I would class this pattern as an excellent beginner project for those wanting to try a dress with a zip and sleeves. If you are a keen sewer this is quite a quick project that could easily be cut and sewn up in a day.
You can transform this pattern to an everyday dress as well as a retro looking tea dress. I used a small print cotton to give my dress a vintage look and I also added an old but beautiful lace collar. There is a collar pattern piece included for a normal/rounded collar. The sleeves has got three darts which makes for a wider looking shoulder but I think you could easily redraft this to a gathered sleeve if you prefer. I made the size 12 and would normally have to do a slight bust adjustments but I’d say this dress isn’t a close fitting bodice and the gathers do leave a good amount of room if you usually have to add an inch. The front of the bodice is fully lined so if you’ve got a light fabric with a print you might need to use a lining to ensure the print doesn’t show through.
The pattern instructions are nicely printed with photos and text packaged in a sturdy card envelope. The only thing I found was missing is a line drawing of what the back is supposed to look like, but that is just a personal preference.