OOTD/Made by Me File: Rosalyn's Easter. New Look 6262 and New Look 6335.

Day: Sunday, April 5, 2015.

Where:  Easter services and Easter lunch/supper.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I had constructed the dress myself with my sizing in mind, so I was very comfortable.  The only thing that bugged a bit was the underarm portion, which makes me fear that I have even more of a square shoulder adjustment to do the next time I sew up this pattern.  (I don't have a lot of fluff up top, but my shoulders go up at the end instead of sloping down, and since the patterns are all drafted for a much more sloped shoulder than I have, I always have to do a "square shoulder adjustment."  I thought I had done enough of one here, but I must need another 1/8 to 1/4 inch to be truly comfortable.)

Outfit Details:  Dress, made from New Look 6262; Shoes, Target; Tilly Cardigan, J. Crew (available here); Necklace, J. Crew.

Anecdote of the Day:  So in Mississippi and apparently this part of Indiana, people say supper instead of lunch.  Or is it dinner at lunch and supper is what I call dinner?  I don't know, lol.  Here in Northern Virginia, and maybe the rest of the state, supper is dinner, if we say supper at all.  I find it all so fascinating. 

I say yard sale instead of garage sale and every big road (interstates, freeways, etc.) are highways.  Other states round here do the same, but you go further west/north and the differences in terms are more pronounced.  Speaking of pronounced, if you really want to have some fun, ask a Virginian to pronounce either Fauquier county or Norfolk.  Trust me.

Do you have any local idioms that are a dead giveaway you are from somewhere? 

New Look 6262.  Without fail, I knew that I would likely be making the size 10 at the top bit (hey my absent flat-chested self), but because of the smaller waist measurement on the tissue, I decided it would be smart if I made the rest of the dress below the bust in a size 12.  It worked out great, and though I could have maybe squeezed into the 10 at the waist (the hips would have been fine, obviously), the 12 gave me a lovely amount of ease.

I specifically chose the fabrics because I really wanted to make the Rosalyn Dress from Boden since the debacle with my preview orders about two months back.  I didn't ever intend for this to be my Easter dress, but I was so fired up about the way Boden handled processing the credit that I CANCELED my order and got in my head that I could make something just as great as what I canceled.  The top bit is made from a cotton lace broderie fabric I bought from Fabric Mart last year, and the bottom is a home decor print from Waverly (Blossom Boutique Twill Aurora) I knew would look nice with the lace. 

I love how many options New Look 6262 gave me in terms of necklines, sleeves, etc.  I chose the cap sleeve with the scoopneck option, and made sure to follow the instructions for the lace version at least in the bodice.  It asked me to underline versus line my bodice, and so that is what I did.  It did feel a bit odd to underline (I used a stretchy cotton poplin fabric for that) and then use a facing, but the result was great, so I am not questioning it.  I clearly did not need to underline the skirt, but I did end up adding pockets, which I grabbed from Butterick 5211 (they were absolutely perfect as is).

Back view.  I didn't have any long white invisible zips at the house, but because they are invisible, except for the top pull, I just used a baby blue that matched the skirt perfectly.  It is fine!

The Rosalyn dress doesn't have a back zip and since I prefer back to side zips, AND I prefer this floral to the one they have on theirs, I am claiming sewing success on this dress.  I love it way more than the Rosalyn.  Rare for me to say this, but Dina 1--Boden 0.

Rosalyn Dress.  Still a very pretty dress, just not for me.  I think had all of the credit processing been more normal (or at least more timely in dropping the extra charges placed on my account), I would have gone with this one and not even been tempted to sew my own.  Ultimately I was glad I did since I also had enough fabric left over for my daughter's Easter dress, too.  If you do like this dress, it is on sale right now, for 20% off.

