Rehearsal Dinner Dress using a Vogue Designer Pattern

Even for the most momentous occasions of my life, I rarely buy new patterns or new clothes. My oldest child's wedding was no exception to the rule. For the wedding itself I wore a dress my mother had worn as a maid of honor about fifty years earlier. The watercolor chiffon was prettier than anything I thought I might find in a store. For the rehearsal dinner, I had a pair of spectacular floral stiletto pumps I found on a clearance rack; I just needed a dress to go with the shoes. No problem! My upbringing in the home of an amazing seamstress (and mom) prepared me for times such as this.

In the early eighties, my mother worked in a fabric store. This is a dream job for dressmakers because the employee discount is an excuse to buy patterns and fabric until you achieve SABLE (Stash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy) status. Among her acquisitions were several Vogue Designer patterns: Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Yves St. Laurent, and this Edith Head pattern. There is nothing really special about this pattern, other than Edith Head's signature on the envelope. It is a simple series of rectangles assembled in various ways. The simplicity made it the perfect choice for a mother of the groom with limited time and an aversion to shopping.

The dress is made from pink broadcloth with the ruffle made of white eyelet recycled from another dress. I added some released tucks at the side to create a bit of a waistline and used narrow lace from my stash to trim the straps and the hem. The dress was done in less time than it takes to drive to the mall, park the car, try on dresses, and purchase a dress.

This was my second go at this pattern. The first time was the winter of 1979-80. I made the long version in a heavy coral pink satin and used velvet ribbon for the shoulder straps. It was worn to a dance at Purdue University. I can't post a picture of the dress because I later recycled the dress and the leftover scraps into a ruffled blouse which I wore to work with a suit for years. Who says the "green" movement is a recent development? We home dressmakers were recycling before it was even a word!