Indigo Girl

Inspiration:
Dress pattern, Vogue 1158, is by African American designer Tracy Reese. Her line, "Feminine Luxe", is described on tracyreese.com as being "for sophisticated women, who dream about getting dressed again...feminine, timeless pieces - rich in dressmaker details - that always capture attention."  I'm not sure I dream of getting dressed again, but I do love a richness of dressmaker details.  Reese does amazing things with stripes, prints, and color.

Fair Isle Jersey Shift by Tracy Reese

Auburn Tribal Stripes by Tracy Reese




Blueberry Floral Pintuck Dress by Tracy Reese


Fabrication:
Last summer, my mother and I went through her fabric stash, and she passed on several cuts she no longer wanted.  I remember lusting after this gorgeous print as a child.  I do love purple, blue, indigo--all the colors in this print.  I'm not sure what the fiber content is, but my best guess is a rayon/cotton blend.

Construction:
I shortened the bodice pattern by 1.5" between the shoulder and bust. Yes, I am really that short-waisted. My usual alteration is 1" which does not always yield a perfect fit. Vogue patterns usually seem a bit longer in the bodice than other companies.

I omitted the lining for this iteration, but if I make it again in silk, I won't leave out the lining.


Vogue 1158 by Tracy Reese

You'll notice in the original design that the edges of the belt are meant to be bound with self-fabric bias.  I took a shortcut by just sewing right sides together and turning right side out. I'm not particularly crazy about the look of a bias-bound belt anyway, especially in a print.

Wearability:
A+! This dress kept me comfortable and cool for several hours enjoying the Pride Day Parade, a performance of Measure for Measure at Shakespeare in the Park, and much eating and drinking.  If I can't eat as much as I want in my clothes, what is the point?

Accessories:
Like my bag?  It's a sneak preview of what's to come in my soon-to-be-opened Etsy shop! Filling the shop with all original designs, hand-made by me--my summer agenda.