Review: New Look 6524 | Little Black Shift Dress!
1:30 PM
The newest LBD for my collection is New Look 6524. I picked this pattern because of the really cute sleeve options. This pattern is really reflective of what's currently in stores now. You can't walk into a Banana Republic or Ann Taylor without seeing this style.
Normally, my go-to dress style is a sheath. But every now and then, I'll slip on a shift. When it comes to a shift dress, I like mine darted at the bust, loose through the middle and skimming over the hips. And most importantly, a shorter hemline -- like this one. Not necessarily mini, but definitely above the knees. That's the only way this style of dress doesn't go matronly as in Memaw's house dress and "sackish" on me.
My fabric is a black and white windowpane plaid suiting with stretch. For the pattern, I cut view D in a size 14 and graded to a size 16 at the hip. I added an inch at the waist and 2 inches at the hem. This made the body of my dress 40".
The fabric is a poly/viscose/elastane blend, but it looks like a tropical wool suiting and it cuts, sews and presses beautifully.
This is a really easy dress to sew... the kind that would only take a movie to cut and sew. But complicated it by having to match plaid
The dress has an invisible back zip and a facing.
I finished off my pressed open seams with my serger.
The dress also has a walking vent, which I rarely see in shift dresses. And I hemmed using a blindstitch.
The sleeve ties are held together with D-rings. The finished size is supposed to be one inch. But I only had 3/4" D-rings in my stash. So I lessened the width. And I actually think I like the narrow size better.
I accessorized with less conservative accessories so that the dress wouldn't look so corporate and conservative in this professional menswear fabric. It's such a cute style, that I could even see pairing this with a pair of Chuck's!
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24 comments
This is sooooo cute and I would have been making a copy of this for sure in my old life. However, in my new incarnation I can only stare admiringly at yours.
ReplyDeleteIt will work in so many fun fabrics! Thanks Carolyn!
DeleteI love 💕 this dress, Erica. So very flattering on you. It is classic yet updated.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pamela!
DeleteLove your dress! Those sleeves add enough "interest" to make it anything but plain.
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute touch! Thank you Irene!
DeleteThe sleeves still have it this year. Very nice dress!
ReplyDeleteThank you Faye!
DeleteOoooh I ❤️ The detail on the sleeves, gonna use that soon. And the dress suit you lovely! You are inspring, thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you Nicole!
DeleteLove this! I don't normally pay attention to New Look patterns, but this one is great. I could also envision using fancy buckles instead of the D rings---think M&J's blingy buckles for a real flash on an otherwise prim (but still sexy professional) dress.
ReplyDeleteI could see this in an evening style as well with blinged out buckles. Thank you Mary!
DeleteI agree it does look very chic and sexy - it fits you so well and WOW that pattern matching is to the moon! Love the sleeves - they make it look like a dress you paid a small fortune for - except how on earth did you ever find a dress that fit you so well?? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathleen!
DeleteSo, so cute! I love the sleeves.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sewing CPA!
DeleteGreat great dress! You have such beautiful taste!
ReplyDeleteI agree that a shift dress should be above the knees!
Thank you Esther!
DeleteYou look great! Nice choice of shoe color. Be blessed.
ReplyDeleteThank you Like2Sew!
DeleteBeautiful! Love the sleeves! Do you make muslins first?
ReplyDeleteNever! Thank you!
DeleteHermoso vestido. Me gusta mucho tu estilo clasico pero con detalles originales. Adoro tu blog. Te abrazo desde buenos aires Argentina
ReplyDeleteHI I've made this pattern too. But I actually found View B sleeve very tight fitting and it actually didn't fit.. I noticed that the sleeve seemed to curve in at the widest part of the arm. Did you have any problems with the fit of this pattern? Thanks from New Zealand.
ReplyDelete