Saturday, May 21, 2011

McCalls 6997 - Summer Seersucker Dress

The Summer Seersucker Dress is finished!


 Here's my summer seersucker inspiration, if you missed it.  This dress was featured on the Satorialist.  (Note the very "retro" 1994 pattern I found for my dress!)


I think I came pretty close, especially considering I'm not a thin Italian street fashionista.  I LOVE my finished dress too!  I wore it yesterday and got loads of compliments (which sorta surprised me, since it's such a non-structured dress).

Let's start at the top!  The bodice has non-functioning buttons (the pattern calls for buttonholes, but the neckline is plenty wide enough to slip over my head, so I skipped them).



I used 4 mis-matched vintage pearl buttons of nearly the same size.

I topstitched the neckline and cap sleeve edge, to hold the facing into place (and just because I thought it needed the finishing touch).




If I have any beef at all, it's that the sleeve facings are really wide.  See them peeking out above?  They don't do that when you wear it, but I suppose they *could* if you weren't careful.  I might trim these back quite a bit.  Next time I'll probably just use a bias binding for neck and sleeve edge.

I also skipped interfacing.  For such a breezy dress, it seemed unnecessary.  The hem is turned up about 2.5".  I think it could use another inch or so, but that's OK.


In from of my "lucky bamboo", which reminds me of something.  As I was finishing it up and then trying it on I realized why I loved the style so much.  It's very "Japanese pattern book" in it's simplicity.


Yesterday, I wore it with my navy Keds, which got a little messy while I was taking pictures in the early morning dew.


You'd have thought I was wearing a super-expensive pair of shoes from the way the kids acted at school yesterday.  They LOVED the Keds.  Ha.  Go figure.  Everything 80's really IS in style right now.  I must have had a dozen pair of Keds as a kid.

All in all, a successful dress project.  I'll be reusing this pattern again!

23 comments:

  1. Ah Keds. I had a dozen pairs too. All white. lol Oh wait, I think I had some pink ones too.

    Love the dress! I can see why it generated so many compliments. It's very feminine and flattering on you.

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  2. It's fabulous and very flattering! I love seersucker and this is such a nice colour--the perfect summer dress! It looks so incredibly comfy too! Great job!

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  3. Oh, I just love how yours turned out! I am excited for my pattern to get there to copy you. :) Of course, this will probably wait until next summer when I am no longer preggo (it's nursing friendly too with the buttons!). I am super glad I saw you doing this dress because this is JUST what I like to wear in the summer.

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  4. I love keds and it's time to get me a few pairs for the summer.

    The dress is fabulous! I love that you started, finished and wore something. Hope you are finally getting weekends again. g

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  5. Cute and cool! Love it!

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  6. Super cute! I am loving the seersucker- especially yours with aqua stripes rather than traditional blue.

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  7. I LOVE this! It looks great on you and it looks like it feels wonderful, too! The mis-matched buttons are a stroke of genious- I want to use that idea now!

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  8. The dress is very flattering on you and it looks perfect for summer.

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  9. A success indeed! I love the 4 different button detail. It gives it such a boutique-like finish. Love the Keds!

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  10. Yeah it's cute! Don't think I'm crazy, but I love everything you make. Love your blog and the styles you pick.

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  11. Your dress looks so fresh and cool for summer - I love seersucker! Nice touch with the lovely buttons.

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  12. Love your dress, and the buttons are a great touch! Wish I had some seersucker in the stash...

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  13. Great dress! I never would have thought about mismatched buttona - they're soooo cute!

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  14. I love the swingy swishy skirt and the seersucker really gives it the Summertime feel.

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  15. This looks like the ultimate summer dress pattern! I've been searching and searching for a pattern I could make a "house dress" from -- something cute enough to wear to the store, comfy enough to wear all day and do house stuff in, and not so fancy that I feel overdressed. Now I'm seriously tempted to look for this pattern!

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  16. Nice dress! I love the colour, so perfect for summer. And I think it looks cute and comfortable at the same time, good combination :)

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  17. Okay, I already found the pattern and bought it--you bad influence, you!

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  18. HAHAHHA! I was just going to say "I didn't wear keds in the 80's because it was too preppy for me" and then I looked down and my word verification is "prept". I kid you not. How awesome is that?

    Actually, it's kinda creepy now that I think about it. hmmm....

    Exellent summer dress! You could make another one in, uh.... something floral and breezy? Right?

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  19. OH this is so flattering. Thanks for sharing the sewing details

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  20. Oh, cute, cute, cute dress. Love Keds.

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  21. I probably have it or another like it (pattern) and wore dresses like that to work in the 90's alot. I wore mine with sandals or ballerina flats and wore the dresses longer. I love yours, now I need to dig the patterns up...

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  22. A very pretty dress...and it looks so comfortable. I love seersucker fabric, it just looks so summery and feminine.

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  23. Anonymous9:50 PM

    Love it! I might have to do something like that with one of the patterns I picked up at Joanne's last weekend.

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