It’s been years since I made outfits for Easter. The last dresses I made were for my girls when they were small, somewhere along the lines of this picture.
I remember sitting for hours achieving a near zen state smocking those dresses. I still have all three (four, counting the one for Felicity, the American Girl doll). I do miss smocking, but my right arm and hand don’t miss the repetitive motion that goes into rows and rows of smocking by hand.
Anyways, I am wanting to please myself this year (such selfishness that implies) in making an outfit for myself for Easter that I will like… something from my sewing list that just got pushed to the side over and over again because I ‘didn’t need something new’ or could ‘make do with what I already have’ or would be completely overdressed for a casual family function. We don’t go out anywhere special, but rather celebrate with family, and the mantra I hear from year to year is ‘no pressure: casual dress’.
But I am totally SICK of casual dress.
I dress casually as a matter of course, and I don’t particularly like it. It’s not my default comfort zone. But I do jeans and shirts, yoga pants and tees because it’s crazy being overdressed compared to the rest of the population.
OK, OK… I’m completely exaggerating, but that’s how I feel.
I have two ideas rattling around in my head, which I’d like you all to vote on, since I don’t think I have time to make both. First, a jumpsuit out of stretch crepe, either green, wine or curry.
Or something along those lines…
Secondly, a bouclé or tweed ensemble, comprised of a bias-cut dress and a LFJ-style jacket.
Or, just don’t bother with the fitting and the hand-sewing and the WORK and whip up a new Vogue 8379 wrap dress.
Please tell me what you think!
Mezzo Couture 
I suspect I’m too late to have a vote….but I just love the wrap dress and you’d look sensational in it!
Do you have to choose? Wouldn’t it be nice to work through the list – you already have the fabric…..😉
Yes, it would, and that’s what I’m doing at the moment! Of course the dress and jacket combination won’t get done for Easter but they’re cut and ready to get done!
Oh I just love all your fabrics! Unfortunately I can’t decide after seeing all those lovely colours. I’m sure you will look great no matter which one you pick. Happy Easter!
I think all of your options are great and would work well. Personally I would probably just pick the fabric that I loved the most and then make the corresponding garment, so that wine Burdastyle jumpsuit would jump to the head of my queue. Life really is too short to keep worrying about what other people think though, so maybe you should ask yourself which garment would make *you* the happiest to wear?
I like the second option
I applaud you for wanting to dress up a bit. It is a compliment to do so for those around you! Happy Easter!
Dress up! I am always overdressed. Or is everyone just underdressed? Live these options you chose.
I love jumpsuits but vote for the wrap dress as it has a casual chic that is becoming (plus easier to use the ladies’ room in). However, I say go for what your heart desires! One way to tell is to flip a coin between pairs or pull one of the three out of a hat and then see how you feel. Your feelings will tell you immediately what you really want.
I am with you on wearing what you like. You love in TO so at least there are some fancy people there. 🙂
I’m with Chris. Make the jumpsuit and the wrap dress. Then you have options.
The jumpsuit would be fun. But to make it wearable more than once, I think you would need to choose the curry (assuming that is tan). Otherwise, my second choice is the wrap dress.
The French jacket and bias dress would be a lot of work to complete in two weeks. That would be a better project if you didn’t have a deadline.
I just LOVE that you want to outdress the casual brigade! The whole tracksuit as day wear has gone too far, imho.
I quite like the Burda jumpsuit, it looks so swishy and elegant but a little cool at the same time.And you could easily enough make it a two-piece fake jumpsuit if you were inclined that way to solve the bathroom conundrum.
As to the French jacket: I’ve gone a bit meh about them, not because they aren’t nice but because they seem to be everywhere. If you wanted to encourage your maverick tendencies maybe a French jacket isn’t the day to go.
And the wrap dress would look gorgous on you. AND also it wouldn’t take that long, so you could just cheekily sneak that in too. You know you want to… 🙂