This project does have me a little behind on my Project Run and Play signature style theme outfit. I'll probably end up linking this up, even though it's not really MY signature style--it should work because a long shimmering golden dress trimmed with lace definitely fits into Little Sister's signature style. She dances around in this dress, calling herself a Golden Fairy Princess--she doesn't want to take it off! But I can claim it too, because I really spent a long time figuring out exactly how I wanted these looks to come together.
The wedding is casual and outdoors at a gorgeous national park. All the ladies (including the bride) are wearing boots--a perfect excuse to buy a new pair for myself! The fabric is fairly fancy--did I mention the shimmering golden aspect? So how to make a dress that fits the casual outdoor be-booted style as well as looks good in the fancier fabric?
I decided on following Craftiness Is Not Optional's sewalong/tutorial for the Leah Dress/Tunic.
I can't help but think of this as the Paper Bag Princess dress. |
I MADE bias tape. I never do that. |
Little Sister's preferred way to wear a headband. |
Oh, and the thing that really makes this dress a signature style for me--this fabric was $1 a yard, the crocheted lace trim was $1 for a 3 yard roll, the button was free, and the pattern was a free tutorial. Total cost of this dress was about $1.00. Bargain city!
This was not necessarily the best photo of the back of the dress, but I couldn't resist including it. Love her expression!
He already had some pants that would work, and I picked up a white button-down at Old Navy (I went with the snap-front style so it would be a little more casual), but I wanted to make him something to tie his outfit together with Little Sister's. I used this printable pattern and tutorial from Fresh Off The Bolt for his reversible vest, although I left out the piping since I didn't have any on hand that coordinated, instead using the backside of the gold fabric again for contrast on the outside edge of the vest. I sized the pattern up a bit, since my boy usually wears a size 6 and the pattern is for a small size 5. I liked this rounded-edge, button-free vest both for how easy it was to make, since it had no closures, and the fact that it's reversible. I don't see a ton of future use for a golden vest, but the reverse might come in handy.
I used the back side of the gold fabric for the back of the vest as well. I felt like too much gold took the vest into Vegas magician territory, so I wanted to tone it down a bit.
I didn't have enough of the gold to make the lining, so I used an old sheet. I decided to use single-fold bias tape on the armholes (turned towards the lining side) rather than topstitching the armholes closed as the tutorial instructs. I hate ironing so much, you guys. Store bought bias tape was easier for me.
The old-sheet-and-bias-tape side |
Reverse side for a more casual look |
Um, should we take a potty break? No? Ok then... |
So now I have three days to figure out shoes for them to wear, and we're off to Wedding Party!
Edited--here they are in action at the wedding! It was supposed to be in Yosemite National Park, but due to the government shutdown that went into effect four days before the wedding, we had some last-minute scrambling to do! The venue was Evergreen Lodge, a lovely place right outside of the Hetch Hetchy entrance to Yosemite.
Leading the procession down the aisle |
Watching the bride come in with the pastor and their new uncle |
With their beautiful auntie |
Wah-wahhhhhhh. |
this is fantastic! so gorgeous! and what a steal. Nice job!!
ReplyDeleteI love how your version of the vest turned out! Looks wonderful on him and coordinates so well with your daughter without being too matchy! Love!
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I love how it is fancy without being over the top, it is more elegant. I also LOLed at the potty break picture, I had a bunch of those pics of my daughter, totally unusable! haha but kids for some reason never want to stop what they are doing to go potty!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteSo sweet! Matching outfits are so awesome.
ReplyDeleteMatching is so fun, right? I know there are not many years left for me to get away with it :)
DeletePretty! It looks fancy but can be casual... I think the dress will look great with boots! Love the matching outfits. How cute are your kids!!!
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks!
DeleteShe looks like cute little flapper girl! And the waistcoat, sorry vest, is a nice smart casual touch for hos outfit. And if the vest was made of leftovers is that $1 for both dress and vest, wow!
ReplyDeleteI think I bought two yards of the fabric, but I wasted over a half a yard starting a different dress that I didn't like! So probably more like $1.50 for both--and I might be able to salvage the other dress into a top. Pretty good!
DeleteI love that fabric! Love that they match without being over the top.
ReplyDeleteLove these so much...and the photos of your kids together kill me...so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteThey are so cute! Love the dress and vest!
ReplyDelete