
This dress was 100% inspired by Joan's Blue Roses phase from the last season of Mad Men. Tom and Lorenzo do wonderful critiques of the costuming choices, and they really broke down how Joan went from buoyant, happy, red roses to the sad, blue roses and finally wilting - almost dead - brown roses. I love how her story is told in her clothing. The pattern is the wiggle dress from Gertie's book, read down for more details of the make!
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| The angry inspiration |
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My most Mad Men pose in the most Mad Men corner of our house
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I am officially wildly in love with my wiggle dress; it's glam, gorgeous, insanely well-fitting and I feel swell in it. I wore it last night to my boyfriend's birthday party (a wild and wintery success of it's own... LA is FREEZING, literally) and today to Gertie's book party in LA.
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| Not only do I get to be friends with Gertie, I get to work with her too. |
The color is amazingly rich and lustrous. I had about five fellow sewers come up to feel the fabric and wonder, "what is it?" Having bought it on ebay I don't really know. It's cotton, vintage, but seems to have had some kind of treatment that gives it a incredible depth and lustre... amazing.
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| Attempting to get a good photograph of the gussets. Boyfriend was flummoxed and clearly not quite understanding what we were looking for here. |
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| Hodge podge lining; what happens when you are sewing a last-minute dress AND throwing a party for 100 in less than four hours. I'm telling myself I like it. |
I'll admit it took a few muslins to figure out my size. I made an epic, "no duh" screw up with my first muslin, where I sewed on the cut lines (rather than the seam lines) and ended up with a wiggle dress that would have fitted General Patton nicely. One seam-ripping and re-stitching session later I had a very tight muslin that fitted OK around the body, but was way too tight in the shoulders. I graded up from the upper bust through the shoulders and arms, let the side seams out a tad, and hurrah! It worked.
This is a wonderful dress; and I'm surprised that more sewers in blog world haven't tackled it. So long as you pick your size based on your upper bust / shoulders / arms you'll be happy. Give yourself plenty of extra seam allowance in your muslin and find a fitting partner who will take some time to help you tweak the curves.
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| Miranda Kerr looking fabulous in her (no doubt) comped dress. Why do rich people get all the good free stuff? |
I am beyond in love with the Victoria Beckham dresses that Miranda Kerr is constantly photographed in... and it is basically a wringer for the wiggle. I see so many options for the wiggle dress; certainly a winter white version a la MK, but maybe something "techno stile" as BurdaWTF would say... Leather? Neoprane?
Either way I'm in love.
10 comments:
Lovely dress. I must try this one
Caroline, it's gorgeous! The fitting, the fabric, the wiggle..:)
I am on my second version of this pattern (this was the first - http://thehomeblues.blogspot.co.il/2012/12/the-red-wiggle-dress-gerties-book-for.html)
I asked Gertie, but she was probably too busy to reply, what did you do with the gussets in the lining?
Thank you and hello:)
I ended up making a full lining with gussets, I think Gertie's are unlined and worn with a slip, I'll ask her!
Oh thanks, Caroline, that's great! Could you ask her if the gussets in the lining also need the silk organza stabilizing? Did you use it?
Yes, I used the silk organza to make the lining gussets. It isn't that much of a pain. Gertie has made versions that are unlined and versions that have a full lining (with gussets). There maybe some blog posts in the future from Gertie about alternative ways to line the dress!
Beautiful. I'd like to make more long-sleeved dresses, and this would be perfect. You look gorgeous.
Thank you Caroline! How cool is the internet.. mind blowing really. Have a great time with Gertie! Greetings from TA:)
It's beautiful! I'm so happy I got to see it in person. It was really great to meet you.
DELICIOUS. i think i'm going to have another go & size it as you did-- you're muslin snafu was hysterical.
Guuuurl you look great! That dress is killer. And having seen it in person, I can attest to the quality--it's exquisitely well made!
Can't wait to see you next weekend.
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