Riviera chic – Regatta Dress

I helped test the Regatta dress last summer and I was taken with its summery, vintage feel. It has only a few pieces in very simple shapes and the fit of the bodice is by adjusting the ties which slot through a channel along the top which gathers it up. Once you’ve got it adjusted to your liking it’s probably a good idea to stitch your ribbons in position so that they don’t keep shifting about while you’re wearing it. I’m not very full-busted but I suspect this is a bodice that could need an FBA so that it gives better coverage in the front. The skirt is simply either gathered or pleated onto the waist seam, and there are large patch pockets too. One other nice detail is the buttons run all the way down the back, although that does mean I have to put the dress on back to front, button it up then swivel it round! It’s better if you’ve got someone in the house to help you with that bit! You could always use fake buttons for the skirt section, although you do still need to be able to get into, and do up, the bodice. The bodice is already lined as part of making the ribbon tie channels but I also chose to put a simple A-line cotton lawn lining in the skirt, this doesn’t add bulk at the waist seam. I also added a hook and eye at the waist seam so that the button and buttonhole at that point isn’t taking all the strain. I used a contrast Grosgrain ribbon for my ties but you could make your own from self-fabric too. A pretty summer style which is great for swooshing in! I wrote a fuller review over on my blog susanyoungsewing.wordpress.com if you want more information, you can find it in Pattern Reviews in the menu.