Embellishing for a Couture Finish

Threads Magazine June 2015 Back Cover

The latest issue of Threads™ Magazine features a 1940's evening gown on the back cover. The design of the gown is typical of the era. What sets this particular dress apart from the rest is the added embellished trim to the collar, sleeve holes and hem. This little attention to detail made me recall an earlier post about an otherwise ordinary dress from my collection that distinguishes itself through tucks and folds. (See The Smocked Dress here.)

This lovely gown sent me off to my closet to revisit a few other garments I treasure for their distinguished embellishments. This jacket, however ordinary in style and shape features a detail at the collar, pocket and cuffs that elevate it to a higher, more sophisticated level.

The faded stitching underneath reveals the mechanism for this unique flourish. Perhaps strips of bias cut fabric are rolled and stitched to secure, then looped, overlapping to form the lapped loop trim that is both restrained and elegant recalling the looped epaulettes of a high ranking officer. It also appears to have been attached manually and not sewn into the seam.

This lovely sheer bed jacket from the 1950's boasts a ruffled collar and band trim of pleated and embroidered chiffon.

This effect would not be difficult to achieve either with a ruffler attachment or folded and stitched by hand. But what a pretty frame for your face with that little bit of ruffle standing at the nape of your neck.

This 1950's peignoir and negligee ensemble of sheer chiffon adds a simple ruffle trim to the yoke, collar and cuffs.

That same ruffle treatment is repeated on the bodice and shoulder straps. Nothing screams wedding cake frou frou more than this sweet raised embellishment. 

These treatments do not require any extraordinary skills though they do demand a bit of patience and precision. The final presentation, however, will be worth every moment spent as you proudly wear your everyday garment that has been elevated to Couture with your embellishing technique.

Visit CynicalGirl on Etsy and CynicalGirl on eCrater for fine vintage and newer sewing patterns.

The Smocked Dress

 

Preen

Before elastic there was smocking. The art of folding and stitching fabric to allow stretch was often used in the collars and cuffs of garments for men, women and children. Any fabric that can be folded into pleats can be smocked. Smocking can also be used as a purely decorative element as well.

I remember wearing this sweet little dress with the smocked detail on the midriff section. This is my sister Ann wearing the dress. Our dresses passed down from cousin to sister to neighbor. What a lovely detail on this little cotton dress.

Years later I purchased this vintage dress at a thrift store. It was well worn but the detail at the yoke, pocket flaps and cuffs was so beautiful that I had to have it.

 

The front yoke shows a method of pintucking or more likely tuck pleats worked in a chevron pattern.

The pleats are machine stitched after carefully folding and pressing. These surface details transform this ordinary sheath style dress into a Couture garment.

Smocking as a garment detail for other than little girls dresses has come in and out of fashion. This lovely Anne Adams dress pattern from the 1930's with neckline and sleeve smocking details is one example.

Anne Adams 2365

Or this lovely gown featured in Threads magazine:

Threads Magazine Issue 167

The smocking on the back of this dress from Bottega Veneta creates fullness. Imagine this triangular smocked insert inverted on the back of a halter dress with the full skirt trailing behind.

Honeycomb Smocked Evening Skirt McCall's 1746

That same smocking detail is featured in this elegant and dramatic 1950's honeycomb smocked evening skirt from McCalls. Find it HERE on Etsy.

Or this simple elegance in the yoke of this Simplicity pattern from the 1960's:

Or this charming 1940's McCall smocked blouse pattern for women.

McCall 1406 ©1948

The Dritz Smockruler made the addition of smocked accessories and decor so much easier with it's easy to follow instructions. Now more than ever decor and fashions such as smocked hats and bags became easy to make. 

For more Smocking Patterns to Download for Free Click HERE

Many of these vintage sewing patterns are still available though becoming rarer.Click HERE for free downloadable patterns for accessories and decor.