Friday, July 1, 2011

Finished: The "Hot Pink Mullet" Dress






Yes, you read that right. I am naming my dress after a hairstyle that was sported by someone who belted the 90's horror known as Achy Breaky Heart, but I make no apologies. This dress truly is business in the front and a party in the back! If you'd like your own honky-tonk hairdo dress then you'll need to pick up a copy of Vogue 1102.

Let me say thought that this dress has not been without it's fair share of drama. When will our patterns learn that drama is so high school? Anyways, after carefully studying the finished bust measurements I decided that I should cut a size 16, instead of my usual 14. This was a big mistake! When I tried on the dress last night I immediately deemed it the hot pink mullet maternity dress. Seriously, octomom could have worn this dress right until the point she popped. It was gargantuan. So, today I did some terribly quick and dirty side seams take ins and called it good. Luckily, since I will never allow anyone who knows how to sew see the inside, my terrible alterations will always be my dirty little secret.

The Details
  • Pattern: Vogue 1102, a modern pattern from Joanns $3.99
  • Size 16 and I would definitely cut a 14 next time. Truly, I need to cut a 12 for my high bust and do a FBA.
  • Fabric: Hot pink broadcloth from an estate sale ~$.75 ( I still have a few yards of this stuff left)
  • Directions: The directions are really good for this pattern. I would recommend cutting four ties ends, sewing right sides together, and then turning if your fabric has a definite wrong side. The wrong side of the fabric is visible when you make the bow. You also might want to do this if you're in a hurry since it does take a while to make narrow hems on them. 
The rest of the outfit:
  • Shoes: St. John's Bay, from JcPenney
  • Brooch: I believe this was from Belk.
Happy Sewing!

P.S. Today, while thrifting, I bought a 1960's vintage union made winter coat with bound buttonholes and it's red. Pictures to come!

14 comments:

  1. Rebecca, I love your dress.The pink looks lovely on you.. and I will NEVER tell your little secret..haha..
    Happy Sewing. Judy

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  2. I love the dress! Some personal questions though, feel free to ignore me. Can you wear a bra with it? Is the front constructed to have support for no bra but still chesty?

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  3. Stacie- It's not too personal, so no worries. No, it doesn't really have support in the front, but you might be able to sew bra cups in between the outer fabric and the lining. if you're really careful about the placement. I went sans bra, lol. Another option might be to sew a strip of fabric across the back to cover your bra strap. :]

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  4. This is gorgeous! I have both the pattern and perfect fabric for this waiting in my stash. I'm just waiting to drop a few pounds because I don't think there is any way to hide the, ahem "back fat", in this dress. Who knew sewing could be such good weight loss motivation. :) Great job again!

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  5. I made that recently too, and did the same trick with the ties. Yours looks very summery and fun!

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  6. So pretty, your secret is safe with me.

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  7. Wow, beautiful dress, really love the fit and the bow in the back! Love your color choice too, this looks like a wonderful special occasion dress! Time wise, compared to other dress patterns, would you say this was a quick sew?

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  8. Ashley- It wasn't terribly time consuming, but not instant either. I should mention that I haven't hemmed it yet, so that will take some time. ( I wanted to make sure the bias of the skirt has stretched completely before hemming.) There aren't too many pieces, just the bodice front and bodice back which are self lined, the tie ends, and the skirt pieces. The most time consuming part was probably narrow hemming the tie ends. Definitely give it a shot! :]

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  9. Thanks Rebecca! I like the strip across the back idea, as I can only imagine how my bra cup attempt would turn out! LOL!

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  10. Truly a sensational looking dress on you!

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  11. Well done. The dress is cute and perfect for summer.

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  12. Nice job on this and I love the hot pink color! I have this pattern too...I may have to give it a try.

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  13. I have that pattern and, thanks to your inspiration, I hope to make it soon. Don't worry about the inside alterations. I always say if someone is looking at my mistakes that are only perceptible to my eye, then they have no reason looking in that direction (such as my zipper in the butt area, or if they were to look inside the dress). Love your finished garment -- you wear it nicely.

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