Review: Vogue 8872 | A Perfect Sheath!

My preferred style of dress has always been a sheath dress.  I know a lot of women like skater styles or dresses with full skirts.  But I love a sheath dress.  And this pattern - Vogue 8872, which is a play off of the ever-so-popular Black Halo Jackie O Dress, is no exception.

My preferred way to wear a sheath dress is close-fitting.   Sheath dresses look elegant and slimming, especially when they're form-fitting (not skintight).  This is something you must keep in mind when picking fabric.  I like fabric with a little bit of stretch for wearing ease.  That's why the fabric I chose for mine is this gorgeous Italian peacock blue stretch wool (98% wool, 2% spandex) that I purchased for my Mood Sewing Network garment.  

I cut the size 14 because it was already in my stash.  I added 3 inches to the length of the skirt.  I like for my sheath dress hem to hit at the knee. I had to take in the bodice about an inch or so.  It's lined in a white nylon tricot from my stash.  So understitching is a very important step to not skip in order to make sure that lining doesn't slip out.

I self-lined the corset-style midriff.  Two layers of this fabric gave a secure, Spanx-like fit.  I can eat while wearing this dress!

Since the bodice is cut on the bias, it naturally has a beautiful drape.  I let it hang on the dressform for a few days and the neckline decided who it wanted to be.  I just went with it.  I left off the "shoulder wings", they weren't necessary for me.  And I also omitted the belt carriers.  If I decided I want to wear a belt, I'll just add a thin one at the waist.

And my final alteration that I make to my sheath dresses (and pencil skirts) is to peg in the bottom.  My formula is that the hem should be four inches less than the hip point.  With a vent opening, it's walkable and the fit is perfect!  This dress is perfect for all sorts of occasions.  It's subtly sexy in a way that will make men look and women not hate.  Perfect for a dinner date or a women's conference and will have a great home in my closet!

And my look is never complete without great makeup...

Celebrity Makeup Artist Rob Scheppy -- think Kim Kardashian's fabulous smokey eye, teamed up with Tini Beauty and created this gorgeous 8 color eye shadow palette.  Now, I love makeup and beauty products in general.  I'm a certified product junkie, and I've always loved the Kardashian sisters' makeup, so this was a great product that I was sent to review (no compensation, just this beautiful palette).

Matte shades:  White Russian - creamy off white; Cinnamon-tini - terra cotta; Pavlova - taupe; Blackout - black

Shimmer shades:  Pearl Fizz - pearly white; Rose' Champagne - peachy bronze; Cuba Libre - light cola; Bella Note - charcoal grey

So, today was my first time using this palette.  The colors are neutral, beautiful and perfect for my lifestyle.  Have you ever purchased a palette with colors that you'd never, EVER wear?  I have and this is not one of them.  I love that there are matte colors for day and if you want to get snazzy for evening or a special occasion, you can use the shimmer.  When I applied it, I used it dry.  I used the top row of matte colors to create a smokey eye.  The pigment went on pretty lightly, but you can always build the color up by patting on more.  I'm assuming if you apply it with a dampened brush, the color will be a lot more intense.  This is a great addition to my collection and I'll definitely be putting this to use.  I mean, how could I not?