Book Review: The Party Dress Book by Mary Adams

 

How apropos! We've been talking about Black Tie and party dresses a lot here lately, and I also recently picked up this new sewing book devoted to making festive frocks. What you should know up front: The Party Dress Book was written by Mary Adams, a longtime custom dressmaker who is perhaps best known for outfitting Amy Sedaris on many occasions. (In fact, the fabulous Ms. Sedaris wrote the foreword to The Party Dress Book.) The reason I think this is crucial information is that it will help you understand the book's aesthetic from the get-go.

Amy Sedaris on the Letterman show in a Mary Adams dress

A ballgown designed for Amy, from The Party Dress Book

I love Amy's eccentric style, and that's exactly what this book is: eccentric. I'll admit that I picked it up once at Borders, flipped through it, and decided it wasn't for me. Some of the embellishment techniques, like neckline ruffles, big rosettes, and crazy-quilted skirt appliques, just aren't really my cup o' tea. But I judged too quickly, readers. Because, on second look, there is a ton of inspiration to be found in here: silk organza petticoats, luscious color combinations, and my absolute favorite: a stunning use of bias strips to embellish an entire dress. Have you ever seen anything so lovely? I want to do this!

In fact, since finally purchasing the book, I've completely absorbed it. The beginning chapters give you a sense of Mary's history as a designer, and they're rather fun, looking at her various influences: 50s glamour, Marie Antoinette, brilliant colors. I especially enjoyed the subsequent technique chapters, where she shows you how to use piecing, quilting, pintucking, and yes, the fabulous bias strips, to customize your own dress.

A page from the book, on quilting

I've taken a lot of her advice to heart, like her recommendation to use a narrow hemmer attachment to finish the edges of your candy-colored organza petticoats. And I've finally mastered that persnickety little foot! (With the help of this great YouTube video.) Also influenced by Mary's book, I've given my red lace dress a flouncy coral underskirt. I credit this book with getting me to loosen up a bit in my dressmaking.

The book does come with one pattern that will enable you to make a party dresses, using one of these three design/fabric choices: 1) layered organza, 2) pieced cotton, 3) soaked taffeta (see images below). It's a basic princess seam bodice with a circle skirt and a choice of a halter or regular straps. You could take the pattern and apply any of her techniques to it.

The book is skimpy on fitting methods and construction extras. She doesn't have you make a muslin or use boning in your bodice, for instance. The construction directions are straightforward and include a lining and an invisible zipper. I really liked her directions on making a petticoat, especially because I feel you can never have enough different methods for making a crinoline! If you're looking for couture methods, you'll want a supplemental text. While this isn't a must-have construction guide, I would definitely take a look to see if you think it might be a good inspirational text. It's definitely proved invaluable to me in my current party dress obsession!