Jennifer Lauren Handmade Laneway Dress

This was very quick a straightforward make, though this is definitely not my first dress. There were elements of the instructions that could be clearer for beginners, but nothing that a quick google/search on YouTube couldn't solve. I did struggle with the fit and ended up working through 3 muslins to fit the bodice. According to the sizing, I'm two cups sizes larger than this pattern is designed for, though it has a decent amount of ease. I ended up making the D cup (despite being 2" larger), and it fit like a dream.

I loved how easily and precisely this dress came together. The pattern feels very well drafted. The cut and shaping of the bodice is beautiful, and one that I plan to go back to. I already have plans for my next Laneway Dress!

I have made two versions of the Laneway dress and I am sure there will be many more. This is a great pattern for show casing beautiful fabric, with an A-line shape that really flatters the figure. I graded between two sizes according to my measurements and the fit was perfect with no adjustment required. I decided to fully line my version, as the fabric was a cotton lawn and I wanted a dress to wear all year round. I therefore didn't use the facing and just cut out additional pieces of bodice and skirt pieces in the lining fabric. The construction is simple with shaping provided by the open ended bust darts, so the dress comes together quickly. For me pockets are important and this dress has inseam pockets.                                                                               

I’ve made two Laneway dresses with the plain neckline so far, and I love it. I often struggle with full bust adjustments and having a pattern with cup sizes is just amazing. I have very narrow shoulders and a narrow upper chest so I made a couple of small adjustments to the bodice and sleeve placement and it’s now perfect. I will be making many of these in the future!
This version is a medium weight cotton from John Lewis, it’s a William Morris print. I’ll post a picture of me in it on my Instagram eventually! (@susanbrodigan)

This is my second review of the Laneway (see below for the first with the asymmetric neckline) but thought I'd pop some thoughts on about the plain neckline version. Again it's a fine baby cord dress, and the thicker fabric works well with the shape of the dress, I think something too drapey would lose the style lines. I really like the plain neck version- it's a great canvas to show off a nice print as there aren't too many darts to break up the print. The dress is actually quite easy to sew, particularly this version. The trickiest part is probably the invisible zipper at the back and if you've done one before it won't be a problem (or even if it's your first one!). As always instructions are great and Jen is very accessible by e-mail to answer any queries.

I love the fact it includes cup sizes- great for small busted (or larger busted!) ladies. I made a 6B grading to between a 6-8 at the waist. Fit is great, although I did increase the under bust darts a bit as I had a bit extra material there (cough cough- A cup here). My measurements are bust 31, waist 26.5, hips around 36.

My favourite other things about the dress: 1- the lovely side seam pockets anchored to the waist, which means that even a heavy phone won't distort the shape of the skirt. 2- the back neckline with that sweet v- pretty but still modest. I've posted a picture on my Instagram of it (@goingtoneedstitches) if you want to see.

Least favourite thing: the sleeves. It comes with a short sleeve but I wish it included a fitted longer sleeve, or even a cap sleeve, for versatility!

I've now been sewing for just under a year and this is probably the first dress I can definitely see myself making again in future as it's such a lovely shape!

After seeing many gorgeous Laneway dress versions, I wanted to give this pattern a try.

The best thing in this pattern is that it comes with multiple cup size options. This means that it will be a lot easier to fit once you find your own size. The instructions are easy to follow and the construction of the dress is fairly simple. I also like the general fit of this garment. There is enough room to move my arms and the waistline is not too high.

The only alteration I made to the pattern was that I added 2,5 inches to the hem. I do this pretty often since I like my dresses knee-length. Otherwise I didn't need to make any alterations.

I would recommend this pattern to anyone looking for a simple dress pattern with some interesting details. The asymmetric collar is simply charming. Open ended waist darts are really nice as well. There is this cute vintage style to this dress without it being too much. It still looks like a modern piece.

The only thing I would make differently next time is to choose a little bit heavier fabric. This lovely polka dot fabric looks really pretty but I think this dress would be even better if the fabric would have more weight and drape.