For CW's matching dress (which Boden has no version of for their mini line) I used New Look 6335 for sleeves and skirt, while rest is Simplicity 1211.  Since she is a wee girl with few curves, she is super easy to fit (and that makes this super easy to sew, too), but I did decide to make the skirt from one long rectangle rather than three rectangles (one for the front piece and two for the back pieces with a zip in the middle).  This means that her skirt has no side seams but does have a back seam that meets up with the middle back seam of the bodice.  I could have used a zip that went all the way down into her skirt, but again, girl with no curves, so I just added a small 7 inch zip at the top of the bodice and called it a day.  If she does get big enough that I need to add a longer zip, I have the infrastructure in place to do so.  I don't see any big difference between her skirt fullness and the one on the New Look 6335 package.  Hers is plenty full enough but uses far less fabric.  I tell you those girls dresses require SO much skirt fabric.  Ridiculous.  This is like the tenth time I have chosen not to use the full amount because I refuse to waste fabric if the end result will only look marginally different.

I do want to mention two things--

1. Gathering has always been a bit of a bear for me.  This time I did the proper three rows of gathering on the longest stitch length and then pulled them up to the length needed to match the bodice pieces.  In order to make sure the gathers didn't get folded down and smooshed by the presser foot, I made the *bold,* lol, decision to decrease my foot pressure on my machine.  Why in the world I hadn't done that before is beyond me, but wow, what a difference.  I still had to take it nice and slow and maneuver the gathered bits properly so they wouldn't get misshapen by the machine and the foot, but the gathers lie nice and prettily rather than skewing to one side as they want to do if I leave the presser foot pressure at the higher amount.  (They skew towards the opposite side that the presser foot is approaching from, so if the presser foot comes from the left on the wrong side, the gathers all skew to the right on the front, probably barely noticeable, but it drives me batty.)

2. I have laundered these dresses on delicate, in a cold wash, and hung them to dry.  They came out great, even though the skirt fabric recommends dry cleaning.  Just a bit of a "go on and do it" for those of you wondering if you should.  ;-)

I wrote up a pattern review on my dress here at Pattern Review.  It has a bit more of the technical dealings for those of you that care.

I will write up the pattern review for CW's dress soon.  When I do that I will update this blog post.

Okay, you all have a great night!!!  

Boden Reviews: Beatrice, Eliza, and Isla.

Today's reviews will be in this order: Beatrice Dress, Eliza Coat, and the Isla Dress.  I purchased the Eliza Coat way back in preview, and reviewed it here when it came to me.  It has only recently gotten chilly enough to justify wearing it, but I have worn it three times this week alone, so yay for that.  :-)  (Still hate cold!)  The Beatrice Dress and the Isla Dress are both very recent purchases, bought when Boden was having a good sale or another (can't remember if it was the dresses sale or if it was the Black Friday sale, I am 100% sure the Isla Dress was purchased during the Black Friday sale, though, since I was only able to buy it after receiving a $50 gift card from my mother- and father-in-law).

I am partially doing these reviews as a way to tip my toes back in the water of blog writing after my recent loss, but also because I know that the big end of season sale has moved into second cuts and I am sure some of you really want to see some of these items on someone already.  ;-)

FWIW, the Beatrice Dress is 60% off (very good price for what you receive), the Isla Dress is a mere 20% off (except the beetroot check which is 40% off), and the Eliza Coat is 30% off (that's a good price, the coat is gorgeous in real life).

Beatrice Dress (here at Boden).  I chose to purchase a 6 Long as it seemed to have enough of a bell to its skirt to make that my choice rather than an 8 Long which I will sometimes purchase if a skirt is more straight on a dress.  I was nearly right, it is a slight bell, but it is definitely not as full as I thought it might be.

Regardless it fits well.  The top half is a touch long in the bodice, but this is the case with nearly every dress I own, so bear that in mind, as most of you are not super short through your torso.

The length on the dress is awesome, though, hitting right where I like my skirts to hit, mid-kneecap.

If you look closely you can see that there are two pleated tucks in the waistband of the skirt.  It's fine, but I would prefer that Boden consider a different application in the future.  They always want to do this, but a lot of women can't wear that well.  I felt the need to stand very straight in order to keep this dress from poufing out.  I think a pretty gather there would be a better choice (where the skirt front is a bit more full at the bottom to compensate for it).  Or if they really want a more straight silhouette, just go with a couple of darts at the waistband.

