Summer wedding - YouLookFab Forum

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Dressing

Summer wedding

ChristineB

My baby sister just got engaged, and will be getting married mid July (in our religion people tend to have short engagements). It will be an afternoon wedding, and not super formal.

I plan on making my dress since I'm on a real sewing kick these days. I have this pattern http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5466.htm and want to make view C, with the fuller skirt & short sleeves. What do you think of the pattern?

I'd love this dress to be my 'LBD' but not in black (since I don't like too much black by my face). I'm thinking of a linen blend fabric, in maybe a green or blue, possibly yellow. What do you think? Could I get away with a print?

If it matters, her wedding colors are navy, light blue & silver.

Thanks!

Dressing

19 replies

Latest reply was from simba2737

ChristineB

I meant to add that even if this dress won't work for *my* LBD variation, I still plan on making it for the wedding.

Ariadne

Veteran

That's a very sweet and pretty design--defintely wedding-y. I think it'll all really come down to the fabric, since it's a simple dress. What about some kind of silk or silk blend?

If you don't mind me asking, what religion are you? I'm religious as well and Mike and I got married 9 months after our first date. We had a 4-month engagement. The speed of it all wasn't religiously mandated, per se (we talked about marriage on our first date, LOL, and knew we'd get married after about a month!), but it was definitely part of the equation, especially since we didn't live together or anything before we got married. It's been 6.5 years now and we couldn't be happier. So, congratulations to your sister!

Our backgrounds are Anglican (via Dutch Calvinism in Mike's case... his family is Dutch) but we go to a very non-Baptist-y Baptist church at the moment.

ChristineB

Brianna - we're LDS (more commonly known as Mormon). Dh & I got married after a little less than 4 month engagement too. We'd known each other for 10 months, and dated on & off. When we were 'off' we were good friends & spent hours on the phone. The short engagement isn't religiously mandated, but is very common when you don't have sex before marriage, kwim? Sorry, this is a little off topic....

Ariadne

Veteran

LOL, yes, I know what you mean!

So do you observe the LDS stipulations about sleeve and hem length, etc., then? I don't think I've seen you mention that on here before but it's also winter.

ChristineB

I don't think I've mentioned it, but I do dress quite modestly. My skirts (and shorts, if I ever wear them) are barely above my knees. I always wear tops with sleeves, and I make sure my necklines are not to low or wide. I've been learning that there are lots of ways to layer to make something that may not be cut quite how I would wish workable. Camis are definitely my friend!! My recent sheath dress purchase will never be worn by me without a blouse under or a sweater/blazer over. Luckily you can be fashionable & modest at the same time!

Inge

(website)

I love the blue skirt you made recently Christine, and I think this dress definitely has potential. I'm not good at visualizing clothes/outfits in the designing stage, but I like the sound of green and blue, and I think a pattern would be a great choice for a wedding.

ChristineB

Thanks Inge - I have a hard time sometimes visualizing what a fabric will look like all done up. And I often get overwhelmed by all the choices that are out there for fabric as well. The other problem I have is sometimes I get an idea in my head of what I want, but can't find the fabric to make it work. Despite all that frustration, I love the sense of satisfaction I get once I make something that turns out well.

I think I'm going to try for a green or blue, maybe in a silk or cotton blend. I think the dress will look best with a fabric that has some body to it.

Violet

Hi Christine, I like the pattern you have chosen. It looks versatile and will be something you can wear on a regular basis. I know nothing about sewing, so I can't offer advice on the type of fabrics, but I like the idea of a green or blue dress. I think those would be good colors on you. I look forward to seeing the end result!

Ellen

Love this pattern and I'd be serious tempted to make it myself for all our weddings this summer if I wasn't going to be 6 months pregnant and rather out of my normal shape!

I think a pattern would look great on this dress and work well for a wedding, but it would take away your LBD possibilities. If you go with a solid, I think this is a classic kind of shape that would work over and over again, even if it's a colour and not black.

