1960s Inspired Silk Taffeta Wedding Guest Dress

Finally, I have finished documenting all of the dresses that I made during my own personal Project Runway.  This is the last one!  I hope to not be so slow in the future!  Especially since I have more garments to post!

I made this dress to go to my husband’s cousin’s wedding in New Mexico in May.

Simplicity 2444

This dress is Simplicity 2444 and the last one I will be making.  It is made of pewter silk taffeta and lined with grey china silk.  Most amazingly, I got both fabrics in a mystery fabric bundle from Fabric Mart!

Simplicity 2444

I love the 1960s feel to this dress with the cape collar.  I also added a belt, which was my first made with belting.  I usually use hair canvas or interfacing to make belts, which is much faster and easier than belting, but since I have all of this belting, I figured I should use some…. I bought the rhinstone buckle at a sewing/quilting show in the Bay a few months ago.  I wish it had prongs, but it was a little too late to order one with prongs, so I just tucked the end of the belt under my belt, which worked pretty well.

I also made a cardigan to go with my dress.

Simplicity 2444 and Simplicity 2154

The cardigan is Simplicity 2154 which I made from an amethyst wool blend sweater knit I also purchased from Fabric Mart.

This was my first time sewing with a sweater knit.  I made a muslin of this cardigan first with a yellow knit I had in my stash.  The fabric didn’t lend well to this cardigan and the sweater knit worked much better!  The only alterations I did to the pattern was to shorten the cardi (the pattern length is pretty long).

I adorned my cardi with these pearl and silver buttons that I found at Joann’s.  They went pretty well with my pearl jewelry.

Simplicity 2444 and Simplicity 2154

The only thing I don’t like about my outfit is how wrinkly my dress is!  But that’s how it goes with silk!

The Hugheses

This is Brian and I at the wedding.  My dress looks less wrinkly there!  At this point I had changed out of my heels as they were killing my feet…. I had also originally planned on making Brian a shirt out of some burgundy striped Burberry fabric, but I never got around to it…. yes, a bad wife! lol

Happy sewing, friends!

Dress:  Simplicity 2444 in pewter silk taffeta made by me

Cardigan:  Simplicity 2154 in amethyst wool blend sweater knit made by me

Shoes:  Stuart Weitzmann

Glasses:  Valentino

Jewelry:  Vintage pearls from my grandmother