This year, the theme for this fabulous challenge, which is the brainchild of Elizabeth of Elizabeth Made This, is Coffee and Cocktails. Today I'm sharing my coffee dress, but you can see my coffee and cocktail dresses side-by-side on Elizabeth's blog, here.
"A dress with a day look: This should be a casual dress appropriate for your everyday life. This dress should take you out to have coffee with a friend (jasmine green tea soy latte for me, please!)."
For my coffee dress, I cycled through several pattern and fabric combinations (you can see a previous contender here on Instagram) before making a last minute decision to keep it simple, stupid. I went with an old favorite, the Cashmerette Concord t-shirt (see my Concords here and here and here). It is #Cashmerettechallenge month, after all. I’ve been meaning to make a dress version of this classic curvy t-shirt pattern and I’ve also really wanted a sweatshirt dress. I'm under no illusion that Vermont winter is over yet....
For this dress, I sewed a size 16 C/D (which is the same as the last Concord I made). Using the mid-length/straight hem version, I lengthened the bodice of the dress by 16” at the lengthen/shorten line. I chose with the high neck option and long sleeves, because winter. I made my typical 1” full bicep adjustment and added 3.25” to the sleeve length so that I could hem them by an inch to match the bodice hem (the pattern has them finished with a band at the cuff).
The fabric is this fabulous quilted knit that Joann Fabrics had this past fall. After sewing with it a couple of times (here and here), I casually mentioned to my mom that I would appreciate her keeping an eye out for more of it at her Joann. My mom, believing that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing, went to like 5 local Joanns and got me approximately 87 yards of this stuff. I’m not mad.
The fabric is this fabulous quilted knit that Joann Fabrics had this past fall. After sewing with it a couple of times (here and here), I casually mentioned to my mom that I would appreciate her keeping an eye out for more of it at her Joann. My mom, believing that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing, went to like 5 local Joanns and got me approximately 87 yards of this stuff. I’m not mad.
As you can see, I have a bit of rippling at the hips, but I think that's because I used my sewing machine for the major seams (my serger is acting a little funny and I don't trust it for the load-bearing seams right now). But honestly, I think most people wouldn't notice it, it's just that I'm standing against a solid color background here.
I’m pretty jazzed about this sweatshirt dress! It’s super comfortable, but not slouchy at all. The curves of the Concord pattern lend themselves really well to a dress. Dare I say it feels sexy? And yet appropriate for both work, a cup of coffee with friends, or basically whatever I want, depending on whether it’s paired with heels, sneakers or boots... It can also be layered because it's pretty close-fitting. A definite winner in my book!
Here's how I'll likely wear it, with a scarf and a jacket of some sort. Works pretty well with my Hampton Jean Jacket!
Go check out my coffee and cocktail dresses side-by-side at Elizabeth's blog. While you're there, have a look at what all the other bloggers have made... so inspiring!! I'll be back here with more detail on my cocktail dress tomorrow.
Thanks so much for having me, Elizabeth!
Here's how I'll likely wear it, with a scarf and a jacket of some sort. Works pretty well with my Hampton Jean Jacket!
Go check out my coffee and cocktail dresses side-by-side at Elizabeth's blog. While you're there, have a look at what all the other bloggers have made... so inspiring!! I'll be back here with more detail on my cocktail dress tomorrow.
Thanks so much for having me, Elizabeth!