09 Apr Almost Cocktail Attire
In my next life I’d like to live in a historic house in Charleston with a decorative gate and creeping fig wall.
Perhaps you follow Teggy French, one of my favorite fashion bloggers. Last fall her social media led me to Shein, a website of inexpensive clothing where I purchased a ruffled bell sleeve top. When it arrived I hated everything about it… the triple tiered sleeves looked ridiculous on me, the fabric was cheap and the cut was skimpy. I was ashamed of ordering this garment. I knew better ….. but I kept it anyway and stashed it in the back of my closet.
Over the weekend we went to a birthday party in Charleston, and the invitation read ‘Almost Cocktail Attire’…….. not that I know what that means. The weather turned cool and my almost cocktail attire kept changing. In desperation I pulled the cheap top from the closet to try with the skirt I was finishing.
After a closer look, it occurred to me an easy fix awaited………. all I needed was a pair of scissors.
I bought the top before the pattern companies released so many cute tops with decorative sleeves. If I stand still it looks fine, but since there is no set in sleeve the top constantly shifts and moves around.
However, I’m loving my new skirt!
I bought the whimsical stretch cotton from Promenade Fine Fabrics in New Orleans. The fabric is designed in panels and I ended up with extra yardage due to the design – enough extra yardage to make a simple straight skirt, and another garment is on the way……
My pattern is New Look 6492 which I bought after View C (with the flounce) caught my eye.
I lined the skirt and finished the waistband with Petersham ribbon. If you don’ already use the Petersham waistband technique, I encourage you to give it a try, as it will result in a comfortable fit and neat finish.
- Stitch skirt and lining at waistline wrong sides together
- Cut ribbon the same size as garment plus 2 inches
- Stitch ribbon to right side of skirt in a 1/2 inch seam
- Understitch, trim seam and turn ribbon to the inside of skirt.
- Turn ends under ribbon and handstitch ribbon to lining.
All Done!
I must remember to always expect the unexpected for that perfectly describes my sewing experience this week – one part from desperation and another from serendipity…. maybe that means all is balanced 😉
Long live Almost Cocktail Attire!
Eileen
Posted at 18:59h, 09 AprilAmazing what you can do with a pair of scissors! Love your skirt. I have not tried a blouse with all that interest in the sleeves. You have managed to pull it off.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:20h, 10 AprilThank you, Eileen! I love the gorgeous sleeves popping up on the runways, but like all other clothes I have to be careful as they easily overwhelm women my height. 😉
Cindy Symes
Posted at 19:21h, 09 AprilGood call cutting out the third tier on that top! It’s got just the perfect amount of swing to it now! And that skirt fabric is just too cute! And thanks for the link to yet another great fabric store – I’ve been scrolling through pages and pages of gorgeous fabrics! So many fabrics…. congrats on almost cocktail attire! I think you nailed it!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:22h, 10 AprilMany thanks, Cindy! Actually I like the way this sleeve is constructed and will try to recreate it. The tiers are flounced and not gathered which keeps them from being too full. This was my first purchase from Promenade Fine Fabrics. The store has a great Instagram feed. 😉
Patricia Brown
Posted at 19:29h, 09 AprilYour outfit looks great! I like what you did to the blouse. Less is best…..The blouse doesn’t look overwhelming with the skirt as you removed the busyness of the third bell tier.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:24h, 10 AprilThank you, Patricia! Less was definitely the better option here 😉
Susan Kelley
Posted at 20:25h, 09 AprilAfter visiting Charleston, who would not want a decorative gate and fig ivy! I deconstruct statement necklaces that are too much, usually a third layer that makes me look awful! Less is better as Chanel used to say. Remove at least one thing before you leave your home! (Not really a direct quote but hopefully you get the point) The whole outfit looks great on you, Now I have an idea of what :almost Cocktail attire: means. Thanks!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:25h, 10 AprilMany thanks for your comment, Susan! I’ve never thought about deconstructing necklaces, but that’s a great idea. 😉
MaryEllen
Posted at 21:09h, 09 AprilI love how creative you are in changing the sleeves !
BUT this skirt is amazing !! I’ve even gone online to promenade but couldn’t find this fabric . It’s sooooo versatile & stylish . I’ve loved,loved,loved border prints since my college days of sewing . ( quite a while ago😍) . Both items are another hit !