BTW, I'm conservative christian and my husband and I also got married within a year of starting to date, after 5 1/2 months engaged. It's been a very happy several years since and I have no regrets! I agree that the no-sex thing beforehand encourages shorter engagements (this is the case with our friends and family!).

anne

Veteran

Christine - I love the dress - it has a sort of 50's vibe that is nice and I think will suit your body type well. And I agree that the dress would look best made with a fabric with body in it. Not sure about patterned versus plain.

More on the off topic thread. And I am another conservative Christian here. We had a 3 month engagement. (Beat you all) although not only for the reasons you guys have mentioned ! (we were both working overseas and had to fit our wedding into our holiday back home, plus a close relative was nearly dying) Being a Christian is really the most important thing in my life, and I was pondering that when Angie asked a while ago about what we wanted to convey in our clothes - because it isn't actually something you can tell just from looking at a person, though it does influence my clothing choices in so far as I try to be reasonably modest, be approachable and also not spend to much money on clothes. (I also try not to think about appearances too much, but am not suceeding too well on that on atm)

Anonymous

Ooh I think this pattern will look very good on your small waist and great figure. Can't wait to see how it comes along so keep us posted as you buy your fabric and sew the dress.
I'm quite happy that sewing clothes is being included in our friendly forum here.

Kari

Veteran

That is such a pretty dress and I look forward to seeing how it turns out. How cool that you are such a capable seamstress! (If I thought I had a chance of making it look right I'd be tempted to try the short sleeved dress with the pencil skirt, but the most complicated thing I've ever sewed was a skirt with a separate bodice, and I had a lot of help.)

Christine, do you have other self-made pieces to share? It would be fun to see what YLF-ers have made themselves!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm so impressed with people that can sew! I loathed sewing and was bad at it. NO PATIENCE. I’d much rather cook for 10 hours straight. It's great that I can appreciate the skill through San and Christine. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished pieces.

Christine, as was mentioned, it’ all about the integrity of the fabric. Also, I think the dress would look classier with a nicer sleeve.

ChristineB

Thanks everyone. I've been on a sewing kick lately in my sparse spare time. I've made a butter yellow skirt with the same pattern as my blue skirt, and a red top that I want to show you, but I lost the battery charger for my camera until yesterday. I'll post them soon.

Angie - what do you mean by a nicer sleeve? Something with more detail? I know you are not fond of cap sleeves, and to be honest, neither am I. I'll probably make the sleeve a little longer than what shows in the pattern. I'd love to hear your ideas, and see if I can incorporate them.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I like the long sleeve on the dress - it's chic. But the sort of half flutter cap sleeve that is on the other option cheapens the look imo. An elbow sleeve or no sleeve would have been more classy.

ChristineB

Thanks Angie, I understand. I will probably make the sleeve closer to elbow, as I don't think cap sleeves do anything for my already broad shoulders.

Ariadne

Veteran

Heh, when Mike and I got married so fast lots of poeple thought we were pregnant. LOL. Nope! We're actually very liberal/progressive in our beliefs in many ways (we have a Jesus fish AND a Darwin fish on our car--I love seeing people's reactions as they try to figure that out, ha) but we weren't sleeping together, so it would have been the immaculate conception part II... still makes me giggle to think about it.

I was just thinking earlier today how I love the diversity on YLF and how we can talk about everything from sleeve length to body hair to recipes to religion without anyone batting an eye. Do you all know how incredibly rare that is on the Internet? Yeah. We're lucky!

Asha

I think the pattern is lovely and would be even more so with an elbow length sleeve. I love that idea.
I'm also LDS (and liberal/progressive too), and subscribe to those same modesty standards, but after Angie's post today, I might make an exception for some tasteful bottom cleavage.

simba2737

I like the pattern you chose and agree that if you have broader shoulders, an elbow length sleeve would balance the dress and look great. I sew as well- I'm recently getting back into it and I'm in the process of making a few dresses. I'm working with a really great cotton blend fabric from Joann Fabrics. It's a beautiful silver grey and has some weight to it. One side is dull and the other has a sheen, and it has some stretch because it's about 3% lycra. I think something similar to that would be great. I would go with a solid if you want to be able to wear it more often.