My Christmas Par-Tea Dress.

My party dress is the Simple Sew English Tea Dress. I wanted a black dress, which I could customise and make nice and Christmassy with this beautiful gold trim.

I bought this lovely, drapey black viscose dress fabric from the local market and 2 metres of it just covered this dress.
The pattern came together quite quicky, there’s darts in both the front and the back pieces which gives it a really nice shape. As this was my Christmas dress I used gold ribbon as a binding on the facings before sewing them in place.

I had left the dress very last minute, I’ve had it cut out for ages but the party date just crept up on me! Anyway, because I was rushing slightly, I didn’t have a long zip so I had to use a 9 inch one… luckily I had cut the back piece on the fold; it meant I didn’t have to cut in in half to insert a zip. and it does make it look smoother. It does mean I have to wiggle in to it a bit but it’s no big deal.

The picture on the pattern shows a V-shaped dip at the waist but I found the pattern doesn’t allow for this as much as it suggests. I inserted the cute little tulip shaped sleeves (the pattern comes with 3 options) and then hemmed it, which was an absolute nightmare, the fabric seemed to slip even with pressing and pinning. I pinned and sewed the trim along the hem with the design slightly overlapping the edge,  hiding any dodgy hemming!

I toyed with the idea of adding the trim elsewhere and pinned it along the neck and the waist to try it but decided against it in the end…  I think my hubby’s words were ‘you have issues with simple being better don’t you?’ I do think it looks effective and more classy and not too OTT this way.

I styled in with black tights and these gorgeous festive gold T-bar shoes… Another reason I didn’t go mad with gold trim- I knew I had gold accessories!

I felt really glam and was so pleased to be wearing something I made when I didn’t even know how to see clothes this time last year. Also, just to add, I borrowed my friends chopstick curlers and oh my God, I’m in hair love! Tis definitely the season.  For more pictures and construction info,  visit my blog.

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