2024-08: Stripes and dots
Kategori: 1920s, Allmänt, Historic Sew Montly 24, Stashbusting
More 20s fashion. 20s fashion and me are not a love-match (read more here)
However, some time back (I tend to pick nice fabrics up when I find them, rather than having to look for them like crazy when I need them for that project later) I found a little over 3 m of pristine fabric at one of our local sharity shops. For 1 euro, so I picked it up with "perhaps a summe dress" in mind.
Then the 20s larp appeared and I found this pattern on ebay and it was obviously meant to be. This was a very nice fabric to work with. I am biased, so I am assuming that this fabric was not new, but had bided its time in someone else's stash since the days when fabric qualities on average were more realiable. If you read my former post ranting on 20s fashion: this was a fabric where it felt worth my time to go that extra, if not mile, so at least metre with the finish. After altering the pattern slightly to fit me better and not look as much like a potato sack, there was JUST enough of it for the dress - which in itself sparks joy!
The pattern. Which of course looks a lot better on an elongated fashion drawing with no hips than it would ever do on a real person, but still.
As you can see on the drawing, the pattern calls for a lot of buttons in fron and at the sides. As it happened, I had that in my stash, too. Aaaaages ago I had to give up on a belowed silk blouse (worn to literal shreds) with lots and lots of tiny fabric covered buttons. Which I - of course, waste not, want not etc - cut off and saved for later. And now, they were put to good use:
Close-up of the top of the dress. The stripes do most of the heavy lifting here, with navy buttons and a bit of bias strip around the edges of the collar and cuffs.
As you can see perhaps see in the bottom right corner of the picture I added small loops for the belt. It did not work out as intended, and I ended up ditching the belt alltogether.
As you can see perhaps see in the bottom right corner of the picture I added small loops for the belt. It did not work out as intended, and I ended up ditching the belt alltogether.
Given the total lack of shape I thought I'd like this dress the least, but in the end I think I felt less self-concious in this off all of my outfits for the larp. Which doesn't say that much, given the 1920s, but still - small victories!
My only picture from the larp showing all of this dress, sorry about the weird cropping. Photo by BM Gundersen
The details:
What the item is: a striped summer dress
How it fits the challenge: stripes and stripes and stripes!
Material: striped cotton
Pattern: 1925 summer day dress by Bright Young Things on Etsy (see link in blog)
Year: 1925
Notions: Polyester thread, cloth covered buttons, cotton bias tape, some silk for the button loops
How historically accurate is it? I might have tweaked a few things and I dropped the belt, but I think I got fairly close. 95%?
Hours to complete: About 15, including button loops and the like.
First worn: September 2024
Total cost: Less than 10 euros - the sewing thread was the biggest expense!
