v1196

 I kind of like this Vogue Bellville Sassoon dress. Or rather, I see potential in this pattern for a dress that I might like. The basic shape reminds me of a Ted Baker dress that I own, my 'wear-to-weddings' dress.

Imagine this one all in one colour (including the flounce; actually, particularly the flounce) and certainly without the appliquéd bow. That's what I did and then I ran into some trouble - is the bow entirely applied or is it part of the bodice construction?

I searched all over the internet for any news of this dress and the only relevant item that I found was that this pattern is a best seller. Perhaps not one that actually ever gets sewn. So, in the interests of the sewing public and to record the details for posterity, I bought the pattern.

And here is the relevant instruction diagram. Not evident from the photo is that there is a horizontal tuck just below the neckline. And the bow is indeed part of the construction. I'm not sure what it would look like without the free floating bow ends, and I'm not sure how one would do an fba, and I'm not sure that it would work in a more casual woven instead of a wool crêpe, and I'm not sure that I would ever make it either, but at least my curiosity is satisfied.