So, we were going to Bali to attend our friends L&L’s wedding in early May… and I decided I wanted to make a special new ensemble to take away with me. Not to wear to the wedding, because, well … is ivory still a no-no for a wedding guest? I’ve always thought so, but then I did notice a few white-ish ensembles at the wedding anyway. So maybe times are a-changing… but I digress.
In any case, I took a different dress to wear to the wedding.
So… this outfit. Craig and I were planning some special dinners while we were in Bali, because this was a meaningful holiday for us for a reason totally unrelated to our friends’ wedding… it’s our 30th wedding anniversary this year! and the last time we were in Bali was for our honeymoon. When we heard L & L were planning their wedding there, we decided we’d make this trip a kind of second honeymoon for ourselves. And I wanted something new for the occasion 🙂
I bought the very unusual lace fabric from Tessuti’s in Melbourne, during my girls’ trip over with Mum and Cassie. It’s quite a dramatic fabric, very stiff and with a “painted” feel to it… I will admit to a small “what was I thinking?” moment afterwards! but some of my favourite ensembles have come out of crazy, challenging fabrics, so I try not to let that impede the hurtling of the creative trainwreck at all…
I underlined throughout with a creamy cotton voile, that I bought from the Morrison fabric and clothing sale… honestly one of my favourite sales to go to here in Perth, though it is very much a lucky dip. You can get amaaaaaaazing bargains, at the same time there can be a lot of weird and horrible stuff too that you simply can’t believe Morrison would ever use for their beautiful clothing line! But it’s nearly always super cheap, so well worth a look in! This creamy-coloured voile was $10 for a whole roll. Awesome sauce!!
Patterns… the skirt is my regular ol’ standby Vogue 1247, lengthened, with the pieces spliced to eliminate the horizontal seams. btw, Sanni asked about this pattern and how it’s keeping, and the truth is that it is indeed getting pretty tatty!! I really should trace it on something tough to preserve it because it really is a winner and no doubt I will be using it, yet again!
The top is the Collins top, by Sydney designer In the Folds. Emily put out a call on IG for contributors to a kickstarter to help her to get a print run of her previously pdf only patterns, and since she had been kind enough to send me the Acton dress pattern a year ago I wanted to pay it forward … the reward was this pattern! which of course I am super thrilled about. It’s a pretty popular pattern, and I thought its exaggerated swing shape would sit out nicely in the stiffish lace, and make a cool counterpoint to a little fitted miniskirt underneath. I underlined both garments throughout, with the exception of the raglan sleeves, which are just the lace.
Neckline bound with self-made bias binding, from the same cream cotton voile as the underlining.
To keep things light, I just trimmed all the raw edges inside with my pinking shears
The lower edges of the lace are just trimmed evenly with my rotary cutter, the voile is hemmed with a narrow, 1cm hem.
Skirt waistband; cut from a different piece of thicker, naturally crinkle-y, cafe-au-lait cotton, also bought from the Morrison fabric and clothing sale. For closure on both skirt and top I used small mother-of-pearl buttons, found in Le Stash.
Do you wanna hear something funny? See that trapezoidal piece at the back, lower edge of the top? I cut that piece out upside down… with the palm leaves pointing UP instead of down like they are everywhere else… not once, but twice! Once was bad enough, but I couldn’t believe my own stupidity when I found myself doing the same thing, a second time! *facepalm and it was an absolute miracle I had a large enough piece leftover to cut it out a third time in one piece since I really had bought only just enough of the lace in the first place. It is very slightly off-grain… but hey! at least it’s the right way up!!
wot is this pose then, eh?
So that’s it! I really reeeeeally love it, but then again I’ve always had a predilection for white lace things. This one is not too sweet or “young” for me, but just nicely sophisticated enough, I think. I wore it to two separate dinners in Bali, and the tropical feel of the palm leaf motifs combined with the cool airy breeziness of lace and voile in the humidity of Bali made it the most perfect of perfect things to wear for our special outings.
Verdict; very happy 🙂
Oooh! before I forget! a post script/public service announcement… I recently received an email from the Great British Sewing Bee! *cue excited squeal when I had a split second of thinking they were having an Aussie version.. however sadly, NO…the email was to let me know that the next UK season is open to applications and asking me to spread the word. I mean, if we had one here I would love it if someone let me know about it! so I’m like, OK! Also, if we did have one here I would be SO onto that in a hot minute, and if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where you do have these things, well what are you waiting for?!
THE GREAT BRITISH SEWING BEE is looking for a new collection of brilliant amateur sewers for the fifth series of BBC Two’s The Great British Sewing Bee. For more information or to apply please go to: www.applyforsewingbee.co.uk
Closing Date: Midnight May 28th 2018
Details:
Top; In the Folds Collins top, in a stiff lace underlined with cotton voile
Skirt; based on Vogue 1247
Sandals; (white) designed and made by me, details here
(turquoise) la Soffita di Gilde
Another outfit that looks great and is beautifully constructed- thanks for sharing.
thank you Juliet!
First…. Happy Anniversary!!! What wonderful timing for your trip. I’ve really enjoyed your Bali photos on IG and your outfit is gorgeous! The lace is gorgeous…. lacey without being too frilly, giving your outfit a totally classic, yet modern, appearance. The two pieces pair perfectly together. 🙂
thank you so much Lisa! that’s so sweet and kind of you to say! xxx
The outfit is stunning – and that waistband is a thing of beauty? How do you get the corners so sharp, everything so perfectly aligned above the zipper? Truly lovely.
