It's not spring yet, so that means I can keep making wintry wool dresses yeah? I originally bought this brown wool to make a suit, but I fell for a vintage fashion plate image of a brown 1930's dress with bishop sleeves and here we are!
Yes I said the 1930s, ah the 30s...you see I never feel I can quite pull off a 30s look, because I can never achieve the "correct" 30s silhouette with my hourglass shape. It always seems to me that the 30s ideal had a slimmer hip line, and more of a so called "boyish" shape hanging on from the 1920s. Being more of a Monroe than a say a Myrna Loy, I always feel like 30s dresses look 40s on me just due to silhouette? Hmm...it is entirely possible this is just a weird complex I have! Anyways, the eagle eyed among you may have noticed this dress is the last I made before I fixed my bodice pattern, but it worked out alright for this style and design. The sleeves are fun aren't they? I do love a dramatic sleeve! I made the cuffs just wide enough to fit over my hands so that I didn't have to make the cuffs button, which saved me a lot of extra work. I did however create a small keyhole in the back of the neck with a self fabric little loop so that was my bit of fiddly work for this project ;)
This is only the third sewing project I have finished so far this year. I really need to pick up the pace, I'd like to be finishing two or three projects a week! I think I need a better time management situation, so I'm working on that too, it can be so hard to manage your own time. Enter Google calendar, and possibly even some system of time tracking. So to that end, I have to get back to sewing and finish my new bolero now, I'll show you all soon!
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| Dress: Made by me Clutch, Gloves, Hat, & Dress Clips: Vintage Shoes: Royal Vintage Shoes Tights: Amazon |
That's a gorgeous dress. You should definitely keep making more.
ReplyDeleteSome women had hourglass figures in the 1930s, just as some women had apple figures in the 1950s - I've inherited my mum's shape, and she inherited her mum's shape, so I know that's apples all the way down! They no more conformed to the ideals of their day than modern women do to the ideals of this one. So if you like 1930s looks, wear them, because lots of hourglass-shaped ladies then would have been adapting the clothes to their shapes. Apples have never been fashionable; if I tried to dress in a decade that loved my body, I'd go naked.
Thanks Mim! I do know logically every shape and size of woman lived through each era of style, but it can be difficult in the moment when I feel I'm not achieving the silhouette I'm after! Thank you for the encouragement though, I'll try to push past my silly notions ;)
DeleteOh that dress!! It's stunning, I love the sleeves.
ReplyDeleteNonsense about the hourglass figure issue, btw. I have a 10 inch difference between my bust and waist, and then between my waist and hips, which is very much considered the hourglass shape. Creating the silhouette is all about clever tricks of the eye, just like the 1920s, to elongate the vertical line. xx
Thank you Cate! I am now going to study your amazing sewing projects even more closely because I feel like your ensembles scream 30s! I have exactly a 10 inch difference too. I like knowing such tricks can be achieved, it's back to the research for me :)
DeleteOooooh! I LOVE LOVE LOVE you new 1930s outfit! It looks so good on you! I feel the same way about the 30s because they are so rectangular in shape. Not like the hourglass shape I'm used to. But your outfit is such an inspiration, especially since I am in a super excited mode about doing the 1930s myself! Oh and I love your leaf clips and you hair!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
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Thank you so much Gina! I always try and go really 30's with the styling to make up for my shape just leaning 40's naturally. I'm glad you noticed the leaf clips as I am in love with them <3
DeleteThis dress suits your figure perfectly, which as an hourglass shape myself is making me rethink my idea that I also can't wear that era. Maybe I'm wrong too. I love the white accessories that lift the brown wool to a fresher, crisper look overall.
ReplyDeleteThank you Christina! Perhaps we are all wrong and should wear whatever eras we please, I guess that's more fun anyways! I'm working on pushing past my odd polices against certain styles, I'm the only one making the rules, silly me ;)
DeleteC'est magnifiquement romantique et cette robe te va à ravir. La féminité mise en valeur !
ReplyDeleteBravo Bianca.
See you soon in Monéteau...
Merci Martine! I can't wait to see you and beautiful Monéteau again! Soon now <3
DeleteMagnificent, those sleeves! I think you wear this style beautifully. I think a lot of feeling the right era is attitude! X
ReplyDeleteThank you Porcelina! In that case I'll try and find my inner Myrna Loy <3
DeleteThis is gorgeous! Is this the dress you made inspired by the vintage image you posted on instagram a while back? I love how the sleeves turned out- so dramatic. The thirties was all about the sleeves!
ReplyDeleteThe Artyologist
Thank you Nicole! Yes this is the dress inspired by that 30s image <3
DeleteGaaaahhhhhh, I love this!!! It's so, so great. I tend to shy away from solids since they seem so "boring", but you've proved that it's anything but! The leaf clips (!!!), that hat, the dramatic sleeves- yep. You nailed it. :-) (also, your hair is just stunning. so jealous!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, piping in as a fellow hourglass/pear- 10" difference in bust/waist and 12" for waist/hips. The 1930s can still be achievable! I'm a huge proponent of longer hemlines, heels, and some major interest in the shoulder/neckline area to balance the proportions. :-)
Thank you Lily! I was sooo pleased when I found these leaf clips so I'm glad you noticed them :) I've got a video on how I did my hair here going up soon, though I did used my mervin wave clips which pretty much make the waves for me. Your own 30's sewing is always super gorgeous too so it really must be a complex I have about the silhouette on me, when all these other hourglass ladies are pulling off the 30s look so very well! I probably just need to be less critical. Also longer hemlines are my jam so no issue there ;)
DeleteI think I said it on your Instagram already: but it bears repeating ~ those sleeves! Oh the sleeves! I think you've absolutely nailed the solid colour dress trick; it's all in the draping details and this one is so fantastic. Love it! ❤
ReplyDeletexox,
bonita of Lavender & Twill
Thank you Bonita! I love solids and big sleeves so I will be getting a lot of wear out of this dress for sure <3
DeleteI love this. Glorious sleeves, neckline and colour. It really suits you. The leaf clips are a perfect finishing touch.
ReplyDeleteGreat dress, great idea. Nobody has made a solid brown dress for more than 35 years, though it gives us much more opportunities for accesorizing it than a red dress. Bravo Bianca.
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