Fashion Challenge Diary: The Elusive Temptress

I made it to week four of the Fashion Challenge! To see all of this week's LBD's, check them out here!

Pattern: modified from BurdaStyle's Cape with Scarf
Fabric: 2 1/2 yds silk cotton knit
Cost: $17


Meet "Christine." She's the talk of the town, daring and fashion forward, and yet dark and mysterious. You can find her at the opera or ball gala, but catch her quick! She appears for a moment at the top of the stairs, her dress swirling around her in the night, and the next moment she's vanished back into the shadows, with nothing but the tail of her cape disappearing into the crowd. At least this is how I picture myself when I wear this dress ;)

This week's challenge was to create my own little black dress, and the story to go along with it. When I put this dress on I feel like I become Christine, the elusive temptress for a night out. 



The concept behind the dress is the combination of a form-fitting LBD with the mystery of a flowing black cape. The real mystery for us sewists, of course, is the construction, and how to combine these two contradictory pieces. It definitely got my head spinning! Using BurdaStyle's Cape with Scarf pattern as a base, I got rid of the front panel and replaced it with a form-fitting dress. They are connected at the front chest and across the back shoulders with some rather tricky corner seams, which can be seen in the picture below. I also added fullness to the cape with vents in the side seam, which turned out really well.

I had the hardest time photographing this dress because a) it's black, and b) with the changing seasons, there hasn't been much daylight in the morning or by the time I get home from work. So sorry it's a little blue in the pics as Fabric Mart pointed out (how embarrassing!), but I promise it really is black. I'm also hoping to eventually get a new camera...



I think this dress is a bit of a risk for this challenge because it's not the traditionally 'pretty' LBD. But I think it is different and cool and definitely not for everyone, which really makes it stand out in the crowd. It also eschews the traditional notions of sexy and formal, by covering up with an element of outwear. I love this dress for when I want to get noticed without revealing too much, just like Christine!

You can vote for mine or any other favorites on the Fabric Mart site!


Bonus points if you can guess the theatrical allusion to the name Christine!

12 comments:

  1. Fantastic! Seriously fantastic :) I'm not up on my theater but I am sure that Christine is the lady love interest in Phantom of the Opera?

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  2. Love your LBD interpretation! Did you use a commercial pattern for the dress portion?

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  3. Thanks ladies! Meredith - I often use McCall's 6164, a t-shirt pattern, for my fitted dresses, and extend it out through the hips :)

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  4. I love it! I've been trying to brainstorm costumes that ARE costumes but could easily be something else and this is such a perfect example and it looks so chic and elegant!

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  5. Very cool, Meg! A very dramatic interpretation! Christine is from Phantom of the Opera, of course!

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  6. You're all such thespian geniuses! ;)

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  7. What a fantastic idea/story/dress! I love your interpretation and the idea of the cape is so cool - when I first saw your dress on FabricMart, I thought maybe you were a superhero! You ladies in this contest are def. superhero sewists. Great job.

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  8. It is an amazing dress! Looks so flattering.

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  9. This is a great mod! Very unique and you look oh so mysterious :) I've enjoyed seeing everyone's take on the LBD!!

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  10. I love the cape! Such a fabulous dress!

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  11. I love this! You're so creative!

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  12. Amazing - dramatic and yet totally wearable. I love it.

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