Stripes and tiers - 1

And here it is, finally finished:

My dress with the unusual tiered skirt. You can read all about making a skirt like this in this post but this is my version. Based on a picture of a dress for which Libelle magazine was selling the pattern in 1956, but drafted entirely by me.

In fact, the bodice is the same as the one I used for the 'pleats and pockets' dress, buttons at center front, fitted with darts , short cut-on sleeves (this length is sort of between cap sleeves and kimono sleeves, so I'm not sure what to call them). I just added a collar this time. 

Then, that big skirt with all its tiers and gores was just gathered to the waistline. 
The fabric came from my stash. I used some of it last summer to make a pair of trousers but I wasn't happy with those, so I cut them up to make trousers for baby J (my nephew) earlier this year. This dress used up all of the remaining yardage. I would have preferred a bold stripe for this design but I really should be sewing from stash, so that's what I did.

The first time I tried the dress on, I was a bit disappointed. It just seemed a bit lackluster somehow. By now, I think I know why. I tried it on without a petticoat. I usually wear my vintage style dresses without petticoats but most of them have circle (or narrower but still flared) skirts, which are shaped to flare out at the hem. This skirt has plenty of fullness at the hemline but lacks that incentive (from the cut) to flare out. 

With a fluffy petticoat, like in these pictures, it comes into its own.

Oh, and eh... of course, it's great for twirling!

And obviously, a proper lady wears gloves...
I decided to follow the styling in the original picture: black buttons, white gloves (also, in summer you are supposed to wear light coloured gloves)

I just didn't quite remember her pose...