Not the real Milanese panther of course which I understand is a very rare animal…
I bought this fabric in Milan during our trip there two years ago. I realised after making up my caramel suede from Denmark that, well *blush* all of the fabric I bought on our Paris/Italy trip was still sitting in my stash virtually untouched. It’s a bad habit of mine, buying precious fabrics and then finding myself completely unable to cut into them. Fear of destroying them, you know. Fortunately this beautiful fabric has been successfully not-destroyed ….I don’t know whether to call it velvet or fur, it’s not really like one or the other but a kind of hybrid of both. Thicker and more directionally “brushed” than velvet, and lighter than most furs. The pile is deep midnight black over a brilliant, almost neon, rusty-orange backing that reveals itself in the folds of the dress and in motion as sort of inner fiery glow, like the embers of a dying fire.
The pattern is Vogue 1220; and the design is, in short, lovely. In not-short; it achieves the trifecta of interesting and feminine and figure flattering; the neckline is pleated into a softly draped shawl collar with a slightly retro feel in its volume, the wide belt cinches the softly blowsy cocoon shape into a tiny waist, and a pegged hemline accentuates the hourglass effect further. I wasn’t keen on that tie belt at first, especially the way it’s been tied like a big juvenile birthday-bow in the middle of the model’s tummy on the pattern envelope; but the dress does look nicer with the extra waist definition that a wide belt gives and I like it wrapped around twice and with the ties hanging down at the back like this.
The tie belt is supposed to be unlined and simply finished with a narrow hem, meaning the wrong side of the fabric is exposed. And the bright rusty-orange reverse of my fabric would have shown in a very distracting and very not-good way! So I underlined the belt using a very thin, slippery black poly-crepe from Fabulous Fabrics.
Also I like my winter-y skirts to be lined, so I improvised a lining for the skirt portion of the dress, using the same poly-crepe. It is cut the same as the skirt parts of the pattern pieces, the pleats and darts simply folded in position and the top edge sewed right sides together to the back skirt/ back seam. The skirt lining fronts have the raw edges turned under and are hand stitched invisibly to the dress front, and the raw edges of the lining at the side edges and lower edge are encased within the folded back front facings and the hem facing pieces. I hemmed the skirt facings by hand, to the skirt lining.
The pocket linings are cut from the same poly-crepe; and due to my improvised lining the pockets are nicely hidden away between the layers of the skirt and lining, as seen above. Or not seen, I guess…
The sleeve cuffs are supposed to be folded out so the wrong side of the fabric shows on the outside too; instead I sewed them in a deep inside hem, which I turned back outside on itself and hand-stitched invisibly in position to the sleeve about 0.5cm inside the edge of the cuff.
How is it to wear? Well… first outing, I wore it out to dinner and found that when seated a little more inner/upper thigh is revealed than I am comfortable with! And also that attractive pegged hemline does make the skirt rather tight around the thighs, which, if you want, can be easily and quickly remedied by some discreet bottom-button undoing. Leading however, to even more revealing. Thank goodness for tablecloths and the ginormous linenware that restaurants drape across your lap!
Anyhoo, I rapidly formed the opinion that a separate petticoat or slip is pretty much an essential accessory for this design.
So: upon getting home I dug out of my wardrobe an old black satin and lace petticoat that I made about seven? eight? even more? years ago using NewLook 6035; I’ve re-hemmed it to the requisite length and will wear this underneath.
I’m actually super happy about this, to be honest it’s actually an absolutely brilliant turn of events … why? because I pretty much haven’t worn this black petticoat for years. Years! But I’ve hung onto it, thinking surely! it’ll come in handy again, someday! And now it has! Finally! Woooooot!
Details:
Dress; Vogue 1220, black/orange brushed velvet
Petticoat; NewLook 6035, black satin and lace, first seen here
Shoes; Zomp, from Zomp shoes
no real reason for this picture other than that the sun broke through the clouds and I just liked it 🙂
Wow, what a luxurious fabric and gorgeous silhouette on you! Congratulations!
That fabric is just amazing and you've really done it justice. It's a beautiful dress which suits you down to a T 🙂 The slip looks great too!
Beautidul fabric and patterns combination! And thank goodness for pettycoats… 😉
You always make such beautiful and unique garments. I just love this! And that last photo…!!
It's really beautiful – you did a wonderful job with the pattern & great solution with adding the slip. It's so cool when something turns out to be useful after a long hiatus of just taking up space.
That is a lovely dress and the fabric looks so sumptuous.
Wow, that fabric is beautiful, so is your dress. Now I also made Vogue 1220 and even though I also think the pattern is lovely I will debate you on the figure flattering comment because mine never looked that good on me. I actually gave it away (which hurt because I did like the design). Great job on yours, it looks great! P.S. those are awesome shoes.
This is so gorgeous! Not the sort of pattern I would be drawn to but and a bit tempted now.
Gorgeous dress ~ perfect matching of this beautiful fabric to pattern! But I had to giggle at the table sitting issue … J
I love the design, and the fabric is wunderbar! gorgeous!
Very nice dress Carolyn. The fit is perfect.