BTW, no pockets.  Boo!  It is easy enough to add them, but that is for the future. 

The material is amazing, a lovely mid-weight brocade polyester.  The florals are all woven into the fabric, but well done, and even though it comes with a delicate care tag, I didn't feel like I was going to pull the threads out at any point in the evening (I wore it to my kids' Christmas Pageant at the church).

The back features a back zip!  Hurray!  The bodice is fitted, so while I *can* zip it up with a bit of a struggle, it is helpful to have someone else help.  Just letting you all know.

The pleated detail on the front does NOT extend to the back, thank goodness.

I hadn't even noticed the back of the sleeve until I was editing these photos, but there is a cuff placket detail back there.  That takes work and care, and that bit of tailoring you rarely see anymore.  I did the same effect on a dress I sewed up recently, and I appreciate that Boden still adds these features.


Beatrice Dress.  Not really selling out in the color I chose, but the other colors appear more popular.

Eliza Coat (here at Boden).  I rarely ever purchase a size 8 in coats from Boden, but this season I had to buy two that size (I usually wear a size 6 in their coats).  I think they narrowed the shoulders and waist on their coats, and normally that is where I am smallest, so keep that in mind if you choose to buy this one.

I think you can tell this is a good fit on me and it is over just the dress and some tights.   I think it is meant to be a traditional ladies coat, one worn out for dressier events, so I don't think the intent was that we should wear it out over thick sweaters and pants.  (I did wear it over a thin sweater, though, no problem.)

Buttoned up you can see how its buttons look.  It does look like I have properly buttoned them up, but they are actually snaps with a fake button front.  I like snaps, but I have read a few reviews where the reviewer questioned the choice.  My son did spend a lot of this week (I taught his class while his teacher is away) popping my buttons at recess (he was "line leader"), but whatever, I just snapped it right back.

Side view you can see the placket and how it features snaps.  The pocket is so pretty, I love the slanted welt detailing.  Those pockets are deep, btw, great for when you absolutely need them to keep your hands warm (definitely the case yesterday).

Back view is very simple and you can see that they chose a raglan sleeve.  The silhouette was very popular in the mid-60s, so I think they made the right choices for the look they wanted to achieve.

Like a dummy I forgot to clip that vent.  I always do that, lol.

 
Eliza Coat. The Eliza coat is popular, but not selling out.  I think the sizing issue is a big deal.  Remember to size up.

Isla Dress (here at Boden).  Since I already own the Amy Dress (that review here), and this dress is exactly the same but in a woolen check fabric from Moon, I knew that the same size would be the right call for me.  And it was, the 6 L fits the same way the Amy Dress fits, and if I am being very honest, I think the Isla dress may fit me even better!  (The bodice seems less troublesome on this dress, which may ultimately come down to how it was cut in the factory.)

The length is like the Amy Dress and the Beatrice Dress, exactly right for my frame.  Mid-kneecap is my favorite and am thrilled that the Isla dress in this shade popped back in my size over the Thanksgiving weekend when I could get it on a discount and with a gift card in my pocket.  (Yes!)

I had intentions of sewing this up for myself, but after calculating amounts, and adding in the gift card, the type of wool, etc., I knew that the price I paid out of my own pocket was less than making it for myself.  That doesn't mean I don't want to try, but I will save that for next fall and winter.  ;-)

Same side view as I get on the Amy dress, but you can see that the bodice fits me a touch better here on this one.

The checks are nicely aligned, it is difficult to match plaids, especially on the bias and at the side seams (the skirt is placed on the bias).

The sleeves are not 100% aligned on the same plaid, but it doesn't look bad, so I am good.

The back really shows the craftsmanship.  Here you see how the back seam is perfect, with the plaid on either side exactly matching up in the middle.  Bravo, Boden.  There is also a zip there, and that, too, is nearly invisible.

