Mad Men dress, duh.

I started this dress when it was 75 degrees and sunny outside. I know what you're thinking... that I've been working on this dress for months. False. Last weekend, I cut everything out and pieced together the whole thing. I had really sort of planned on wearing it, since it was beautiful and sunny and warm out despite the fact that it is January. I didn't want to sew the armholes though. Armholes, boooo. Now that I've finished, it's cold, and Thursday it snowed. I may look warm in my Jack Rogers but I'm... not. I've just been workin that gradual tan lotion.

This dress is made using New Look 6145. I originally wanted to put some lace down the front Lilly Pulitzer style, but I already have a green Lilly dress with white lace. Instead I turned to my pinterest sewing board and and was inspired by the dress on the left, worn by Cynthia in Mad Men:

Full disclosure: I am terribly far behind in Mad men, and haven't watched this episode. I only know that the woman's name is Cynthia because I borrowed the photo from this amazing Mad Men costuming website which has her named as such. But look at the little notched hemline with a bow! I wanted to make the dress a little longer and thus more work-appropriate and so I added a faced notched hem instead of just facing the existing hem.

This is my second version of this dress. I made a quick wearable muslin which was too big in the bust and will be sent to my mom. The only alterations I made to the pattern were to take out an inch in the center front and back, and to line the dress instead of using facings. This fabric (Kona cotton) doesn't need it but I wanted the practice. The dress is pretty roomy, so I omitted the zipper and cut the back piece on the fold. I think I could take it in a little bit at the back darts if I add the zip back in, and I might do that to get a slightly more fitted silhouette.

no zipper!

side angle.

It's not the most flattering dress I've ever made, but it's not horribly unflattering, and I think it will get a lot of wear because its really comfortable, my favorite color, long enough for work, machine washable (well, we'll see), and plays nicely with cardigans. I hope to make several of these dresses for the summer in a couple different colors and with some fun embellishments: coral with navy lace? colorblocked? more exposed zips?!

Fabric: Kona Cotton
Pattern: New Look 6145
Year: Contemporary.
Notions: none
Time to complete: not long.
Wear again? yes.
Make again? yes.
Cost: $20