Anyone interested in a Tropical Sunset?

Hey guyyyyyys.....

Continuing on our voyage through the Vegas wardrobe; today we have my Tropical Playsuit.

I had wanted a two piece ever since I saw Katy & Laney's beach playsuits, and after I had sewed it up they started popping up all over the place!

I got the fabric on Goldhawk Road, on a Spoolette outing. I can't remember how long ago, but it's probably a cotton sateen. You know me, I like things with a bit of weight to them.

That being said, it's possibly a tiny bit stiff for the skirt. It does stand in it's folds a bit!

It feels a bit odd when you're dressing for a chilly day with tights on, but bare-legged round the pool in Vegas it felt dandy! I wore this to the Tiki Pool Party on the last day of Viva. I wanted to feel in the vibe, but as I wasn't staying in the hotel, I didn't really feel like being in a swimsuit.

The skirt is a another simple old circle skirt (fast and easy for building a holiday wardrobe!).

This was the first and I left it to hang as instructed by so many of you out there. Thankfully, it didn't seem to drop at all - which made me a happy lady. Invisible zip, button on the waistband.

The buttonholes were a bit poo that day. 

I had stiffened the waistband with some vintage grosgrain ribbon, but I probably should have interfaced the cotton too. Plus, vintage grosgrain is pretty dense, so that didn't help making a buttonhole. 

Either way, blah.

The bodice is another story. I put it together in a bit of a mish-mash and out popped something really great!

I used the bodice from B5731 to start off. This is actually the pattern to replicate the Princess Kate wedding dress. But be forewarned, if you're feeling like a royal wedding - there is a CRAP-tonne of pattern pieces. I would not be excited to be making this dress. And there is no way I would be tracing it off! This is one pattern I would prefer to re-purchase if I messed up!

It's a princess-seamed sweetheart strapless bodice. It has different cup sizes for the bodice, so I cut the D (even though I am definitely bigger than a D!). I expected that as a Big 4 there would be some extra space in there! It looked pretty crap to begin with, all baggy and way too big. I think I cut the 14, which should have been 2" too small in the waist and I think I still took room out. I added an inch to the bottom for hemming.

I took the excess out in the back seam for simplicity. The only other issue with the muslin was the shape of the princess seams. I had to reshape the curve - I can't imagine that anyone has a bust shaped like that. 

I know I like vintage, and vintage means pointy, but still, come on.

I flattened out the curve quite a bit. to be honest, I could do with flattening it out more to be honest, but the print hides it. And my strapless bra is pretty dome shaped so that ain't helpin' none.

I'm not entirely comfortable with strapless these days so I drafted up some straps. And by drafted, I mean I drew some shapes and checked if they looked right. They're slightly pointed at the shoulder, I just felt it might be more flattering if they got wider at the top.

When I was making my muslin for the bodice, I came up against the issue of, you know, getting into it.

 I didn't have a separating zip (to be honest, separating zips didn't even occur to me). I thought, well I can't put the zip in normally - the waist is too narrow to get over my shoulders. 

So I just thought - put it in upside down.

Then the waist opens enough to get on, and the bust is already big enough to get on.

BINGO

I lined the bodice with some plain cotton poplin, and I stitched in the ditch down the side seams on the outside to keep it all straight and in place. I topstitched the bottom hem to stop it rolling. I put hooks and eyes on the straps so I could detatch them (and I didn't know what length/position I wanted them during construction and thought it would be a bit difficult to sandwich them), but in the end they got tacked on for spreed and security.

Finally, seen in my SewDollyClackett post, a picture of me at the pool party with my friend Candie. Her and her husband José were completely awesome, and we had such a great time with them!

So, in conclusion; two-pieces rock. Vegas rocks.

THE END

Emmie x