Monday, June 18, 2012

Cocktail Dress in Blush Shantung

This is one of those projects that was inspired solely by the fabric. I saw this blush pink shantung at Mood, and it was unlike any other shantung I've seen: drapey, soft, and like heaven on the skin. I found some perfectly matching cotton and silk voile to line it with, and was at the checkout in a matter of minutes. A fabric impulse control problem? Nah, not me.

Anyway, it was worth it. I initially envisioned a full-skirted frock, but realized that might be a tad bridemaid-ish. So the idea of a drapey sarong-style skirt was born. 


The pattern is almost entirely my own, except for the bodice top, which began its life as New Look 6002. The skirt is my own pencil skirt pattern, with a separate drape and "cascade" as a top layer.

I underlined the bodice in silk organza to give the bust pleats some extra body, and stabilized the neckline with silk organza as well. The entire thing is lined in the airy cotton/silk voile.


I did a narrow hem on the outer layers, and a rolled hem on my serger on the lining. Here are the various layers on the front skirt, from the inside.

I'm quite proud of it. I don't really have anywhere to wear it yet, but that's a minor detail, right?


I used an exquisite metal RiRi zipper, and did an application that exposes the teeth only. I saw this method on a designer dress in Nordstrom, and really liked it.


Don't worry, I would not dare to wear the infamous green clogs with this number. I do, however, have a new sparkly pair of Miss L-Fires that I think does quite nicely with the blush.

The hair accessory is one of my own felt roses.

Cat not included. 

Happy Monday, readers!

65 comments:

  1. Gorgeous dress, in a lovely color, too!

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  2. I love the dress! And I do love the shoes!! Excellent as usual!

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  3. Very lovely dress. I love pink and green together. I have a pair of blush platform sandals, and I really want a green dress to wear them with.

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  4. So beautiful. I love how the skirt drapes, and you can't go wrong accessorizing with green shoes and a kitty cat.

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  5. I love it!! Great fit too . . . I miss Mood!!

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  6. This is so effing cute I want to throw you a cocktail party so you have somewhere to wear it. And the pink silk/kelly green shoe combo was an inspired pairing.

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  7. Love it, and love it with the shoes. The zipper application is a nice modern touch. I am sewing a eyelet dress and was about to start cutting out the lining when I remembered your black eyelet dress, and how you left it unlined. Going to do the same for mine. Thanks Gertie!

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  8. Beautiful dress!! I love the skirt drape - I may just need to draft something similar for myself. I do hope you find somewhere to wear this!

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  9. Oh I just love the dress. The skirt portion is fabulous. The zipper is great. You inspire me everyday to sew my best thanks.

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  10. Absolutely stunning! Like THG said, you inspire me every day!

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  11. but the green clogs go with EVERYTHING.

    (i'm quite serious.)

    stunning dress!

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  12. Lovely! I wouldn't have thought to pair blush and green but the combination is rather harmonious. I think the green clogs would have been fine. But I do love me some Miss L Fire.

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  13. VA-VA-VOOM! I heart this so much. It's really the shoes that do it for me!

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  14. Beautiful dress - especially when paired with those amazing green shoes!!

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  15. that shade of pink is so lovely on you Gertie! and I really like all the pleats going on--gorgeous dress.

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  16. Just breathtaking! It seems like the perfect match of fabric and shape. Looks great with the Miss L Fires too!

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  17. Gorgeous, simply gorgeous!

    I especially love the quip about fabric acquisition impulse control. If I lived close to Mood I would be bankrupt in no time. :)
    For now I am limited to online ordering from Mood.

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  18. Happy Monday in fact happy week the dress is lovely I am sure you could find somewhere special to wear it.
    Sally

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  19. this is my FAVORITE color to wear--I can't resist it! Love!

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  20. What a gorgeous dress! And I completely understand and sympathised over the fabric impulse control:) That's how my stash has gotten so big.

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  21. It lays perfectly! Great job. Love the color with your hair/skin!

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  22. Oh, this is lovely! The colour is perfect for you and I really like your idea underlining it with silk organza. Beautiful drape, beautiful shape.

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  23. LOVE it! The front of the skirt is beautiful.

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  24. mmmm lovely dress. I have been eying up some silk in exactly the same colour. However I can't justify buying it!

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  25. Wow!!! I love this dress! It's so chic!! The color is amazing! I love the draping in the front. I love pencil skirts!!! Amazing all around!

