Sunday 13 June 2010

Vogue 8555 sleek sheath dress

I can’t believe how long it has taken me to get this dress finished but now I have and here it is

And here’s a view of the back

which is lower than usual – in fact, so the pattern tells me, it’s 5 ¾” below the base of the neck. I like the look but it does mean that you have to be careful to get the fit of the back just right – any gaping will show up.

The pattern I used, Vogue 8555, looks like this

It’s one of those ones with lots of different options. I made the sleeveless version with the narrow skirt and in the shorter length. I really love sheath dresses and I was especially attracted to this particular one because I liked the bodice, which has a sweetheart neckline with pleats at the neck and gathers under the bust.

The fabric is a 100% viscose and I lined it with a lightweight Bemberg rayon. Originally I was going to make this dress with another fabric (a cotton and silk mix). However, once I had made a muslin I decided that it really needed to be made in a fabric that was very soft, so that all the pleats and gathers draped around my bust rather than sticking out (I really don’t need to emphasise my top-heavy figure!). This very drapey viscose turned out to be just right and I really love the colourful, large flower print.

I followed Vogue’s instructions slavishly but if I were to make this dress again, I think I might construct it a bit differently. Vogue have you attach the zipper to both the fabric and the lining together so that the zipper is outside of the lining, which looks like this inside the dress -


I don’t hate it, but it would probably look neater if the zipper was attached to the outer fabric first then enclosed by the lining (which means you have to leave a few inches of the lining unattached to the bodice, the midriff and the skirt at either side of the centre back until after you have inserted the zipper – a bit fiddly but, once you get your head around it, it’s easy enough to do).

Yesterday I wore this dress to a garden party in Cambridge (an English country town), which involved two bus rides and three trains there and back and a lot of walking about and sitting down and plenty of eating and drinking. The dress stood up to the ordeal and received a couple of compliments and a big vote of confidence from my husband – so I definitely recommend this pattern!

63 comments:

  1. Love it, Eugenia! It really suits you and looks beautifully made. And as if it costs upwards of £90...

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  2. I love this pattern and the fabric is delightful. Well done. I am going to purchase this pattern!

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  3. Very pretty dress. It looks terrific on you. Love the print!

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  4. Wonderful, you did such a good job. All that traveling and the dress stood up to it - priceless. I know that you looked great!

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  5. Very pretty, and perfect fit! I am adding this pattern to my list :-)

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  6. Lovely dress -- you look great in it. Sounds like you had a busy and fun day yesterday.

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  7. I love this dress on you. Very flattering!

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  8. So beautiful! Perfect fit and it looks lovely on your figure.

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  9. Very pretty dress and the fit is fabulous. Great job.

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  10. Beautiful! What a great fabric, and wonderful that it held up to such a trip. Fantastic work!

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  11. Eugenia, it's gorgeous!!! Great fit and lovely color pallet. Good call on using a drapey fabric as well.

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  12. I agree - perfect fabric choice. It drapes so nicely. I can see how cotton or linen would be too stiff for the gathers - good catch on that. Perhaps it took so long to make because you were working with that slinky, drapey material - not very user-friendly! It was worth the time though: it is really lovely.

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  13. Thats a nice basic sheath. I bet it would be great in black too. I like the floral colors esp the turquoise.

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  14. How pretty! I love the fabric, and you look beautiful!

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  15. You did a fantastic job. It looks beautiful and you used a very pretty print.
    I too will add this pattern to my list :)

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  16. Wonderful dress! it looks great on you and the fabric is perfect.

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  17. Beautiful dress! Perfect fit...great fabric choice. Looks great on you.

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  18. It's beautiful! The fit and fabric are wonderful. I may have to try this pattern.

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  19. Gorgeous..and that lining!! I l do love the dress, its construction and the fabric you chose!! You are an English Rose at heart, aren't you! Beautiful!!

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  20. You look lovely in this dress. The fit is perfect. The pattern is one that can be made several times in different prints and solids. I could even see it made up in a wool crepe for winter. Gita

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  21. This is definitely a garden party dress! It's well-fitted, well-constructed and made from a beautiful floral fabric! I'm glad it passed the wearability test...will you make another?

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  22. Pretty, Pretty, Pretty! Very well made!

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  23. That pattern has been on my list of things to make for-ever. I like your dress--the colors and fit are wonderful! thank you for sharing the tip about the zipper!

    Rose in SV

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  24. You look gorgeous! This is pretty and well-costructed dress. Obviously, you took the time to get it right!

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  25. You and your dress look absolutely gorgeous. The dress looks as if it came from one of those upscales stores with a price tag that cost as much as my entire wardrobe!

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  26. What a beautiful silhouette and floral print. A perfect summer sheath! I'm feeling inspired to make one too. I've seen so many pretty versions.

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  27. You look fabulous in that dress. Great job. I've added the pattern to my cart for the next BMV sale.

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  28. What a great dress! I absolutely love the purples and greens in the print, and the bodice is gorgeous!

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  29. The dress looks great on you! I have the same complaint about zippers on the outside of the lining. Simplicity seems to do this a lot too and so has Burda. It's annoying. In the end I cover the zipper edges with bias tape so that strings from the raw edges won't foul the zip.

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  30. What else can I say, this sheath dress is Super Gorgeous!!! The fabric is fantastic!

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  31. Lovely dress! Very flattering. I love the fabric.

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  32. It's beautiful!! I absolutely love that print!

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  33. This is gorgeous...Love it

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  34. Very flattering! The print is so pretty, too.

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  35. Lovely dress,perfect fit and fabric is soooo beautiful.I simply adore floral prints.

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  36. A very pretty dress that fits so nicely! I can just see you sipping wine at a garden party in this one )

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  37. Gorgeous dress, perfect for a garden party (and even British public transport!)

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  38. The inside of your dress always look as perfect as the outside! Lovely, as always :)

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  39. Fresh, fun, and fabulous! Beautifully constructed and you can wear anything with flair and finesse!

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  40. I love the print! I love the pattern! The dress looks very pretty.

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  41. Beautiful dress. It is very flattering on you

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  42. I agree too. Beautiful dress, and a perfect choice for a garden party. There is a tutorial on Fashion Incubator blog, Kathleen F.s blog. She does a zipper in a lining. I've been meaning to do some studying and practicing.

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  43. Oh this is beautiful! I have this pattern and now you've inspired me to use it. :)

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  44. You really do such a lovely job of marrying fabric and pattern - I LOVE this dress! Such a winner. In fact, I'm jealous that it's living in your closet and not mine. :)

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  45. The dress is lovely and you look great in it. Love, love the print and color.

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  46. Your dress looks wonderful. I did a google search to see if I can find anyone who's constructed this dress for tips and I will do it with the zip attached to the fabric and then hand stitch the lining down as suggested.
    Thanks!

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