MaryEllen
Posted at 21:12h, 09 AprilBTW -I’m going to Houston in August with Susan khalje’s couture school . Promenade is supposed to come the day before 😘
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:27h, 10 AprilOh how fabulous!!!!! Have you taken one of her classes before?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:26h, 10 AprilThank you, MaryEllen! I fell hard for this fabric and am planning a shirtdress with the remaining fabric 🙂
Mary Funt
Posted at 21:35h, 09 AprilGood call on eliminating the lower ruffle. Your outfit is smashing and very appropriate for ” almost cocktail”.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:28h, 10 AprilThank you, Mary!
Sheri Lewis
Posted at 22:58h, 09 AprilVery inspiring! Way to think outside the box.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:28h, 10 AprilMany thanks, Sheri! The scissors did the thinking on this one 😉
Susan
Posted at 03:05h, 10 AprilGood move unpicking the offending ruffle, it looks great in its new form! Love your skirt, too.
Thanks for the instructions re using petersham to finish a waistband. Minor point; but am I correct in thinking the skirt and lining are sewn wrong sides together??
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:00h, 10 AprilThank you for catching this Susan. You are correct!! 😉
Rianna Brown
Posted at 04:05h, 10 AprilWhat a beautiful look Sarah!! I wonder how many RTW garments I have had to alter over the years, as I have realized the construction and/or style flaws relevant to my figure! It just makes sense after all these years to make my own wardrobe from scratch. Thank you for the encouragement time and again as I regularly read your blogs.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:30h, 10 AprilThank you for your lovely comment, and for being a regular reader,Rianna! You’re exactly right that construction and style flaws almost always are more about the person than the garment.
Kathie Bennett
Posted at 05:15h, 10 AprilFabulous!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:31h, 10 AprilThank you, Kathie!
Juls
Posted at 06:22h, 10 AprilI like the print of your skirt 🙂
The sleeves are very much improved minus one layer, the 3 reminds me of a Spanish Bullfighter… not the “almost cocktail look”
Ps. The photos of the petersham ribbon waist treatment are a bit too small, is it just me? I preferred it when you have your full size pictures like your hemming of knits pictures. I like your tips and tricks Sarah, they are always so informative, so thank you for sharing 🙂
Juls
Posted at 06:27h, 10 AprilOops, It was me on the photos.. I’ve managed to enlarge the view , please forgive me!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:05h, 10 AprilGlad you could open the photo, Juls! On occasion the link will mysteriously disappear.
Donna Strawser
Posted at 06:43h, 10 AprilSEW CUTE!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:31h, 10 AprilMany thanks, Donna!
Beth
Posted at 06:45h, 10 AprilI love everything about this!!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:32h, 10 AprilThank you so much, Beth!
Becky Bagwell
Posted at 07:13h, 10 AprilYou did it again! Great look!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:33h, 10 AprilThank you, Becky! You could easily pull off the three tiers of ruffles 😉
Sew Jean Margaret
Posted at 07:21h, 10 AprilLovely outfit Sarah. Amazing how just removing a ruffle on the sleeve has improved the proportions. Your skirt looks fabulous and thank you for sharing your petersham ribbon waistband finish. I must try this next time I make a skirt.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:35h, 10 AprilThank you, Jean! It’s all about proportions isn’t it? Susan Khalje uses the Petersham ribbon waistband technique, and Julie encouraged me to give it a try after becoming a convert. I think you will really like it 😉
Annie
Posted at 10:30h, 10 AprilTook me a long time to wrap my mind around “dressy casual.” Now you tell me I have to learn “almost cocktail.” The rules were easier. After five, short cocktail, after 8, long dress, etc. Southern girls do know how to dress for the occasion. And thanks for the petersham tutorial. Making a linen skirt and that will be a useful waistline finish.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 12:31h, 10 AprilLOL – I agree, and the funny thing is many of the attire codes mean the same thing 😉
Good luck with the waistline finish and thanks for the comment, Annie!
