Fabulously fifties!

This is a really lovely pattern and would be perfect for an intermediate sewist that likes a bit of vintage inspired fashion!

As I had never made this dress or used a pattern by How To Do Fashion before, I decided to use some inexpensive fabric for my first attempt and call it a ‘wearable toile’. I picked up this 1.8m viscose twill remnant for £9 and I think it’s worked well for the pattern. It doesn’t give much structure to the dress, so details like the skirt pleats aren’t as defined, but it is beautiful quality and I think the drape works well for the garment.

I downloaded the instructions to make the København and was quite surprised that there were only a couple of pages for what I would deem a fairly involved make. If I hadn’t constructed similar garments before I definitely would have struggled with the steps provided, so I wouldn’t recommend the pattern for a beginner.

I made a straight size 6 as the measurements matched mine almost exactly and I think the fit is really good, particularly at the waist and hips. There is a little bit of excess fabric between the bust and the arm, so I would look to make an alteration to improve this on my next version – perhaps a small bust adjustment.

I’m delighted with the finished garment and I’m already thinking about making another version in some beautiful vintage cotton sateen from my stash! The collar detail is really unusual and sophisticated and I love the silhouette of the dress too.