You can tell (kind of) that the lighter stripe is a pale pink, the same shade as the Eliza cot.  The blue is actually more teal in real life, and the grey is a mid-color grey.  All around very beautiful plaid and a bit unusual.

My hubby said I looked like a Catholic school girl.  LOL.  Good thing I was teaching in one yesterday when I wore this.

Love how full this skirt is, and fully lined for protection of the wool fabric and for ease of wear with items like tights.

The wool is very soft to the touch.  I kept stroking it yesterday.  It is not itchy at all.  Definitely consider it if you are wary of wool because of the itch factor.

The shoes, btw, are the Low Heeled Loafer (review here), and suited the occasion of teaching well.  I felt fine in them all day.

Whole ensemble together.  I love this ladylike look.


Isla Dress.  Very popular.  If your size pops back and you like it, I recommend grabbing it.  This dress sold well this season.

Okay, that's it!  Have any of you tried these items?

The sale banner below says "up to 50% off," but it is actually "up to 60% off." 

Boden: New Sale!

Hi, all!

I am back from my L-O-N-G trip to Mississippi, and am glad I can sit down and just write on my blog again.  :)  I love traveling, but I think that November may have been a touch much.

Anyhow, I had heard that the newest offer from Boden would start yesterday, but I couldn't find the moments needed yesterday to actually write about it, so I do apologize for the delay on my part.  I know that many of you receive Boden e-mails, so I figured most of you heard that way.

The deal is this, many women's party clothing are 35% off as well as many mini Boden and Johnnie b. winter warmers.  This special comes with free shipping.  In addition to that, you can continue to receive 25% off most items at Boden.

Here is the list of women's items that are on sale.

Here is a list of mini Boden and Johnnie b. items that are on sale.

Here is a list of items excluded from all sales.

I have included a link to this sale in my sidebar, but remember to use the code SAVE in the shopping bag (if it doesn't already appear in the code box).

I have also put the link at the bottom of this post for those of you on a mobile device.

I want to give a shout-out to one item on the women's list, the Fitted Ponte Dress.  I reviewed it here, and I really do believe that if you have a need for a pretty, comfortable, and conservative dressy dress, this is a very nice option.  I have the grey/black spotted version, and if you like that one, you are in luck, as that is one of the two color options in the sale.

I am going to be writing at least one more blog post today, and hope to get a lot of posts done this weekend.  I have a bunch of overdue Boden reviews to do, and would like to get some of them done before the clearance sale happens.  My thinking is that though many of my reviews are on currently sold out items, if there is a popback on one of the items during the clearance sale, you will have at least one IRL review to reference.  :)  I don't know if I will get the BWRR done, though, but it is on my short list of things to do, as well...

Talk with you all soon.  

Take 35% off party + 35% off mini outerwear + 25% off all other selected styles + Free Shipping! Use code SAVE at BodenUSA.com

Pregnant Party Girl Style, Part Two.

Hi!  I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.  I am sure many of you have had this whole time off of work, including some SAHMs!  I have not, but with my husband working in fundraising, this is his hardest time of year as all the end of year contributions come in right now (for tax purposes).

And next week I teach my Winter Wardrobe fashion class again, so it is my busiest time of year, too.  :)

Anyhow, back to what this post is really about...since tomorrow is New Year's Eve, and I have a feeling at least one or two of you are "with child," you may appreciate my take on pregnant party fashion when you are actually really showing (as opposed to part one of this series where I was merely trying to make real dresses work with a small baby bump).

Party On, Pregnant Girl. Part Two. by dinagideon featuring textured tights

I wore the above outfit to my hubby's work shindig back in early December, when I was about 23 weeks along (give or take a week, no one really knows what I "am").   I was lucky enough to get the dress on ebay for a really reasonable price (about $40).  I will probably wear it at least once more, and if all goes well, I will either alter it for non-pregnancy, or I will just re-sell on ebay once I am done with this pregnancy.  I had all the other pieces in this polyvore already.

On me, hands on hips.  If you don't look very long and aren't wearing your prescription glasses, I almost look non-pregnant here.  But again, only the legally blind would have troubles telling that I have a passenger.

