I really enjoyed writing my summer dresses post, and found it useful in telling me I do not need to make any more, for many, many years! And so, to follow it up, here is a similar post, 4 years of handmade party dresses! Like most girls, I like parties, and half the fun is dressing up with your girlfriends, putting on a pretty frock and doing each others hair and make-up. In my experience, people are always astounded if you can make your own party dress, even though it is just as simple as making any other dress in most instances. If you have yet to give it a go, I highly recommend it! For some of these I have dug out a photo of the dress in action, but most of these party pictures were taken before the dresses were tarnished with the tangy zest of house party. Anyway, on with the dresses!
2012: New Look 6143- Winter Party Season Dress!
This dress has a pretty polka dot mash inlay and I love how nicely the princess seams make the dress fit. Worn only once or twice so far, but the newest of my handmade party dresses. The cheapo Walthamstow fabric (£2 per metre) actually washes really well, so perfect for messy nights.
2012: New Look 6068- Christmas Dress!
Ah yes my Christmas dress made from warm woolly Tartan. Not exactly a ravishing, rebellious party frock but lovely and cosy (and my mum has one which nearly matches, but not quite, cute!) Still wearing this one now, due to adverse spring weather conditions, and not complaining due to cuteness factor of the Peter Pan collar.
Ah yes my Christmas dress made from warm woolly Tartan. Not exactly a ravishing, rebellious party frock but lovely and cosy (and my mum has one which nearly matches, but not quite, cute!) Still wearing this one now, due to adverse spring weather conditions, and not complaining due to cuteness factor of the Peter Pan collar.
2012: New Look 6068- House-warming Dress!
Most people familiar with my dressmaking obsession say this is their favourite of my many creations, and I may have to agree due to the adorable Fabricland cheeky cherry print cotton combined with the flattering a-line shape I enhanced with an elasticated waistband. Comfy, cute and worn to my house-warming when I moved in with the BF and a million times since. Most worn creation, undoubtedly.
Saying goodbye to a pained looking Marcus, boohoo!
2010: Kwik Sew 3395- New Years Eve Dress!
Ah yes, the most eventful New Years in a very long time, but we won't go into that here! This dress is not really my style so much these days but I adored this dress at the time, with its tiny gold beaded flowers. The dress is fully lined as the peach beaded fabric is a slightly crinkled chiffon. Not worn much these days but many fond memories from my days as a student, particularly New Years Eve :)
2010: Simplicity 2549- Blitz Party Dress!
In our student days we lived in a couple of awesome houses, and had some amazing parties full of good friends (and of course a few randoms we hardly knew) Me and my pal Jen were dressmaking buddies and made ourselves themed frocks for such occasions, as a party just was not a party in those days without a fancy dress theme. We did it all, farmer themed, 60's themed, 90's themed, formal themed, the list really does go on, but my favourite was when we just moved into a giant 6 bed house that was literally falling down around us with damp and other un-pleasantries, aka, an amazing place to thrown a huge party. Our house-warming was themed 'Blitz' and me and Jen got to sewing our own Blitz themed frocks, mine from a pretty liberty print nabbed in the sale for £5 per metre. I have worn this dress lots since, most recently to a Christmas party, 2012.
Can you work out which was blitz themed and which was Christmas....
2009: McCalls 6012: The fairy dress
This was worn to gigs mainly when me and my friends became obsessed with Topshop but could not for the life of us afford to shop there. We wanted little fairy-like dresses such as this:
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| Source: www.mgstylemix.com |
So me and Jen set about making our own, hers in burgundy chiffon, mine in white. I like the lace detailing on the neckline but again this dress had its day back in 2009/2010 and I do not have so many occasions to wear such a cripplingly short dress now, but as is the way with handmade clothes, I am very reluctant to let this baby go. I am tempted to shorten it into a pretty little top for the hot weather. Watch this space...
2009: Simplicity 2587: Atonement inspired dress
An obsession with Keira Knightly led me to this creation. The pattern has never been used again as it was, to put it lightly, a pain in the arse to put together, for such a seemingly simple result.
The inspiration:
Isn't she lovely?
I am aware they are different in many ways, but I did not have occasion to make a floor length grass green silk dress, so for 19 year old me this was the next best thing. I wore it to a couple of occasions, my friend Maria's big 21st can be seen below, and would still crack it out now for a good enough excuse, somewhat of a timeless shape, no?
Hope you enjoyed this run down of 4 years of party frocks. Now I know, they are they last thing I need to be sewing! But oh, how they sparkle :)
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