i want to have a vintage dress remade with new fabric..

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which initially i thought was probably quite straight forward...but then as i started thinking about it decided it might be reaaaaly expensive?

the dress is handmade (50/60's ish i think)and has a lace overlay (god it's gorgeous) and although it was most prob made to measure...it fits my 'low slung arse boobless figure' almost perfectly....which is why i want it copied.(it is so good i might even look for someone to marry!)

now then, would anyone be able to tell me

how much ROUGHLY the material might cost if i wanted silk bodice and skirt and some kind of natural fibre lace?

how much would i be likely to pay for someone to make it for me using the old dress as a pattern?

do you think it's worth it?

is there any thing i havent thought of?

Can't answer most of your questions but would say you might be able to get a pattern from Vogue Vintage I think it's called (in Vogue pattern book). They have lovely old 50s style dresses in there. Might be easier for a dressmaker and therefore cheaper?

wet finger in the air it's going to be the thick end of £250 to get the fabric (5ish yds of each, more if v full skirt/sleeves) and get it made. it's easier/quicker to copy an existing garment if you can take it to pieces but obv you don't want that.

i'd go with ccm and try to find a similar pattern and work with that, then maybe nearer £150?

disclaimer: i'm guessing how much a dressmaker might charge based on what i'd charge if i were doing it!

What style is it? Does it have a separate skirt and bodice? Is the skirt full and gathered, or more tailored?

If the style is fairly simple you might be able to buy a pattern as the other two posters have suggested. You have to look at how the garment is constructed - where are the seams, how is it fastened? Is is lined? Etc.

On the back of the pattern envolope it will tell you how much fabric you need.

The other rather drastic alternative is to unpick your lovely 50s/60s dress and use the pieces as pattern pieces! But if you haven't done dressmaking before I would ask a prrofessional dressmaker.

Natural fibre lace is at last £30 metre, raw silk from £12-15 a metre or more. Remember you have 2 layers of fabric so that will increase the cost.

To keep the cost down ou could use a cheaper lining fabric under the lace overlay, but you would have to find a very good match not to tell the difference.

Hope this helps. You might get more advice on the arts and crafts board!