Retro Bubblegum Dress

I was bored last sunday, and wanted to sew something, but I didn't have a specific project planned, and still didn't feel like making another big project, too. But I still had the pink poplin I had used to line my bag (I actually had bought it to make some piping, but didn't do it in the end). I wasn't sure at all if the color would be nice for a dress, since it is very... well, pink! But when I was browsing through my vintage patterns, I found this one from 1968, with a very pink dress on the envelope:

I was not sure about the pattern as well. Although I like the illustration on the envelope, I thought it might be too girly for me. So as there was nothing to lose, I decided I would make an experiment and try the pattern with the pink poplin and see what happens. 

And I still can barely believe what I did: as the pattern came in my size, and I assumed that it would not be too "fit sensitive", I used directly the old vintage pattern, without tracing it before (which I normally do). I did use a smooth copying wheel instead of the serrated one, though. 

I fitted the dress while sewing, which means there was quite some basting (and ripping), but this time I managed to make the armholes not too small, phew!

As I didn't have any matching zipper in my stash, I used the next best, a white one, which I put in with a center lapped zipper so that it is not visible when I'm wearing the dress. I also stitched the back darts only at the upper part and left the lower dart parts as a kind of pleat. (Excuse the wrinkles on the dress, please, I stupidly took the photo after I was wearing it.)

The dress was finished very quickly, so I put it in my suitcase to go to Vienna last week, and wore it there, and I have to say that I like it a lot!

I think I'll make a dress again later from this pattern (after tracing it, as it somehow felt wrong and rude to use it directly on the fabric, doesn't that sound stupid?). For the moment I'm glad to have another summer dress. The photos were taken in Vienna when we went to the castle to listen to a concert, by my friend and colleague Gieri (thanks, Gieri, you're the best!)

And of course I took my gala evening dress out! The event took place in Schönbrunn Castle, it was a nice evening, and I felt comfortable and dressed appropriate in my black dress. I even found some long black gloves to go with it over there (try to find them in Zurich, it's hopeless)!

Here I am posing for photos with my friend Evelyn, we had so much fun!