The evening dress is the most iconic and at the same time underrated item in a woman's wardrobe. Most girls dream about it, drawing princesses in their school notebooks. Girls and women, having matured, suddenly change their minds. We often think that we will never need an evening dress, and with a decisive step we walk past the windows with a variety of their models towards stores that are more necessary in everyday life.
In general, this is a rational approach - an evening dress is not needed every day, and sometimes not even every year. In addition, when we think about an evening dress, we imagine the latest fashion of this season. The model you like today can easily become outdated, waiting in the wings.
Hint: If you want a dress, but there is no reason, it is more rational to buy a pattern of your favorite model. Pattern:
- is inexpensive,
- takes up little space (either in paper or electronic format),
- easy to upgrade
This approach to evening fashion could be considered completely logical and justified. If not for one small detail.When an evening dress is needed, it is never there. And it is usually needed urgently. And the reason is quite difficult to predict in advance. The reason could be anything:
- A sudden corporate event at a new job. Evening dress is required and you must not lose face.
- Friends' wedding. Everyone will be in dresses and you need to shine in the group photo.
- Anniversary of relatives. The task is not to disgrace the honor of the family. And the relatives, as luck would have it, decided to celebrate not at the dacha, but in a restaurant.
- Romantic dinner with your loved one. Flowers, candles, wine... and a dress! And it doesn’t matter whether it’s in a restaurant or at home – you still want to impress him.
- New Year's parties - after all, even those are rarely planned.
- The daughter’s graduation, which is certainly not easy to suspect of suddenness, is “pleased” with unpredictable weather, even less predictable clothing sizes six months before the date... but with an overly predictable selection of evening dresses in the surrounding stores.
And this thing simply must fit perfectly and be one of a kind - this, in fact, is the main purpose of evening dresses.
Of course, there are still online stores. But in the first two dozen reviews on various sites you will certainly find at least five photographs in the “expectation vs reality” genre and comments like “the dress took three weeks, fortunately, it arrived on time!” And it’s good if you have these three weeks. As well as the ability to fit a dress bought without trying on to your figure.
And here we usually remember the slogan of perfectionists of all times and peoples: if you want to do something perfectly, do it yourself. But there are other arguments in favor of DIY evening dresses. Sometimes quite unexpected.
Family Treasures
Many of us did not live through the times of total shortages in the 1970s and 1980s.or they were very young at that time and didn’t think about dresses. Now you can find many myths about this period, mainly boiling down to the fact that all scarce goods were actually made from toilet paper, rat tails, rotten corn leaves and other strange ingredients, more reminiscent of ancient magic than advanced, albeit backward industry.
In fact, toilet paper products were generally not in short supply. But to get something of really high quality, you had to make serious efforts. Therefore, all quality goods accidentally encountered along the road were bought for future use in absolutely incredible quantities. For what? And whatever it was, then it won’t be.
It would seem, what does evening dresses have to do with it?
Often we - or our closest relatives - still have pieces of expensive outlandish fabrics, heroically obtained by the older generation during times of shortage, somewhere on the mezzanine, in pantries and in the backs of closets. And several generations of the family have not raised their hand to give away or throw away bundles of outlandish guipure or panne velvet. Every time we do a spring cleaning, we solemnly promise ourselves to someday sew something out of it. But somehow the case does not present itself. And the bundles continue to take up space in the closet aimlessly - after all, why do we need panne velvet in everyday life?
And suddenly a corporate party, a New Year's party or a friend's wedding is on the horizon. And you urgently need a dress.
There is usually fabric in the house. If not, then the easiest way is to buy it. All that remains is to choose a pattern.
The requirements for the pattern are simple and complex at the same time. It must match the type of fabric. Emphasize the advantages of your appearance. Don't highlight flaws.In addition, the dress should look appropriate for the event for which you are making it.
Fortunately, today you can find patterns for any type of fabric and shape. And modern fashion encourages almost any fantasy!
A selection of evening dress patterns
New look: modern reading.
A little history: New look is perhaps the most memorable and attractive of the styles of the twentieth century. A brilliant invention by Christian Dior, which became a real hit in post-war Europe. The style emphasized the fragility and femininity of women, who, after the war, finally had the opportunity to demonstrate these qualities. He is associated with the most iconic - and so different - female images of the recent century: Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy.
