I made this 1928 evening dress and first wore it in 2012. Back then it was simple, with just a small cascade of fabric and no sash or bow (I show the construction in detail in this past post). Three years later, I decided to add the sash, bow, and extra cascade of fabric (and wrote a post about it). I liked the effect but wasn’t pleased with the slippery silk moving all over and sliding around. The armholes were also a bit high under the arms from the beginning, causing the trim to dig in a bit which wasn’t very comfortable.
Due to these issues and the addition of other 1920s evening dresses to my wardrobe I hadn’t worn this dress in a few years. But for an event this January, I decided to give it another go. Luckily, the dress still fit and didn’t cling in unwanted places! The first HSM challenge of 2018, Mend, Reshape, Refashion, was the perfect complement for the updates I wanted to complete.
To be specific about the updates, this time I lowered the armholes about 1″ and then pieced in extra trim to fill in the gap, sewed the sash/bow in place, and added an interior waistband that supports the weight of the bow and keeps the dress from pulling down on one side.
Our hotel room had a bonus vanity table and stool that was a perfect prop for photos…
I did my hair like I did last year but added a gold hair comb I recently discovered at my parent’s house. I’m pretty sure my mom gave it to me when I was a child or maybe a teenager… It’s just been sitting there waiting for me to put it to use again!
Just the facts:
Fabric: The only new fabric was a scrap of tightly woven polyester for an inner waistband.
Pattern: My own, based on measurements.
Year: 1928.
Notions: Extra trim to piece under the arms, thread.
How historically accurate is it?: Let’s say 95%, with points lost for the polyester.
Hours to complete: The updates took about 4 hours. I felt like hand sewing most of it so I could watch Netflix!
First worn: With the updates in January, 2018.
Total cost: Free!
I love how this dress looks and fits now! Yay! It only took three tries… It’s a good lesson: if you don’t succeed the first time, try again! And keep trying…! Third time is the charm on this one!
The Quintessential Clothes Pen 
Love the look with the bow and sash! The fabric color is beautiful. The dress drapes well, too!
🙂 Thanks!
This came out so well! You look straight out of a 20s fashion plate with the hotel backdrop 🙂
How beautiful — just love the hair comb and shoes, too. I’d never thought about making an interior waistband to support something on the outside of a dress. I will remember that tip. The color and style looks great on you!
Thank you, Margaret! The inner waistband is one of the ways that the blouse-y look was achieved in the 1910s and 1920s. It’s definitely a trick worth remembering! 🙂