Sorry about the wonky angles, my dad is a great photographer but not all that great at keeping the camera straight.  And I don't have picasa to fix the angles (oh, my big computer, when shall I ever see you again???).

The outfit was uber-comfy, surprisingly, but I guess that is a given when your waistband is just non-existent.  The dress is a size small, which is exactly right for my bust and shoulders.  I think this dress could work until around the 38th week...after that, all bets are off and if you all see me in anything besides leggings and really loose tops, I will be surprised, frankly.

The details of the top half.  All the accessories (including shoes) are J. Crew from a few years ago.

One last photo, all of it together...and perfectly straight.

So what would I wear if I was actually going to some fancy party/dinner tomorrow night?  (We are hanging with other families at a "family friendly" New Year's Eve/birthday soiree instead, which is fine with me, my outfit will most likely include a sequin tee and jeans.)

I scored the Flickering Slipdress in Jade on Wednesday morning.  I had this dress in my wishlist forever in my tts dress size with Anthro, a size 6, and guess which size was the only size still available?  Yep, the size 6!  Woo!  I have not really grown through the shoulders and bust, so this dress is exactly right for both pregnancy (can accommodate a bit of a belly) and non-pregnancy (when it just is all "flowy").

I think I will wear it, but maybe next week to my fashion class on the runway show day.  Probably pair it with a sleek cardi and tights and boots.  Hmm...

Anyhow, pregnant ladies, think about this one as a possibility, some sizes in the cream colorway are available.

J Crew dress (see more bodice dresses)
What would I wear if I wasn't pregnant and headed to a party?  This sleeper of a dress from J. Crew.  How in the heck has no one even talked about this beauty?  I found the Marielle dress in solstice floral during the last 20% off sale time, and was floored that all sizes were available, and at $59.99.  I spoke with my PS, who sent me measurements to ensure I got the correct size (I went off my non-pregnant measurements).  The only thing I can think is that the measurements seem to be "old school J. Crew" and maybe women purchased their "vanity size J. Crew" size (for me I would have gone with a 4 or 6), and found that it was too small, necessitating a ton of returns.  Who knows?  Anyhow, I got the 8 (bust is 36 and waist is 30, which will fit fine next year, and if need be and my bust is smaller, I will sew on grosgrain ribbon straps, no biggee). From what I saw (I tried it on, lol, it definitely fit in the hips and the top of the dress, nowhere else), it is well-constructed in a super lovely cotton and is fully lined.  The bodice even has one of those interior bra-type things that you see in strapless dresses which give a little extra support to help hold up the girls and the dress.  I have other strapless dresses from J. Crew and this one has the best support interior bra I have ever seen from them.  (No cups, etc., but very substantial...)

Okay, that's all from me...what are your choices for tomorrow night?

Spring Into Style: Day Eight 2011.

Spring Into Style: Day Eight 2011. by dinagideon featuring choker jewelry
Yes, I wore this in real life to school to teach a fashion class. Well, okay not the pearls and earrings, but it still looked fab. :) I felt under the weather, but man, sequins can brighten any day!  I guess that is a good lesson to learn...you can feel gross, but feel great. 

The beret was my nod to "Crazy Hat and Hair" day. Yes, my version of crazy hat is to wear a beret so I can look 1950s Paris. LOL.

Full on Paris in the 1950s Little Black Dress Look.  Beret is authentic and from Europe, have had it for over ten years and love it!  Dress is the Felice Dress from J. Crew back in 2007???  It is the quintessential LBD, the silk taffeta version, anyhow.  The jacket is obviously the Showstopping Knitted Jacket by Boden's Limited Edition that I have gone on and on about since it came out on February 11, 2011.  :)  The heels are also Boden and are possibly my fave pair of black pumps.

I look kind of out of it, and I have to admit that "lady time," even when mixed with "ladylike" is a hard combo.  But I am definitely trying to have a game face, which probably would have been more appropriate for my Jersey Day look yesterday.  Such is life.

