Merry Christmas from Tuppence Ha'penny

Wishing all my dear, lovely readers a very merry Christmas time!

My Christmas dress for this year was inspired by one I pinned a little while ago - I fell in love with the sweetheart neckline and fitted midriff. The vintage gold lamé fabric I picked up recently on ebay for about a fiver, having decided that what my wardrobe lacked was a gold dress. I don't know how old it is - it could easily be anything from 50s-70s, but it works perfectly for the early 60s vibe of the dress I had in mind.

Dress & matching headband, made by me (details below); 1950s pearls, belonged to my grandmother; Gloves, can't remember; Earrings, Primark (I know!); Shoes, Marks & Spencer (an early Christmas present from Matin).

The bow is detachable, so I can wear it on the back or the front. I made another matching bow to wear as a headband - again in keeping with the late 50s / early 60s look.

The Facts:

Pattern and adjustments: I used Butterick 8933, an early 60s pattern, for the bodice, giving the neckline a sweetheart shape. I thought getting the fit right would be reasonably straightforward but sadly it was not to be - I really struggled with the bust - the original pattern didn't have enough room, then when I did a full bust adjustment it suddenly got really loose around the neckline. I nearly considered abandoning the whole thing, but continued doggedly on even though I thought the best I could hope for was a passable fit. But my persistance paid off, and I managed to solve the entire fit issue by adjusting the shoulder seam - yay!

Techniques: The skirt pattern I used didn't have a side seam, so I had to do a slash opening for the side zip. As this meant I couldn't do my usual lapped zipper insertion, I did a hand-picked installation instead. The dress is also fully lined - a first for me.

Make again? Having cracked the fit, I definitely intend to make another version. The only changes I might make would be to do a centre back zip, and possibly 3/4 length sleeves.