Cherry velvet cocktail dress

Went out to my bookclub Christmas dinner last night and ta-dah, this is what I wore. My hair only looks this nice because it was styled by my hairdresser, I am sadly incapable of achieving this look on my own. My efforts with my hair always end up with wild crazy hair and me vowing to leave nature alone in future.
I made this dress about four years ago, maybe more, I really can’t remember. It was when the wonderful Fabric Warehouse in Myaree was still open and they had this absolutely gorgeous crinkled velvet there. I fell in love with this fabric, and I’ve never seen the likes of it since. I chose the pattern New Look 6035 view A (the red one seen on the pattern cover above) because its wonderful simplicity would show off this fabric to best effect. I’ve worn this dress several times and it always has a great impact; I also lent it to my friend J to wear once and she paid me the great compliment of saying how much she loved it too (and wanted it if I should ever throw it out!)
The shoulder straps are simply dark cherry coloured thin ribbon, again for simplicity’s sake. I always keep my accessories very simple and neutral when I wear this dress as I feel the fabric makes this one a bit of a show-stopper just in itself. Laughably easy pattern, I remember I made this dress in just a few hours on the afternoon of the night I first wore it.