Bohemian Tea Dress by Tracey
Pattern, Burda 112
Liberty wool/cotton blend, B&J Fabrics
Photography by Santiago Vanegas
Can I be honest about this dress? I’m kind of on the fence about it. Throughout the process of making it, I felt like everything was on track and it was shaping up to be exactly what I wanted. But when I finished and put it on, I was underwhelmed. It isn’t an obvious miss, but something is not quite right. I think the issues might be in the waist area. The center front panel is supposed to lie flat while the side panels are gathered. The gathers pull the front in a weird way that looks a little off. The belt helps with the overall look, but I had hoped to wear this dress without a belt too, and there is just no way. (To see the dress without a belt, click here.) If I had been buying this dress, I would have been in the fitting room a long time trying to make up my mind about it. And I am someone who makes up my mind FAST. We’ve all been there. If you buy it, it ends up sitting in your closet unworn. But if you don’t, you regret it, and it becomes a better dress in your mind. You have those days when you think, “I should have gotten that dress, it would have been perfect today”. But if you really had the dress, you would put it on, and then take it right back off again. You see where I am with this thing. Well, I made it, and it will be in my closet. We’ll have to wait and see if it gets worn. I sure do love the photographs, though! Very trippy! Obviously, Santiago can make anything look good.
Next Sunday, The Joy of Silk. Have a great week, and stay warm!!
It’s a beautiful dress regardless of the waist issue and the photography knocks my socks off! Just curious – did you make a muslin before constructing the dress?
Yes, I did make a muslin but I didn’t bother with putting the elastic into the casings. That was a big mistake. If I had gone ahead and put the elastic in, I would have seen how it pulled in a strange way. I think if I attempt to make it again, I will modify the skirt portion on the sides so that there are no gathers and no elastic. I’ll have to pop a zipper in somewhere, but I think the silhouette will be much more successful. And thanks for the compliment on the photography!!
i think you made a lot of the right choices here – i especially love the muted color palette for you, and the sophisticated liberty print – but i see where you are going ‘meh’ on the final garment. what about shortening it at the waist or taking out the elastic? or, another thing i love is a bracelet-length or half-sleeve.
Yeah, the elastic needs to go for sure. It just has too much volume and should skim the body more instead of being bunched up at the waist. I really wanted a long sleeve dress because I don’t have that many of them, but I’m like you, I love a good half sleeve. So, I think it has potential, just still unresolved and needs more work. I’ll try a new version and post it sometime in the future.
Actually, Tracey, I like the dress! To be honest, you look good in anything. But I know how you feel about being on the fence about something. You never know, though, this might be your go-to outfit! With a picture backdrop like this, who would notice anything else. Just amazing!