I have this pattern, I even pulled it out and looked at it the other day. I love it, perfect for warm weather. Your solution to the issue of thigh revelation is perfect, so chic.
Wow, that is gorgeous. Good pattern choice for the fabric and yay on getting to use the petticoat again.
Oh it looks just so lush!
Amazing fabric and dress and do love the petticoat solution, perfect!
Beautiful!
Beautiful work. Fabulous pattern to showcase that very special fabric.
So gorgeous. I was thinking that dress would be a summer make but you've turned to a transeasonal make. Now that's thinking out of the box.
So sumptious – it must be lovely to wear 🙂
Gorgeous dress and I love the shoes with it!!!
What a beautiful dress! That pattern goes straight onto my wish list.
stunning! much better with the ties wrapped around twice instead of that "big bow on mummy's tummy".
love the petticoat fix!!
Just gorgeous!
Gorgeous! I absolutely love this dress and I have it in my queue with some gray poplin. I wondered about the skirt when sitting and wondered if I should switch out the skirt, widen the skirt or make a slip. Perhaps I should the latter two. My thighs and I bicycled up Vail Pass, elevation 10,440 feet, this week so they deserve enough some room.
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2014/07/summit.html
Wow, so beautiful
That fabric is the stuff of dreams!! Love your description – "dying embers" – such a beautiful mental picture, and now you've got my heart set on finding my own 'dying embers' fabric!! It looks beautiful made up in this pattern! These sort of dresses are some of my favorite silhouettes. I think I was turned off by the giant bow on the pattern envelope too, good to know it's not a design feature, just a styling choice! Love how you've tied it simply here.
Gorgeous! I would never have thought to pair that fabric and pattern! Kudos! It worked out beautifully. I have often eyed this pattern and am doing so once again!
Really beautiful! The fabric is amazing! Love it!
I don't normally comment but your dress is fabulous. You have really done your amazing fabric proud. I love this.
that is a challenging fabric but you have tamed it well. Gorgeous look on you. Those Vogue DK patterns are winners, all!
Just lovely, Carolyn. And what a yummy fabric! It doesn't seem to add bulk, at all, and I bet it's so pettable!
Love this! Thanks for the pattern review, have been looking for a pattern for some silk velvet. Your dress is gorgeous.
Beautifully sewn. I have this pattern and have never thought of its potential as a party dress.
Very beautiful fabric. Your dress is just amazing!
Lovely! And a great pattern match for the fabric.
The fabric is beautiful and does make up beautifully in this pattern. I have made up Vogue 1220 but my results were not nearly as good. I found the shape if the skirt quite revealing as well.
Great dress Carolyn! The fabric is really unique. I've made this pattern and I too have the sitting down issue. Actually I ended up sewing it together at the bottom because when I sat down the buttons would actually come undone or even pulled right off.
As close to perfect as a dress can get. I don't know how you do it!
This dress and its fabric is wonderful. I love the setting too.
What a lovely dress! I'm glad to hear others have the same 'fear' of cutting into beloved fabric. Your fabric is the perfect match for such a beautiful silhouette.
It's beautiful. But could see details if it was a lighter fabric.
Amazing!
How elegant!
No wonder you were reticent about cutting into that fabric – it's lush! But thank heaven you did because the dress if fantastic. The slip is gorgeous too, I'm so glad it's no longer an orphan. Rachel☺
Fabulous Carolyn. Fabric does make the best souvenir and your beautiful dress will be a lovely reminder of your trip.
Wow what a special dress! You look fabulous and it looks like it would feel so luxurious to wear!
What a spectacular dress! Figure flattering indeed, and so lush in your very special fabric. Really, just gorgeous.
I don't think I would have given this pattern a second glance, but it really looks so lovely on you I am now tempted too. I also take your point about how long you can hang on to fabric, and worry about not doing it justice, and then just buying some more anyway. I use the new stuff first as it stays in my mind, but I have got such a lot of older pieces that are getting guilt by association, and now I don't even want to look at them. So well done in tackling this issue and making something so beautiful too. And the petticoat – another gold star for salvaging an unloved garment and pressing it into usefulness. Gold stars all round.
Gorgeous! You use the most interesting fabrics. I love the bit of orange that peeks through (like you can see in the sleeve cuff photo). Very cool!
Beautiful dress! I like it actually more than the image on the pattern cover.. And the slip looks as luxurious as the dress..
Just to let you know, I saw a picture on Facebook Pattern Magic page that I believe is yours:
https://www.facebook.com/367180714172/photos/a.481099954172.262934.367180714172/10152568027749173/?type=1&theater
They also misspelled your name!
thanks for telling me, foamofdays! that's pretty cool to see that, I had a further look and they have three of my sewn things in five different pictures on that page, that was the only one with a misspelling of my name 🙂
Very elegant dress. I made this one a few years ago too but never thought about using a heavy fabric for it. Great job. And the slip is pretty too. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely. The bow on the belly made the dress quite uninteresting for me but the way you tied it on the back gives a totally different idea of the pattern. I really think I need it now, thanks for the review 😉
This is just soooooooo pretty!