Didn’t mean to have a question mark after the word beauty – your work is simply beautiful.
palm leaf lace would change my mind about lace which I generally don’t care for but this is so pretty and visually interesting. Great choice of shapes for that fabric. Beautiful.
thanks Beth 🙂
Happy Anniversary! I celebrated my 30th anniversary last summer. Hard to believe that many years have gone by…
thank you Angela 🙂
Ohhhh Carolyn! It’s such a gorgeous outfit! Happy Anniversary! You look stunning.
thank you so much Diane! that’s so nice of you to say! xxx
Congratulations, Carolyn, on your 30th wedding anniversary! May there be many more to come:)
thank you Ann! 🙂
The Collins top paired with that pencil skirt is such a beautiful silhouette on you especially in that white lace that looks like a wedding cake 🙂 Happy 30th Anniversary Caroline! Ours isn’t until 2020 but Bali would be a wonderful place to celebrate it!
thank you Kathleen! I think you’d like Bali, the people are so lovely, like you 🙂
Happy Anniversary! I love this outfit; it looks amazing. This is one of my favorite skirt patterns and it’s amazing how you have made so many different looking skirts with it! I have been wanting to make another myself with it, but I cut it out on a too-small-of-a-size now and will have to work at grading it up. I hardly ever cut the pattern, but go figure I did on this one. 🙁
thank you Shirley! but oh no about the pattern! It’s a pretty basic style though so there’s sure to be a current Vogue pattern with the same or at least very similar shape and design.
Stunning outfit. Love the lines of the top
thank you Marcia 🙂
Brilliant match of patterns to that stunning, unusual lace fabric!
thank you Allison 🙂
I guess with three grown up children you have to be having a high number wedding anniversary but I was really surprised. What is your secret for your youthful appearance? Forget applying for the British Sewing bee, you should be signing up with a cosmetic giant.
haha, Mary Anna, that’s the most lovely compliment, thank you so much! 🙂
Love that fabric and you chose the perfect silhouette for it – that slightly wider top with the fitted skirt is absolute perfection. Love those turquoise shoes too!
thank you Sue 🙂
Such a lovely fabric and cool shape! And looks airy and comfortable for the event too! 🙂
thank you so much! 🙂
Happy anniversary! Cute outfit.
thanks Vicki!
Ooh monstera lace! Gorgeous and such a divine use of it! Happy anniversary! Xx
thanks Sarah! xx 🙂
A new Great British Sewing Bee!!! So excited – can’t wait.
Happy anniversary too
thank you 🙂
First Happy Anniversary and your little outfit looks perfect for those special dinner.
Oh the Great British Sewing Bee, but how do we watch it in Australia?
thank you Sharon! I’ve no idea how to watch it here, hopefully some kind person will upload the episodes to YouTube for us again
Thank you for sharing this lovely story, Carolyn! What a good timing! You combined two patterns perfectly creating a stunning outfit! By the way I think you are right, it is better and more respectful even today not wearing white or ivory as a wedding guest. Obviously, you had some lovely day at Bali and hopefully countless other years together!
thank you so much SaSa! Yes I agree, I personally would not wear white or ivory to a wedding, even if I knew others were… it’s just too ingrained in me to change! We had a wonderful time, thank you! 🙂
Happy anniversary, congratulations on a luscious sounding trip, thumbs-up on an outfit for the win!
This 2-piece dress speaks (sings) to me: Monstera deliciosa, a favorite potted plant + translucent/opaque, ahh + white-on-white + minimalist lines = perfection. This goes onto my must-emulate list for upcoming projects. Although obviously we can’t expect to find Monstera patterned lace.
I think you’re on to something, about romantic youthful features such as lace! Ruffles, flounces, ballerina pink, lace….at some age they get tricky to wear. Or is it just me? Somebody once gave me advice about wearing vintage clothing. It might apply to lace as well: whenever wearing a romantic feature, counterbalance it with another feature that’s modern or “tough”. For example, a flouncy dress looks more sophisticated in a solemn color/fabric, such as gray or olive linen. And here, the lace looks modern and grown-up, because the silhouette was kept so architectural. Whereas lace fabric + ruffles would have spelled trouble. Nicely navigated.
thanks so much Sanni! as always you are so so right and have provided such a fantastic abundance of thoughts about fashion… I appreciate your thoughtful and valuable comments more than you can realise!
Really really? Because, just look at your output! Your projects are superb, truly. In my eyes they are that rare intersection of a coherent creative vision, executed with professional level craftsmanship. Some of us get reasonably good at either sewing or design, but rarely both. You don’t need a backseat driver’s musings.
I only write because your blog inspires me tremendously. Your posts make me think, “Oh wow, just look at that brilliant concept! What other possibilities does that open up? What about this piece makes is so cool? How else could I apply this concept?” You make it feel like the sky’s the limit.
If it’s OK to offer comments, then I’m glad, and I’ll soak up your kind words as gratefully as Clara. My tail’s wagging. I’ll be back with more bright insights (heh).
This Ensemble looks stunning. Also Happy 30th wedding anniversary. Glad you enjoyed Bali. Best regards Anita from Basel
thank you so much Anita! xxx
I LOVE this absolutely fabulous ensemble so much that I stopped in the midst of reading your post to purchase and print the Collins Top pattern. I also checked the Tessuti wesite lace inventory, hoping to find something similar to your wonderful palm pattern (no luck). Vogue 1247 is my favorite skirt pattern also, and I intend to make myself an ensemble similar to yours, as soon as I find the right fabric. Thank you for the inspiration.
Your dress is beautiful, You might think about fusing interfacing to your paper pattern to re-inforce the pattern.
Donna