Sewing a herringbone wool dress from Givenchy 1970’s Vogue Paris Original 1950 pattern

DressmakingWinterStyle
Written By Frances Lawrence

TOTAL TIME COMMITMENT: 31.5 hours including toile (note this dress is unlined)

Toile (without buttons, lining, interior seam finishing, basting stitch removal or hemming): 12 hours

Cut out & transfer all pattern markings: 5 hours

Main construction: 10 hours

Lining construction: none

Finishings (buttons, hem): 5.5 hours

ADDITIONAL SEAM FINISHING, CONSTRUCTION NOTES & EXTRAS

  • 4x side seams, armscye & pocket bags – bias bind together

  • Pocket-to-dress seam – French seam

  • Underarm – French seam

  • Shoulder seam – bias bind each side separately

  • Sleeve seam – French seam

  • Handworked button holes

 

VERDICT & LESSONS LEARNT

This fabric I chose was a poor choice for both my petite frame and personal style – it felt too dark and heavy for me to wear as an all over colour, especially in a loose-fitting dress like this. I felt my frame was ‘weighed down’ by both the colour and weight of the fabric.

In addition, it was ill-suited to the dress design in two ways; it was quite thick for the tucks which added lots of bulk to the bodice; it was heavy and structured so lacked the fluid drape that I think this design is better suited for.

When a panel is going to be button-holed (like the front of this dress), the interfacing should blend into the fabric colour-wise, otherwise it will show through when you cut for the button holes

 

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