Saturday, July 9, 2011

Dress - Simplicity 2927 in bloom

Simplicity 2927

I'm really trying to make an effort these days to try and create a wardrobe and personal style suited to my climate and lifestyle. I live in a place where it is summer 365 days a year,  making it difficult to create a varied, interesting and casual (yet not daggy) wardrobe. Layering is not an option for me. I can't take a basic dress and add a cardigan, scarf, tights and boots for a groovy, ready-to-hit-the-town look. Here it's just me and the dress...oh, and a nice pair of earrings.

I also live in a city that leans heavily towards the 'very casual' end of the spectrum which is quite typical for the tropics (we'd happily go naked if we thought we could get away with it!). Another challenge therefore, is to look 'nice' without looking overdressed. If you don't nail this, you spend the day awkwardly explaining to people that no, you don't have anything special planned for today and that you're actually just dropping the kids at school than going home to clean up the breakfast dishes.

So here it is! The next addition to my 'forever summer' wardrobe sewn up using Cream Hana Guriddo from Tessuti.

-  Detailed shot of neckline -
Piping made using 100% quilting cotton in orange.

 - Front -
Self-covered button

 - Long view -

- Side view -

POCKET PROBLEMS

The next three photos are for the benefit of readers who are interested in making up this pattern. There is actually a flaw in the instructions. If you follow the instructions you end up snipping off the top of the pocket, leaving an exposed raw edge on your garment which does not connect to anything. Not a good look! The people who left reviews on PR were really quite angry about this.

To alleviate this problem, I left an extended piece of the piping on the top edge of my pocket, unpicked the princess seam, slipped it under and resewed it down. Much better. Just be sure you ignore the instruction that tells you to snip it off - nothing can be done after that except to cut out a whole new pocket.



19 comments:

  1. This dress is so cute! And I love the piping... attention to detail that really pays off here, a nice contrast that sort of echoes the curvy flower lines in the print. Thanks for the tip on the pattern... how annoying to have a mistake in the pattern! Imagine if you didn't have enough fabric to cut out a new pocket!
    And I wish I lived in year-round summer... we are only halfway through winter and I've had enough already...!

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  2. Love it! The fabric really suits the style I think, and the piping really tops it off.
    Don't be surprised if you see something similar on my blog one day!!

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  3. Thanks for this Bernice! I have this pattern and was planning on making it up for summer - your tips and hints will be invaluable! Your dress looks terrific. I've bought quite a few patterns for summer dresses completely inspired by your blog!

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  4. I love this fabric and have been eyeing it off for a while now. I love the piping too! Also a bit of a fav or mine.

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  5. BTW - I am incredibly jealous of the eternal summer weather where you are!!

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  6. I love your new dress!!!
    Anne xx

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  7. This dress is awesome! I want it! I love the fabric you chose and the piping. It looks modern and mid-century retro all at the same time. It even looks easy to wear! Thanks for the heads up on how to sew this one. I won't get to it this summer, but you make it look very tempting.

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  8. You look very pretty in this dress. I love the groovy mod lines. Great work on the piping.

    I reckon they'll still be asking you where you are going!

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  9. You are getting yourself a great wardrobe there - what a shame you can't dress up without looking out of place - on the one hand it must be relaxing but I imagine it gets a bit boring after a while. That dress is smart but casual and sounds perfect for your restrictions.

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  10. I love this dress! Wonderful, interesting details.

    People here tend to be ultra casual, too. Casual, with no interesting details (like orange piping!). Yawn.

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  11. Love the dress - I think you've nailed the nice but casual look. Summer all year around sounds great at the moment (Melbourne is freezing), but I'd never thought about the reality of having a fairly constant wardrobe.

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  12. I love your dress, especially the piping and the line of the pockets. Doesn't north Qld have a winter? It is freezing in Sydney.

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  13. I love the retro print. The piping was such a nice detail for this dress. It really accents the lines and the pockets nicely.

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  14. It's fabulous - so retro and quirky but sophisticated, you can really pull it off. All those details are just beautiful, well done!!

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  15. Oh this is a lovely lovely dress - I've been fondling this pattern for far too long - thanks for the tip with the pocket. I love the fabric and the piping and the neckline - and lucky you to be warm!!!

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  16. Your dress is utterly gorgeous, but I agree with Katherine, the boardies and singlet set will all think you have a lunch date.
    The piping really sets off the interesting lines of the dress. Ilove it.

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  17. Your dress looks great! I love the fabric.

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  18. Nice nice dress. I really like the colour of fabric, colour of piping, and the style combo.

    That is a perfect description of Darwin style too. Lemme know if you get asked if you are on a lunch date!

    I have this pattern in my stash and am tossing up whether to make up a certain fabric in this this pattern, which I originally bought it for, or from another.
    (feel free to go check it out and give me your opinion :-) http://tropicalthreads.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/opinions-wanted/ )

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  19. What a pretty dress. The colors are so summery. I can completely relate living in a tropical climate! I'm always trying to figure out how to come up with unique and interesting garments that aren't just a plain tank top, shorts, and slippers.

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