Several weeks ago I was gifted a few pieces of vintage fabric from a friend clearing out her loft. I really liked the way two of the fabrics looked together and thought they might make a nice bodice and skirt for another Emery dress. The results on the hanger were pretty nice.....



... On me though, probably the most unflattering dress ever! I was taking a risk using the floral fabric on a skirt, especially since I didn't have enough fabric to ideally place the pattern. The dress looked horrible on me! I did still like the bodice though, despite it's polyester almost overall quality which meant it wouldn't press, and the darts just refuse to lay nice and flat. I was pleased with my collar trim using large ric rac.



So, I set about unpicking the skirt and planned to replace the skirt with a full circle skirt using some polyester crepe I had bought from Minerva.



The full circle skirt worked much better, but polyester crepe does not like being pressed either and hemming it was not easy at all. I eventually decided to use bias binding to hem the skirt. I used a bright red printed satin bias from stash. Basically because it was all I had enough of, and I thought it'd be quite fun to have a colourful hem on the inside that only peeked out when I walked.



There is a lot I like about this dress, but I'm afraid to say there is also a lot I don't like. I don't like way the darts sit on the bodice, and I'm not entirely happy with the general finish. I'm also not really sure it suits me, I feel like it should, but I mostly feel quite fat and frumpy, when my aim was more "retro librarian".



I will wear it again, it's a comfy everyday kind of dress, and has a lovely swish when I walk, despite all of it's flaws it is still better than anything I might buy on the high street, and polyester crepe doesn't need ironing, it'll drip dry in a flash!