These dresses were inspired by a 1953 Modes Royale cocktail dress.
For more information and photos about this outfit, click here.
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View A
Baste the lace onto the upper bodice pieces.
Baste two lower bodice pieces together for interfacing.
Sew the upper and lower bodice pieces together.
Straps
Baste straps to the upper bodice.
Sew the upper bodice to the lower bodice.
Clip and notch the seam allowance.
Sew the upper and lower bodice lining pieces together.
Mark the seam allowance on the lower bodice.
Bodice lining.
Stitch the lining to the top of the bodice, under-stitch.
Left skirt darts
Right skirt darts
Stitch the left skirts together.
Stitch the right skirts together.
Turn the skirts right side out and press.
Stitch the left skirt to the bodice.
Stitch only both layers of the skirt to the bodice front.
Stitch the right skirt to the bodice.
Leave the back skirt lining at the waist free.
Back extension
Center back seam
Press the skirt back seam allowance.
Press up the bodice back seam allowance.
Hand stitch the back opening lining to the skirt.
Baste the skirt lining at the waist.
Hand stitch the lining at the waist.
Snaps
Strap snaps
Press the skirt drape
View B
The left dress is made out of chiffon and sequins.
The right dress is made out of tulle and sequins.
Baste the sequined fabric to the upper bodice pieces.
Remove any sequins that would get caught in the seams.
Stitch the upper and lower bodice pieces together.
The tulle straps are made of two 4"x 4" pieces of tulle.
Stitch the lower bodice to the upper bodice.
Bodice lining
Tulle skirt is two 8" lengths of tulle.
Underskirt
View C
Upper bodice
Fuse interfacing to the lower bodice pieces.
Bodice
Bodice lining
Stitch the skirt to the bodice.
Stitch the bodice lining to the bodice, under-stitch the lining.
Hem
Strap is cut out on the diagonal of the gingham.
Strap
I stitched the strap with the foldline facing to the right to get an accurate strap width.
Leave a long length of thread for turning.
Cut the seam allowance.
Turning tool
Turn the strap right side out, press and cut it in half.
Stitch straps on dress.
Cut the flowers off the stems.
Choose flowers with centered holes.
Fray-Check the holes.
Mark the center of the upper bodice.
Sew the flowers and beads onto the bodice.
Bonus Dress
This dress has a halter strap.
The dress on the left has a full circle skirt.
The dress on the right has a half circle skirt.
Strap is sewn on one side of the bodice front.
A hook on the end of the strap and a thread loop inside the bodice.
