Sew Over It Vintage Shirtdress

After making the Megan Neilsen Darling Ranges dress I was keen to try a different shirtdress pattern.  While I really like the Darling Ranges, the gathered skirt isn't really me.  The SewOverIt Vintage Shirtdress sounded like what I was after.

From Their website;

With 1940s and 50s influences, the Vintage Shirt Dress is a classic that will take you from season to season in style. Effortlessly chic, its feminine cut is flattering for all body shapes and sizes. Just throw this dress on for an instantly put-together look and you’re all good to go!

The pattern has both a sleeved and sleeveless version as well as endless fabric options, meaning there is tonnes of scope to make this dress your own. Ever versatile, you can even go two-tone and make the bodice in one fabric and the skirt in another to give the impression of separates.

With modern body sizing and revised shaping, the Vintage Shirt Dress has been updated to give it a contemporary feel, while the sweet notched collar gives it a vintage edge.

Last summer I had bought some aqua polka dot cotton from Spotlight and thought it would be good for trying out my first version.  There wasn't enough fabric to make sleeves, so even though it is still too cold to go sleeveless I went ahead.

According to the measurement chart I'm size 12 bust and 14 waist and hips, so I made size 12 bust and graded to 14 at waist and hips.  However I find that is a bit loose at the waist and there is plenty of room at the hips.  Next time I'll make it a straight size 12 everywhere.

I really like the front and back pleats on the skirt, they give a nice curvy stomach coverage and are slimming.  Probably the only thing I would have liked would be a back placket and pleat to give extra movement at the back, like a traditional shirt.  However there is still movement, even going down a size shouldn't be an issue.

I did my usual lengthening.  So the bodice is lengthened 1" and the skirt 3" which seems to be my standard for SewOver It patterns.  Also instead of a 1 1/2" hem I made a 1" hem.  The skirt was hemmed with a blind stitch hem and for the armholes I used a pre-made bias binding, just because I had some on hand in the right colour, otherwise it would be easy enough to make my own.  Total sewing time was 8 hours and the spotted cotton from Spotlight cost $22.47 for 3m x 112cm.