Vintage dressmaking

[VintageDressmaker]

Totally outing so I have changed my name 😬

I’ve been asked to make a wedding dress modelled on Dior’s Mexico dress

Clearly there is not a pattern for this! Any suggestions of suitable vintage/ vintage look patterns that I could use to create something bespoke (eg bodice off one, skirt off another)

The original dress was in crepe de chine which I guess will be quite slippery to use - so any tips on this would also be v welcome

OMG I have nothing helpful to say but that is so beautiful! What colour of fabric will you use?

Another view of the original

Merename not sure yet - bride yet to decide :)

I feel hugely touched that she has asked me to make it but I am a bit daunted

Here's the V&A details on their dress - collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O34656/mexico-evening-dress-cocktail-dress-dior-christian/

The bodice top fabric almost looks as if it's been draped to keep the lace-look of the fabric without seams at front and slightly gathered towards the shoulder- but with some pretty fierce boning going on underneath in the lining! I wonder if the bodice fabric was cut on the bias to allow for shaping over the bust?

Maybe the bride could wear a basque, with a very fitted lining and bias draped fabric top fabric if you hate putting in boning? (I tried it once and never again!)

Other Dior new-look dresses from the same period have darting at the bust on the top fabric, and panelled skirts, with boning and underskirts underneath. The couture dresses were about the lovely fabric, with a lot of scaffolding under.

The skirt is a tulip shape heavily gathered around the waist, with an underskirt in the same fabric, then tulle or net petticoats/underskirts to give fullness. Obvs a very fine fabric for the original.

You could always contact the V&A - curators love talking about their collections and may have some ideas - :D - good luck!

eBay / Etsy have vintage patterns!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263030744284

https://etsy.me/2UbbljG

I have fallen down a vintage patterns wormhole tonight!!

I think the bodice should be reasonably (ha!) straightforward and there are a number of patterns with this kind of neckline. The bride is full of bust so I imagine will want some scaffolding underwear so might be able to get away with no boning in the bodice.

At first glance I thought the top of the bodice and sleeves were draped, but don’t think so now... need to check with her what she wants.

She fed does want the drapey layered skirt. The layered bit should be ok, not sure how to do the drapey bit.

I do find it ridiculous that I am referring to a door dress as being straightforward!! I may have bitten off too much...!

Dior not door

I googled "layered skirt patterns" which came up with some that had similar "asymmetric" tiered effects but I don't have any idea whether they are adaptable. My sewing skills are nowhere near good enough to work that out 😂

How are you doing with this?

I'd start with a corset then make a toile of a double layered full circle or 1.5/2 circled skirt let it drop, and then cut to the right length

Then I would carefully cut the asymmetric bit to get a line that she likes