On its own the Felice dress is a bit plain, but imagine it with those pearls and the bow earrings.  So very polished!

No beret, but I still feel like I am channeling at least a "Mid-Century Mom/Teacher."  (Yes, Mid-Century Mom fans--I got pics of me teaching today in this outfit.  Smile.)

Showstopping Knitted Jacket. Still crazy expensive, but if you are ever interested, here is a dedicated link (click the photo) to check on its availability (which comes and goes, sometimes it is completely sold out, other days it will show some sizes have stock).

Have a great day. The Boden Weekly Review Roundup is going to be HUGE tonight, so it may be late in coming, but be on the lookout for it...

Talk soon. :)

Review of the Watercolor Leopard Dress (Merry Christmas Eve, Too)!!!

So A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE TO ALL!!!

I loved all your comments about the shimmerveil charmed mini-bag, plus my "fabulous" going out to the store in the ice and snow outfit...I will comment back but not yet, today is all about getting those last-minute items from Macy's, Borders, Target, and tomorrow's dinner from Harris Teeter.

But for your perusal, today, this morning, I present the Watercolor Leopard Dress (she sure is pretty)...originally $228, down to $129.99, purchased by me for a % off for under $100.


Excuse the mirror's condition in this pic...it still has not been cleaned by yours truly, but at least the pictures aren't *that* blurry.

Here is the dress straight on. I am 5'8", with longer legs than a torso, bigger hips than the top half, with exceedingly narrow feet and long toes (just kidding...only added that because my feet are in the pic). I bought an 8, and hoo-boy, am I glad I did. The fit is fitted, no doubt. And there is none of the "vanity sizing" going on in this dress. I used to always be an 8 in their dresses, from 1994 forwards, but recently I have been wearing 6s. Hmm...

Regardless, the fabric is a wool-silk combo, with more wool than silk. The fabric has a lot of structure, which you can't really tell from my photos (except the last one) or on-line at J. Crew. In fact, I thought it would be more lightweight, like my lovely shimmer paisley lawn dress from earlier this fall.

The shape is a v-neck top that has enough coverage in front and back for a regular bra (even bra strap hook-y things in the shoulder area). The waist is very fitted, just a little loose on me (but that is where I tend to be smallest anyhow). The skirt portion is a slight a-line, with a narrowing tulip shape to the very bottom (so if you are a pear-shape, it fits you like a glove, following your curves precisely).

I would say when purchasing the dress, go with your largest measurement, be it bust, waist, or hips. I went with my hips. The top and waist may be a little roomy, but not enough for me to feel like I need to get it tailored.

I felt comfortable with it on. I loved how soft the fabric was, and even though I am wearing not a stitch of makeup and my glasses, I felt extremely lady-like. (That is a good dress, in my opinion.)


From the side you can tell it is fitted. The only reason the hem is up in the front is because my arm is lifted to take the photo and that caused the front to lift a bit.

You can really see the slight a-line with the tulip hem here.

Don't you all think this dress will look GORGEOUS with a fitted cardi or a short, boxy jacket???

And how about some cute booties in a grey leather with black tights to finish the look????


I rarely do back views, one because I can't take them well, and two, because I am nervous about this side of me.

Well, whatever, it looks decent enough. Love the fact that you can wear a regular bra, such a rarity in many of today's fashions.

You can see this dress hits me 2 inches above my knee. In an ideal world, I would like it to be at the knee, but I don't want to mess with the hem (it has detailing in the stitching that would be lost if I messed with it).


Speaking of detailing at the hem, here is a close-up of the hem. The line that you see horizontally stitched is the detail I speak of.

The fabric can best be seen here. Notice the lovely plays of grey, purple, white, and that touch of blue? Fantastic.

I want to say that since this is a wool product, and even though it is FULLY lined (very nicely, I might add), there is the possibility that if you are an "itcher," this may not be the dress for you. Mind you, it is not in the mohair cardi arena (supposedly, I never tried it on), but it still has the slight potential. Wool and wool products have never bothered me.

Enjoy your day, however you spend it!!!