SEWING MY OWN WEDDING DRESS - PART 1: PATTERN SELECTION
I got married in my backyard in August, after 9 years with my now husband, and a five year engagement. We did not feel any rush, and I am glad we took our time and did everything on our own terms. We decided to get married in our garden when it was in full bloom, with just a few close family members and friends present. It was wonderful!
A rack of dresses and blouses I’ve sewn for myself - a sure sign I should sew my own wedding dress.
Early in the planning process, it seemed obvious to sew my own dress. Let me rephrase: everyone else thought I should sew my own dress. And I get it, I do. I sew everything, why wouldn’t I make my own dress? Why? Because it would be stressful and a lot of work!
Even thinking about a wedding dress made me anxious, so I procrastinated, watching the date get closer and closer. At about the 6 month mark, I started to feel the heat any time I was asked if I had a dress yet. I began sewing, in earnest, three months out, and even then, it was in fits and starts. I would sew a bodice muslin, and then take a few days off. But I did it!
A few of my vintage bridal sewing patterns.
PATTERN SELECTION:
A vintage pattern seemed obvious - I have so many! I love 70s gowns, specifically. I’ve owned this pattern for years, and always considered sewing it up in a light weight linen. I never got around to that, but when we were planning our backyard garden wedding, this pattern stood out to me much more than any of the other eveningwear and bridal patterns in my stash. It's a lovely, feminine dress, not too fussy, with a swishy skirt and a pretty neckline.
The winner! Vogue Americana 1043 by Oscar de la Renta
This pattern included all the design elements I tend to gravitate towards: a sweeping skirt, ruffles, a fitted bodice, and a sweet sash. It also features a Basque waist - a detail I do not love, as it reminds me of the Easter & Christmas dresses of my 1980s childhood. But this design element is super popular and trendy for wedding dresses this year (I am 42, and I suspect younger brides don't have the same associations). I love when you can tell what year a wedding photo was taken, so I wanted a trend in the mix.
The original pattern tissue and some of my traced and modified versions.
PATTERN DESCRIPTION:
"Vogue Americana 1043; ca. 1974; Oscar de la Renta - Misses' Evening Dress. Evening length, sleeveless dress, with fitted bodice and wide, shaped inset midriff has scoop elasticized neckline with self ruffle, attached self sash, slightly flared gathered skirt with self ruffle and underskirt with purchased pre gathered trim at hemline."
PATTERN SIZING:
My envelope contains size 12 only, and was already cut out and used by the previous pattern owner. I graded this up a bit, probably closer to a 14 or 16 in some areas. I find vintage Vogue designer patterns have less ease than many other patterns from the same era.
To my eye, the white version of the dress looks stiff, and the skirt and skirt ruffle could have more fullness. This is an accurate representation of the the pattern in the envelope.
In my opinion, the illustration on the envelope more accurately captures the designer’s intent for this dress. The fabric is full, and drapes in a swishy, romantic way. I wanted to capture this vibe in my version of the dress.
DOES IT LOOK LIKE THE ENVELOPE COVER?
Yes, in spite of quite a few modifications. The illustration captures the essence of this dress more than the photo. The photographed version is made out of a fabric with too much stiffness, you can really see it in the drape of the ruffle and the skirt. Go light & drapey when selecting your fabric for this one, and you will have that glamorous, swirling movement captured in the illustration.
One challenge with material selection is that the dress is drafted to be unlined, so most people would select something opaque, and therefore maybe not so flowy. I knew I wanted to use very light fabric, which would require a lining, and therefore, some construction changes.
My next post in this series will cover the materials used, and how I chose to layer them in different areas of the dress. So stay tuned for that, I used a wider variety of materials than I anticipated!
XO, Martha