Making the 1932 dress

This is one of my favorite dresses. Though the original pattern is for a woven fabric, I used a heavy weight knit fabric. It did not have a large amount of stretch and was very dense. It did, however have enough stretch that I was able to eliminate the side closure. I also opted to add slits to the side seams rather the inverted pleats. A slit skirt like this would have been quite risqué in the early 1930s but is much more comfortable. I did not need to make any adjustments to the pattern, just turned the allowance back instead of making a pleat.

I lined the yoke for a smoother finish and used the burrito method to finish the armholes. I added a bit of trim along the yoke seam because I like the style-line and wanted to emphasize it. I think the style of this dress is very flattering. I adapted it for my Summer Breeze dress which is designed for knits and has a functional button closure at both shoulders. This is a timeless dress which works well for any occasion.