New look style dresses could be of different lengths - midi or floor-length. They emphasized a thin waist, fragile arms and shoulders - and prosperity, allowing one to spend so much fabric on one dress.
The modern interpretation of this style no longer requires so much fabric. And the impression can be conveyed with the help of exquisite decoration and accessories. You will need 2.5-3 x 1.5 meters of fabric and approximately 20X90 cm of adhesive lining material.
The dress is cut at the waist with dropped shoulders and a wide boat neckline. Wide set-in sleeve widens towards the bottom. The zipper on the back goes into the middle seam of the wide skirt with pockets in the side seams. The front of the dress is decorated with embroidery.
For all its elegance, the model is quite simple to make - even a novice needlewoman can do it.
Spectacular asymmetry
Asymmetrical dresses are traditionally associated with a bold, evening outing for a special occasion.Despite its boldness, this model is absolutely universal - depending on the color of the fabric you choose, it will fit into a variety of styles. From Hollywood romance to hippies, from the flashy avant-garde to the mysterious elven princess. The loose silhouette and adjustable length will allow you to fit it to any height and body type. And spectacular draperies are just a hit this season!
You will need from 1.5 - 2.9 X 1.4 m of main fabric - depending on the size and your wishes. And also 0.5 x 0.9 m of adhesive lining material.
Silk (and similar) flowing fabrics or knitwear are ideal for dresses.
The dress has a fitted silhouette, seams at the waist, and is asymmetrical. The cutout reveals the left shoulder. The front has darts from the side seams, the back has a middle seam, and darts from the waist. There are large flounces on the upper right and lower left sides. There is a zipper in the right side seam. The length is adjustable.
Mysterious east
This model brings to mind the outfits of oriental beauties - from strict Japanese kimonos to loose Arabian robes. The dress is especially impressive due to its loose silhouette and original X-shaped drapery. Another completely universal model - depending on the fabric (and not even its color, but rather thickness) it can be a romantic home option for two, a spectacular outfit for a resort outing to a restaurant, and a completely respectable dress for a corporate event in the office. Especially on the occasion of the Eastern New Year.
As with the previous model, silk (and similar) flowing fabrics or knitwear are ideal.
This is also a very simple model to implement. Although the drapery of the original form may seem difficult at first glance.
Mermaid
The style of this dress is reminiscent of film stars on the red carpet of prestigious festivals. However, it is suitable for almost any celebration where you need to shine. The neckline of the dress will highlight beautiful shoulders and arms - just like in ancient portraits. And the silhouette of the skirt, which is close-fitting at the top and very flared at the bottom, is what designers call the term “fishtail” - why not a mermaid of the mysterious seas?
The dress is fitted, with a wide belt and a deep neckline. The bodice has a neat drapery with clear lines to add femininity to the silhouette in combination with the belt.
For a dress, a fairly rigid fabric that holds its shape is suitable - the silhouette should be clear and graphic. The length can vary from midi to maxi to the floor.
Sixties style
A charming minidress reminiscent of the style of the sixties - the era of futurism and space romance, the sexual revolution and touching films. And its length, which does not restrict movement, is convenient for dancing, and for active competitions, and for traveling on public transport. At the same time, the model is impressive enough to look exactly like an evening dress. 
Master class: how to quickly and easily sew an evening dress
This sixties-style dress is easy not only to sew using a ready-made pattern, but also to model according to your figure.
- On the front of the dress we move the dart to the side.
- We shorten it - in our case by about 2 cm. We can model the neckline by setting aside 24 cm from the bottom point of the front neckline.
- Flare the front sides by 4 cm.
- We do the same with the back.
- From the bottom point of the armhole we draw a horizontal line. Then cut off the top.
- We move the waist dart in the center of the back.
- Flare the back on the side in the same way as the front.
- Now let's make a bow. For it you need to cut out 2 strips of fabric: 65x20 cm and 70 x 15 cm.We fold the blanks with the front side inward, stitch them, leaving a small hole, turn them inside out and sew them up. The ribbons for the bow are ready!
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