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  26. Candice Williams NCJune 18, 2012 at 4:36 PM

    All of your fabric purchases make me miss NYC so much. My mom and I use to go down to the garment/fabric district and drop a couple hundred dollars. Sometimes we would spend so much they would give us a discount. Oh those were the days.
    I love the dress BTW. Don't wait for an event make one happen. Why don't you invite some friends over for a cocktail party! We need to bring dressing up back. It is hard to believe people use to dress to go to the movies. I am sure you would agree with me that no matter how expensive a pair of jeans are they are still jeans and are in no way formal.
    I am eagerly looking forwards to your book. I am sure there will be no shortage of inspiration for a holiday dress.

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  27. Gorgeous! I absolutely love this!

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  28. What do you mean you don't have somewhere to wear it? Put dress on, go out, look fabulous. My bestie and I have a philosophy on looking divine: "We're not overdressed, everyone else is underdressed!"

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  29. Sassy little pink dress. Much spunkier than black! You are too cute!!

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  30. I love the colour; love the dress. Bravo!

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  31. This is your summer cocktail dress, for sure! Who needs a little black dress when the can have a little blush dress that looks so amazing? And the blush color allows you to wear whatever color shoe that strikes your mood. You can wear green, black, orange, or even purple!

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  32. Easily my favourite dress of yours - EVER. The colour and the style is divine! Love it :)

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  33. oh how prettily perfect!! love everything about it, especially the cascading drape; so lovely!! Gorgeous fabric (& kitty!!)

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  34. Love, love, love-love, LOVE!!!!
    I am also a huge fan of shantung! High five, Gertie!!!! (Love the green shoes with it, btw)

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  35. This dress is so lovely! I like the drapey skirt's detail. Oh, and the shoes... !!!!

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  36. &@*(7$!!! %%$&$(*^

    thats me swearing at your awesome shoes!! WANT SO BAD.

    ;-P
    the dress is most spectacular also! That shade is perfect. LOVE.


    Waaaaaa!!
    I want those shoeesssss

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  37. Love the dress. Love the shoes. Kute kittycat, too.

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  38. This dress is absolutely gorgeous and I love the colour and style! Looking one gorgeous lady! XxxX http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.co.uk

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  39. Oh my how lovely is that!

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  40. Beautiful dress! Those shoes are awesome!!

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  41. The draping on the dress is gorgeous! I wish it was from a pattern, so I could give it a shot!

    I love the zipper too. I used a vintage zip on a recent project, and left it exposed just a little like yours!

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  42. Very pretty dress, it really suits you.

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  43. This is stunning on you! Love the exposed zipper detail.

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  44. This is so you dear! Keep it up it looks so fabo!

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  45. What a beautiful dress! The skirt is especially lovely =)

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  46. Stunning! I love the gorgeous pink paired with that delightful green! And the sarong skirt is just divine - I hope you get to wear it somewhere soon!

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  47. Its a lovely elegant dress ,I wish I had the time to wear beautiful dress but l always feel like l need somewhere special to go.

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  48. This dress is fabulous - and it looks wonderful with your tattoos! I also like how little things like the exposed zipper and the (oh my god so fabulous) green shoes keep it looking totally modern. Throw a cocktail party to celebrate making it!

    Oh and a quick question - every time I've done a narrow hem on a curved edge, it seems to sort of stretch out, go wavy and want to flip over. How do you do this to stop this? I'm trying to figure out what I'm doing wrong. (Although I'm guessing this wasn't a major problem here if it did go wavy as it's the edge of a drape!)

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  49. This dress is gorgeous, especially the skirt. Love your hats too!

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  50. Hmmmm... you are adorable! Nice dress tooo~

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  51. Amazing dress!
    And.....wear the green shoes :0)

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  52. Awesome dress! Wow. My new favorite. Who needs a cocktail party? I would wear that to work.

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  53. Wow, that is gorgeous!! I'd say you have every reason to be proud of that! =D

    ...love your blog, by the way... as if you couldn't tell by the fact that I posted a comment, right?? =)

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  54. Lovely dress and thanks for sharing the details.

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  55. Beautiful! The green shoes are perfect - they funky up the pink. With the flower you have hints of 40s Hawaiian chic without being costumy. Hope you find a suitable occasion to show it off.

    I have a question about your silk organza. Would cotton organdy work as well for stabilising a neckline?

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  56. Oh my! Oo-la-la, Gertie! Pattern or tutorial, please.

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  57. love it with the shoes. The color is amazing! More beautiful dresses you can click here

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  58. Very beautiful as well as amazing dress and it suits you so much.

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  59. The fashion styles for women is perfect. I love the color and its fabulous dress.

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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