Making the 1954 Dress & Spenser Jacket

I only made the dress for this pattern. I made the dress from a cocktail print in a cotton sateen. I had wanted to use this print for quite some time and felt that this dress was a good fit. I didn’t make the Spenser jacket as I already had one that would work perfectly with the dress.

The bodice is really short-waisted. This is probably because the original is a teen pattern. Even though I added an inch to the bodice length, I still need to drop the bust point and lower the neckline for it to sit correctly. I needed to piece the facings since I cut them before I realized the alterations needed.

Of course, I also added pockets. Since I had limited fabric, the front bag is cut from a different print. Because there is a side zipper, I needed to install the zipper to the pocket bag which is always a bit tricky.

Once I finished sewing up the dress, it seemed a bit blah so I added beads to all of the “pimentos” in the print to liven it up. It was very time-consuming, but I think it makes the dress pop. I’m ready for drinks by the pool.