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A dress for me to wear at my son's bar mitzvah

About a year before my daughter's bat-mitzvah, SSS sample sale, a terrific clothing loft in the garment district wad a huge sale. I bought a black suit with tuxedo like details made out of black stretch wool. it looked terrific and cost nearly nothing. I wore it to her bat - mitzvah.

Before my older son's bar mitzvah, I had bought several black and white striped silks. I thought I would make myself a pieced dress with the stripes going in every direction. Since I taught my son, made his tallit, made his tallit bag and invitation and did the flowers.. I sort of ran out of team and never did make that dress. Instead I wore a great 1940's inspired wrap dress by Zelda that gives me-- even post three kids -- a wasp waist.

Now that bar mitzvah #3 is around the corner I have dress visions dancing in my head. I regularly check out the vintage clothing sites. I also have a large collection of vintage sewing books. One concept that I have seen in dresses from the 1920's on is a sheer dress worn over a slip. The slip is meant to be visible and is a part of the dress design. I find the idea of the sheer dress over the very visible dress to be intriguing.

Recently, I purchased a reprint of a 1930's pattern drafting book.I was hoping to use that book to draft a dress. I also purchased some sheer black wool gauze to make the dress. I have been thinking about what to make the slip out of.

I spent part of today laying different fabrics under the wool. My goal is to have the interaction between the two fabrics be more interesting than either fabric on it's own. So far my two favorites are an light grey blue shantung and a striped rayon...

I will keep you al posten on the progress of this dress.
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  1. Cindy February 14, 2009 at 1:12 PM

    I've always loved that 1920's sheer dress worn over a slip look. So feminine. Glad I found your blog!

    ReplyDelete

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