Made some minor progress last night on my knockoff of the Anthropologie Verite dress. Adjusted some of the fit on the bodice and drafted a skirt for it. The fit is pretty good overall now, but the drapey-ness of the fabric is starting to worry me, as it’s causing some wrinkles in the bodice that I’m not sure will go away once I put in the boning. Maybe I should take it apart and interline all the pieces with muslin? Sigh, all that topstitching to unpick. I might first try lining with silk taffeta to give it some more body. Anyway, here it is in its current state, shown with a black belt because I don’t have a brown one yet.
Hmm- there is a big crease in the skirt that I thought I pressed out. Anyway, all that’s left (if I don’t underline the bodice) is to do a lining with facings, add the boning, insert zipper, hem, and that should be it. [I took my head out of the photo because it looks crazy. Crazy head!]
The Selfish Seamstress 
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January 7, 2010 at 10:51 am
Lindsay T
I’d wait until you try it with the boning before you do anything radical. It really made a difference with my daughter’s dress. Where are you putting the boning? Are you doing a small piece in the center front too? Also, and I don’t mean to sound like your mother here, but are you wearing a strapless bra? Susan Khalje looked at some early photos of my daughter wearing the strapless dress muslin and she said “Well, you’ve got to get her a better strapless bra. That will make all the difference.” I didn’t think it was that important as Annie is small-chested, but surprisingly a new bra did make all the difference in the world. The dress looked tons better on her after that.
At any rate, your dress is looking very good!
January 7, 2010 at 11:43 am
selfishseamstress
Thanks for the suggestions– I’m planning on putting the boning on the princess seams (front and back) and on the side seams. This is usually where I put it on strapless dresses and it generally works for me, but I’m open to suggestions! I’m actually wearing a regular bra in that photo (the straps are the bra, not the dress). If I could find a strapless bra that actually fit me, I’d be all over that! Sigh, the trials and tribulations of being an adult with a prepubescent figure. :D
January 7, 2010 at 2:03 pm
vicki
I have only made one boned garment and I put the boning on a separate layer between the fashion fabric and the lining. If you do that you won’t need to do any unstitching. Oh, and I even put the bra cups onto the inner layer. Have a look…
http://hongkongshopper.blogspot.com/2007/03/bodice-almost-done.html
BTW,it is looking good :)
January 7, 2010 at 5:32 pm
Karima
Looks good to me.
January 7, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Dei
I just discovered your blog. You are hilarious! I love your candid writing style. Book in the works? You must! Oh, BTW, the knock-off dress is ballin’! Even in its present state.
January 7, 2010 at 10:38 pm
Sue
Looking good!
January 8, 2010 at 4:57 am
Marie-Christine
I’m all for trying it on with boning before you consider anything radical. The boning is there to prevent those wrinkles, so there’s no reason it shouldn’t do the job. And yes, lack of boning or shoulder pads of whatever device to improve the general tone of things is pretty shocking.
Nice dress, I”m drooling.
January 8, 2010 at 9:08 am
Liz
Elaine, if the boning doens’t help, what about a stiff, fusible interfacing? I’m not an advanced sewer, but it seems to me that, a) it would give the fabric a firmer feel, and b) you wouldn’t have to remove all of your careful topstitching, and c) it would be completely hidden by the lining. ??
If anyone thinks this is a terrible idea, please let me know! I’m learing along the way, too!
I think the dress is adorable on you. What I would have a problem with is how to wear it at this time of year. I definitely have a shortcoming when it comes to putting a total look together. Would you wear a sweater? Jacket? ?? I’d be at a complete loss, but I’d love to hear how you’d wear it!
All best,
Liz
January 10, 2010 at 11:13 am
Wanett
I have this one in my “too copy someday” folder!
It looks great so far!
January 11, 2010 at 12:06 pm
amber
I think it’s looking really good. So impressed!
January 12, 2010 at 4:25 am
Anonymous
Dear Selfish Seamstress, while boning and interfacing will help the real problem looks to me like the bodice length above the waist is a touch too long for you, hence the horizontal wrinkles. If they go right around your body this is definitely the case. Great dress regardless. I enjoy your blog, and especially your haikus.
Val
January 13, 2010 at 9:28 am
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