Copying the RTW

Hopefully, the last from my series of uninteresting but favourite and easy-to-wear garments. Promised, I will stop sewing brown, black and grey once the winter is over. I have actually made a few fabric purchases containing more colours.

The main inspiration for this dress was a RTW dress which I was very excited about when I saw it in the shop.

High waist – perfect

Back opening – niiiiice

Polka dot – cuute

Until I put it on, of course... While the dress fitted very well in the waist-hips area, there were 4-5cm too much on the shoulders and arms. That's huge. I bought it anyway and spent a week-end unpinning the whole armscye and sleeves, adjusting them to my apparently little shoulder and sewing the dress back.

Beside having a wake-up moment: spend time shopping, pay 50eur + spend a week-end to adjust the dress > better spend the money on fabric and sewing it by myself; I must admit that I got a great fit on this one!

So naturally, I soon decided to copy the pattern on another wardrobe basics.

My version is made of light wool, lined with cotton-silk on the bodice which makes it very warm, without looking stiff and bulky. (The original is from cotton, not lined).

Should I make it again (and I probably will), I would add the skirt lining as well; the wool tends to stick to my legs sometimes.

Of course, I have put in an invisible zipper, and paid attention to darts matching.

Inspiration: RTW

Pattern: NN

Pattern changes: bodice adjustments

Technique: matching the darts

Fabric: dark grey wool, cotton-silk for bodice lining

Time to Complete: 1 week

Total Cost: 30 EUR