Summer of Charm: A Double Dose of Glam Vintage Sewing
Spending time under quarantine meant I needed a fun way to pass the hours, and diving headfirst into glamorous garment sewing was exactly the antidote to stay-at-home fatigue. I ended up making two incredible dresses that made me feel less like I was stuck in the house and more like a glamorous mid-century pin-up model.
Since I was so wrapped up in the process, I didn’t take any progress photos along the way. However, I’ve got plenty of pictures showing off the final looks, the fits, and all the design details from every angle. Let's talk about the patterns, the hacks, and the fabric placement that brought these two summer dresses to life.
Dress 1: The Border-Print Lamour Dress
The first project was the classic Lamour Dress. For this version, I combined the structured bodice featuring the three-way halter strap with the iconic sarong skirt.
The fabric is a mystery woven that sits on the thinner side. I’m not great at identifying exact fabric compositions yet, and I actually found this piece secondhand. It's a gorgeous mix of blue and teal with a very faint crosshatch texture running through it. Most importantly, it featured a beautiful white floral border print along the edge.
The Layout & Construction
Because border prints require a little extra strategy, I spent some quality time planning my pattern layout. I deliberately placed all the pieces for the left side of the dress directly along the border print. When stitched together, the white floral pattern flows beautifully down the left side of my body. I even gave the draped sarong ruffle and one of the bodice halter straps the exact same treatment so the floral motif carried through the entire silhouette.
The Fit Details
The fit on this is absolutely fantastic. One of the reasons I love Charm Patterns is that Gertie includes different cup options directly in the pattern drafting. Because of that, I was able to skip my usual full bust adjustment entirely!
Furthermore, combining a strapless style bodice with halter straps that you tie yourself meant I didn't have to make my typical short-waist alterations. The straps naturally adjust the bodice to where it needs to sit.
The One Flaw
If there is one thing I need to go back and fix, it's the internal structure. I used my trusted industrial-grade zip ties for the bodice boning—which usually works perfectly—but I accidentally cut them just a fraction of an inch too long. As I wore the dress around, they started jabbing into my skin. As soon as I get a free afternoon, I’m going to unpick the bottom of the casings, trim those zip ties down, and reseal them for maximum comfort.
Dress 2: The Color-Blocked Starburst Dress
For my second project, I tackled the Starburst Dress, which actually uses the Lamour Dress as its foundation. The standout design detail here is a dramatic, stylized starburst seam line along the top of the three-quarter length skirt. Since the skirt isn't cut into traditional panels, which makes room for some really fun fabric playing.
Playing with Color Blocking
I decided to use two coordinating fabrics to create a bold, color-blocked effect: I cut the main portion of the bodice and the upper "starburst" section of the skirt from a vibrant, solid pink cotton. Then I cut the lower section of the skirt and the top shelf-bust portion of the bodice out of a cheerful yellow cotton covered in matching pink flowers.
This layout sandwiching the solid pink in the middle created a gorgeous contrast band right across my waist, emphasizing the starburst design perfectly.
The Matching Dorothy Bolero
To make it a true vintage-style ensemble, I used the leftover fabric to stitch up a matching Dorothy Bolero. I kept the theme going by using the yellow floral print for the main body of the little jacket and the solid pink fabric for the sleeve cuffs.
Final Thoughts
Both of these dresses were such a joy to work on. Wearing them around the house and taking photos completely transformed my mood—there is nothing quite like a well-fitted circle skirt or a structured sarong to make you feel utterly fabulous, even if you have nowhere to go.
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