Kim Dress

A review of By Hand London Kim Dress

Reviewed by LottySews on 19th September, 2017

So this By Hand London Kim Dress is an absolute stunner once she’s made up. I went for the sweetheart neckline combined with the mock wrap skirt, sewn in a Rifle Paper Co. cotton.

There are two bodice variations to chose from with the Kim, and a full skirted or wrap skirt. On the advice of my better half I went for the mock wrap. Which is really not what I would usually go for, I was a bit intimidated by this closer fitting skirt. I was worried I would mess up the fit and it would be either too saggy or too tight! I shouldn’t have worried, those By Hand London ladies seriously know their stuff. The darts in the skirt shape it perfectly and the little knife pleats were so easy to make.

The bodice was also a little intimidating at first. It’s made from 3 front panels and 2 back panels which form figure hugging princess seams. It’s fully lined and closes with an invisible zip. Again, I just kept calm and followed the instructions, it came together just fine.

The fit was fabulous and I felt like a 50s screen siren wearing it!

The only adjustments I had to make were:
– After making a bodice toile in sweedish sewing paper I realised I am NOT a By Hand London UK 12. It came up pretty teeny, so I graded up to a 14.
– I added a bit of extra width to the back bodice panels as they were pulling the front a bit making the mock wrap open up in a rather risque way!
– I added BRIGHT GOLD bias tape to hem the skirt panels (this did mean starting it off before basting the front panels to the bodice and having long dangling pieces of bias in the way, but it looks great on the final thing!).
– I employed a safety pin at the wedding I wore this to, that mock wrap can get a bit um… flashy on the dance floor! Perhaps I should have made bright gold knickers to go with it! The pattern instructions do suggest you might want to stitch the wrap section down a little. I think I’ll do that before I wear it again.

All in all a fab, straight forward pattern which is so glam yet super wearable.

Happy sewing!
Lotty xoxo
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