Promaballoona: The Reveal!

This is a pretty photo heavy post but I really couldn't decide which photos to share!

The pattern is Advance 7015 from 1955.

You can catch up on all of my progress with this dress here.

My husband is a professional photographer so I took advantage of the chance at a free professional photo session.

Woohoo for planning ahead of time!

It was also nice to do a test of my hair do for the event.

This is my jewelry model glamor shot.

First we hit up the local art museum which is housed in a gorgeous building!

There is also a fabulous set of stairs there, but there was a wedding going on so the stairs were off limits.

The whole day was crazy fun.

Oh, how I wish I'd looked even half as good at my own prom.

I really felt like a model.

Except real models are less awkward and know what to do with their bodies.

I could never figure out what to do with my hands.

Watching all of those seasons of America's Next Top Model have not really paid off.

Next, we hit the historic district downtown to pose in front of some shops and houses.

This part was more awkward for me since there were more people around.

But I wasn't the oddest person there by far so it was ok.

Really, I thought I was smiling in more of these pictures.

That's ok because I'm sure you're distracted by all of the shiney things I'm wearing.

I took the opportunity to really pump up the volume in the bling department.

Seriously, more social events should call for rhinestones.

And elbow length gloves.

So thanks Oona for having a birthday prom.

Because I now have a semi legitimate reason for a fabulous dress and lots of shiney things.

The end.

Snapshots!

I've been crazy busy getting ready to leave for Costume College next week so sorry for the irregular blog posting. Instead of having guest bloggers like I did when I went to Disney, I've prepared some posts ahead of time so you'll have things to read. I'll suggest that you pop over to my facebook page and like it. I won't be on blogger while I'm gone but I will be posting updates on facebook.

We finally got rid of our old kitchen table so we can use the 50s table I bought way back in February. Now we just need to find some better chairs.

I've been planning and replanning outfits for Costume College. I'm sure this list will change again before I leave.

This is a wearable muslin for a Costume College project. Don't ask me why I thought it'd be a good idea to do a wearable muslin in a plaid. I do not have Lauren's plaid matching skills. The fashion fabric is a solid, thank goodness.

And I've been shopping around for accessories for the photo shoot today. So far, the dress itself has cost maybe $2 (for a zipper) but the accessories are piling up! Somehow, none of my dressy shoes or shiney jewelry from high school are still in my wardrobe......

C'est fini!

Woohoo! The Promaballoona/Costume College Gala dress is done! I promised myself that I wasn't going to share any pictures of the dress once I got into the fashion fabric stage but I can't help myself!

I didn't end up buying any of the trims I posted....but I re-purposed a sparkly belt instead! It's an inch of sequin and beaded trim and it was almost long enough to go all the way around my hips. So I added a self fabric tie to bring the bow back into the design. Oh, it is so fun to wear that I just want to prance around the house in this gown but I have more stuff to sew for Costume College. The closer it gets, the more ideas I get so it's time to get sewing!

Promaballoona: Decision time

So, I'm making this dress for Costume College Gala and Promaballona:

I had originally wanted to do the black view with the giant bow in the back but I didn't have enough fabric! So now I need your help deciding what to do instead. I did some window shopping on etsy for inspiration.

This 50s black dress opts for a simple self fabric band just like the jumper view of my pattern.

This one is just a bit fancier with a bow. I probably wouldn't have enough self fabric to do any kind of bow but I could do something in a contrasting fabric. I was thinking silver.

This dress has some kind of pleated/gathered self trim.

I adore this one with the contrasting trim. So yummy. I think I'd stick to a simple band at the drop waist. I've sourced a couple of great sparkly trims (from most to least affordable).

Plain rhinestone trim. Very affordable and I could always do a couple of rows.

 A yummy vintage trim with rhinestones, pearls and sequins.

 A danglely pearl and bead trim. I'm not sure if I'm in love with the ivory color though.

 And last but not least, this scrumptious bead and rhinestone trim. My favorite and, of course, the most expensive option. At $37/yd, it's not the most expensive trim I looked at by far but it's definitely at the top of my budget.

I also spyed this adorable bow applique but I have no idea what I'd do with it.

My poor dress has no hanger appeal what so ever and it's kind of making me sad. I need to get the zipper in asap so I can try it on and stop thinking that I really do need that $100/yd Swarovski crystal trim.

Promaballoona: Muslin the Second

So I actually got a second muslin in yesterday but really, how many muslin shots can I put you through in on day?

 I'm so excited because the shoulders are back on my shoulders! This is such a problem area for me. I always thought that it meant that I needed to do an FBA but maybe not....Before my weight loss, I would take a 36" bust size and do a 3/4" FBA on patterns cut for a B cup. This one is a 34" bust with a 1/2" FBA and I have taken about 2" of of the width in the shoulder area. I think I might try a 32" bust with a 3/4" FBA next time.

I removed 1/2" form the center back and made the seam allowance 1" so I can do a nice pretty lapped zipper and have some fabric to play around with in case weird things happen in the fashion fabric. There's less pooffing in the back but my body is actually shaped like this in the back.

Here's the back. I think I'm going to take maybe another 1/2" off of the very top of the center back and add about 1/2" to the bottom of the center back. There's still a bit of neck gaping and I want a bit more ease in the hip. I'm sure the weight of the skirt will help hold everything down but I want just a bit more ease there.

And the other side!

And me busting some dance moves.

You know, in case I get invited to a black tie dance party I have to be boggie ready.

Now, the skirt of this dress is just pleated to the bodice. The lazy me wants to just used the original pattern piece and just have a slightly less full skirt. My hips at least where this pattern hits are 5" (or 2.5 sizes) larger than the original pattern so I don't know if this would make the pattern entirely too unpooffy in the skirts. Also, this pattern uses facings. I hate facings. They are so fiddly.... Part of me just wants to line the bodice and be done with it. Guess I'll have to check my stash and see what I have.

Promaballoona: Muslin the first

I am making a fabulous party dress. I blame Oona. She had to go and throw a prom themed virtual b-day party for herself and I have nothing to wear.

 What I did have is 5.5 yds of fabulous deep midnight blue party dress appropriate fabric and since I had the fabric in my stashed, I splurged on a vintage pattern worthy of Promaballona.

I was planning on doing the black view with the huge bow in the back but the bow part is cut on the bias and I'm like 3 yds short so I'll be doing the other view with the small bow in the front. It's dated 5-18-55 on the front.

I also picked up this lovely because I couldn't help it I might need a back up pattern that used less fabric. The shoulder treatments read so 40s but the silhouette is so 50s. This one is dated 1951.

Anyone know where I can get trim like this? I salvaged it from one of the three ugly prom dresses last year so I only have a bit. It's like rhinestone piping almost. And I adore bling!

Ok, now I must warn you. Ahead, there are leggings, a very messy house and no make up.

Muslin the first:

So this is after grading up to a 34" bust and doing a 1/2" FBA. Not too bad for a first go!

There's some odd wrinkling going on on the side.

And there's some funky puffying out going on in the upper back.

More wrinkles.

I have a problem with tops gaping on the top so when I bend over, everyone can see straight down my top. There's a bit of excess fabric on the neckline but not too much.

 Changes: I then took 1" out of the center front of the bodice front and took a bit out of the center top of the back.

Much nicer. I will be adding that 1" back at the side seams in the hip area.

Still weirdness in the back. I think I needed to take more in further down.

And here's some slouching to test for ease of movement. I'm afraid of over fitting the back and not being able to move.

Yup, that upper back still needs some work.

And the hips are riding up again.

But the front neckline is all better! woot!

Thanks for hanging in there.