PsychicSewerKathleen
Posted at 10:58h, 10 AprilWhat a brilliant re-make on your blouse and your skirt is so pretty! Thank you for that tutorial on the Petersham ribbon technique. I read about it somewhere in the past and bought some of it at our local fabric shop then failed to use it mostly because when I’m making a skirt I make it an elastic waist for comfort 🙂 But it’s such a quality ribbon I’m sure I’ll find a use for it if not as a waist band in the future – it makes a nice embellishment or stabilizer for sewing buttons onto a cardigan as well.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 12:32h, 10 AprilThank you, Kathleen! I agree with you Petersham ribbon is the absolute best , with dozens of uses 😉
Jennifer Shaw
Posted at 13:08h, 10 AprilWhat a fantastic save! It is a cute blouse, with the skirt and your gorgeous necklace, well that upgrades the look to almost cocktail.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 14:23h, 10 AprilLOL – ALMOST is the operative word! Many thanks, Jennifer 🙂
Amanda S.
Posted at 14:39h, 10 AprilLovely outfit! Those sleeves are just right now. I have several pieces of clothing that I’m steadily altering to make them better suited to my lifestyle. I don’t especially love altering but being able to even out a high/low hem on a clearance-rack dress or shorten the sleeves of a top bought from Goodwill is really satisfying, inexpensive, and fast.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 18:58h, 10 AprilThank you, Amanda! Refashioning has always been great fun for me. I love imagining the potential of unwanted garments 🙂
Esther Mozo
Posted at 21:32h, 10 AprilYou look great! Your panache makes this inexpensive blouse look designer. About the petersham tutorial, the last step says to turn ends under the ribbon, by “ends” do you man the part where the zipper is attached? or does it refer to the seam allowance? or something else? Also, this means no more waistband, right? So all I have to do is make the skirt body, cut the same in lining, attach the zipper and then the petersham — and voila!? Sorry for the many questions, I’m a beginning sewist and this is all new to me. Thanks for making it all sound so easy!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:08h, 11 AprilMany thanks, Esther! By “ends'” I mean the overhang on the back of the skirt (picture three). Turn the ends under so they are even with the edges of the back.
This technique is used for lined skirts without a waistband. so it does not replace an attached waistband. You are correct in the steps 🙂
Good luck!!
Vancouver Barbara
Posted at 22:56h, 10 AprilYour outfit looks great – you did the right thing with that third ruffle.
Where do you get Petersham? It seems very hard to find. Grosgrain just doesn’t do the trick.
Thanks always
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:04h, 11 AprilThank you, Barbara! The Sewing Place offers Petersham in every color and width. It’s also perfect for trimming tunics since the braided edge is easy to shape and turn 🙂
https://www.thesewingplace.com/Petersham-Ribbon-s/1901.htm
Claire
Posted at 12:25h, 11 AprilLooks like “Almost cocktail” to me! Great waistband tutorial. Will try your method on my next skirt. I also follow Teggy French’s blog and had a similar experience when I ordered a white top with statement sleeves after seeing it on her site. I wore mine for the first time this past weekend as well and couldn’t stop fiddling with it. I don’t plan to ever order from a Chinese e-commerce site again…the fit and the fabrics are all wrong. But it’s great inspiration for sewing.
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 12:39h, 11 AprilWell put, Claire, but kudos to Teggy for making everything look good!
Bambi Drisko
Posted at 00:48h, 12 AprilGreat looking outfit! What width Petersham are you using for your waistbands?
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 08:11h, 12 AprilThank you, Bambi! For this skirt I used a 1″ but next time I will use a wider width 😉
sally
Posted at 09:26h, 01 Mayagree with you ! there’s so much that is bad about ‘shein’ it is all over the net and appalling fashion to say the least – I thought it was too good to be true when it showed up ‘everywhere’ and I read the reviews on it -have to say however I love the skirt on trend and great finish
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:02h, 16 MayLive and learn! Teggy makes it all look so good I couldn’t resist 😉 Many thanks for the comment, Sally!
Ember L. Flack
Posted at 20:34h, 10 MayAnother winner, and great story. You really know what you are doing. I love the skirt…The shoes look like a very nice quality. May I know the brand/model? I prefer a more substantial heel like yours here. Beautiful!
goodbyevalentino
Posted at 07:03h, 16 MayThank you, Ember! The shoes are Tory Burch which I splurged on for my daughter’s wedding last year. Because the heel is substantial,the shoes are actually comfortable 🙂 🙂
Cynthia Willis
Posted at 00:49h, 26 AugustNew to your blog, love your classic style! Removing the lowest ruffle improved the look of the blouse ten-fold. Thank you for the tutorial on the waist finish.