I don’t usually make clothes for big occasions. One, I have very few ‘occasions’ and two, I’m not usually that prepared or organized to make it happen. This year I knew going into April that we would have two weddings to attend, one at the beginning of the month and one at the end, and I decided to try and get a dress sewn up for at least one of them. I gave myself plenty of time but still somehow managed to be finishing up last minute before the wedding at the end of April! It all worked out though because I ended up with a very fun party dress that I love. Let’s discuss it!
This is Very Easy Vogue 9343 and it came out in 2018. I don’t think they are making the Very Easy line anymore at Vogue, which is kind of a shame because I always like these patterns.
This dress is a ‘fitted, unlined dress with length variations has back zipper and hook and eye, pleated bodice, circle skirt with stitched hem and pockets. Purchased bias tape finishes armholes.” It comes in sizes 6-22 which is a bust measurement of 30 1/2 inches to 44 inches. While I always like these patterns, they have never been size inclusive.
Very Easy Vogue always has illustrations instead of models, so sometimes things can’t be seen that would show up on a real body that maybe get lost or taken out in line drawings. This dress pretty much looked like the drawing when I was finished minus a couple of issues with the bodice. There is a lot of ease on this dress so I’ll discuss what I would change with sizing farther down, but on the illustration it looks like the skirt hits at the natural waist. I would say it’s much lower and I might shorten the bodice if I ever made this again. I am 5’9″ so shortening bodices is not something I usually have to consider and would want people to be made aware of going in to make this one! Any easy enough modification, just something to keep in mind!
This was a fairly simple dress to make and the instructions were clear and concise. I don’t know that a beginner would enjoy putting this together, but and intermediate sewist could easily tackle this one. If you’ve make pleats and inserted zippers, you could handle this one.
When I first saw this pattern I called it the Dirty Dancing dress. It reminds me of the white dress Baby wears to their first dance (the one where they don’t do the jump!) I thought it was fun and the bodice shape is one that works well on my figure. I bought it once when it was on sale, knowing I could find some reason to make it up!
I really love the bodice of this dress, it has more details than first meet the eye. The pleats are lovely and give it a great shape, there are darts in the front and back for shaping, and the full back with the collar turns the front into almost a shawl collar. It is finished nicely with a facing and was an interesting construction that helps keep this dress from feeling too naked.
The fabric is this beautiful Atelier Jupe Layered Floral Collage Coral Rayon. I loved the print and am really happy with the weight of it. It is rayon so there is drape but it also has a little bit of weight to it that makes it hold the pleats as well as make the circle skirt extra swishy.
I made a straight size 12 of version A (the shorter version) which fit perfectly in the waist (hips didn’t really matter). I ended up having to take in quite a bit of the bodice. With the low cut and blouse like drape, it was way too big. If I made this again or if I was talking to someone about to make it, I would tell them to go off their bust measurement for sizing and maybe even size down one. I think it would be fairly simple to keep the circle skirt the size you need and grade the bodice too it or open up the darts, there was plenty of ease to make it happen. I also tacked down the blouse in the front as it was a little too open for me for a daytime wedding. This is easy enough to change and when you construct the bodice, you can decide where you want it to go with easy modifications.
I had so much fun wearing this at a friend’s wedding, it was a great dancing dress! I don’t know that I will get a ton of use out of it, it seems like a pretty specific dress between the style and the fabric, but I will definitely keep if for a party dress in the future.
A really fun make that was also fun to wear. I’m happy I finally got to sew this pattern that I’ve loved from the moment it came out!
Thoughts on Creativity 