The Olivia Dress, Part 1

I have to sing for a dinner/dance next weekend and was toldby my band mate that the function is formal and I have to wear all black.  For this, a new dress was in order as mydresses tend to be on the more colorful side. I first went to Fabric Warehouse a couple of weeks ago.  They were having a 50% off sale on fabric andI stocked up on a few nicer pieces of black fabric with this dress in mind asinspiration that I saw on Sown Brooklyn’s blog.  

I then changed my mind last week and decided to go the easyway out and just sew a dress straight from a pattern and decided on Gertie’spattern that came out through Butterick, B5814. I even cut the pattern pieces apart.   

Last weekend I was doing some online surfing and cameacross this picture of Olivia Thirlby wearing this dress in the August 2012issue of Vanity Fair and fell in love.  I don't have a picture of the whole dress, but I figure if I can at least get the top of this dress as close as possible and pull it off, it will be a winner.

Plus it gives me a chance to see how my skills are at trying to do a re-creation/replica.  I did not have any black lace in stash with ascalloped edge so I went to Joann Fabrics on a whim hoping that they would havewhat I was looking for.  To my delightthey had lace on sale in every color I needed with a scalloped edge except forblack.  I pulled the white lace off ofthe shelf proceeded to the cutting counter and had the woman cut 4 yards of thepolyester lace.  I then proceeded to thedying section and picked up iDye for polyester fabric. 

An hour later and a little bit of stirring, this is what I got.

  

 I went to my stash of Burdas and looked through them to seeif there was anything I could use to help me re-create this dress.  I decided to work with the bodice of BWOF 7-2011 #140. 

 I plan onincorporating my TNT McCall skirtpattern 3830 with the top portion of this dress. 

 I should hopefully be able tomatch the darts up from the skirt with the princess seams of the bodice.  That's all I have for now, but I can tell you I got quite a bit done this weekend.  Two muslins and some pattern altering, I have the bodice pretty much done and it looks fantastic  I have to cut the skirt pieces out and attach everything.  I'm trying to make sure I document with pictures my progress as I'm going along.  I'll check in during the week with another post so you can see the progress.  Mr. D saw me checking the fit of my bodice and likes it a lot.  I hope you do too.