Big Blooms Print with Organza Silk Over Dress, or So Much Work, So Worth It
The overdress is a garment popular during the 1950s for formal wear which has fallen out of our style vocabulary but well worth bringing back in. After all, you can wear it over more than one dress. But, next time I plan a dress with a overdress, I must remind myself that this will take TWICE as long to complete. Because really, you are making two whole dresses, even if one of them closes with only ties.
On the other hand, so worth it. The results are a celebratory in a sophisticated mode, perfect to wear to a family wedding this spring. The whole to wear during the ceremony and the reception, and then the overdress comes off for dancing. I could not be happier with the results.
The pairing of fabrics was a happy accident. The embroidered silk organza was bought years ago at a drastic discount with no purpose except my curiosity about working with a silk sheer. I got it from Farmhouse Fabrics which specializes in fabrics and trims for formal and informal clothing for children and a lot of nice cottons for everyone. The other fabric was another purposeless purchase for little money from FabricMartFabrics which offers an extraordinarily wide selection from fabrics that make you both say--”ah yes, there is a reason this is discounted,” and, “Oh my goodness, what a bargain!”
The dress is Butterick 6582, and the underdress is the skirt of 6582, widened and lengthened, and a bodice which is a drastically altered Simplicity 8252. Drastic because I cut it with set-in sleeves which I borrowed from another 1950s overdress Butterick 3607 which I will blog too.But then I took those sleeves and flared and shortened them to 3/4th. I used the slash-and-spread method for flaring them, which I should explain in another post. So I suppose I could just say I drafted a new bodice and sleeves.
BTW if you want flared sleeves you want to make them shorter or you risk dropping them into every plate and food tray you come near. You do not want have to think that much about your clothes when you are at a party.