The Sheath Combo: Flower Power Polyester
This is the 3rd option for my wedding possibilities for a fall family wedding. Pondering the possibilities is helping me cope with all the tech prep that my university needs me to do as our students stay home for classes. This one is from 1960, a interesting period of transition as the various options indicate.
On the one hand, the mid-1950s saw the height of the popularity of the sheath dress which pushed women into amazing shapewear contraptions designed to make them fit into this most unforgiving garment shape. On the other hand, the widely flared skirts, popular since 1947 as Christian Dior’s New Look, still lived on into the 1960s. The flared skirt is perfect for a party where there is going to be dancing, such as a wedding. Both have the same surplice bodice style; it is not a real wrap, that is a seam you see where the left and right bodice pieces meet. The shoulder bows do not tie anything. They are merely decorative and a little sassy, as though to say, “Hi there, Good-Looking, I might be open to unwrapping.”
The fabric I have in mind is a polyester floral. Of course, it doesn’t breathe like a silk would, but it is pretty much indestructible unlike a silk. I have made this pattern before and in a poly, so I know that the combination of wide skirt and open neckline and no sleeves means that there is enough air flow to keep comfortable even in summer. Underlining with a rayon also helps as it has a cool touch. My one concern is that the print, as you see, is ENORMOUS. That photo captures about a yard in length of fabric. Being so enormous, matching the motifs across the back skirt could be a problem. So, I may shift the zipper to the side seam, and then I need only worry about where exactly the giant floral motifs hit.
You need to avoid creating a lone splotch right over the crotch or the breasts or you end up looking like a fan dancer in a burlesque show. Usually shifting motifs to shoulder and hip bone works well, but you must play with your pattern piece placement and ponder. Which is why the Dress Doctors were very keen on small prints--far easier to work with. But, hey, it’s a wedding! Worth the effort, I think.
This pattern is in print here: https://www.mccall.com/b6582