I sewed up and photographed this dress in the span of 5 days in early May and yet these photos ended up just sitting on my hard drive until now. At least I can genuinely say this has been one of my favorite makes of summer and I wear it all the time!
This is the Alder shirtdress by Grainline Studio, and I made view B. I used a Rifle Paper Co. rayon (Menagerie, Jardin de Paris) and this fabric is so gorgeous! I don’t adore all the Rifle Paper Co. prints but this one is a definite favorite and this fabric is buttery, completely opaque, and an absolute dream to work with. These photos were taken after I wore this dress all day and was rained on – not a wrinkle in sight! I often have issues with fabrics pilling around my lower back where my backpack rubs against it – even after wearing this all summer there is no sign of pilling.
I was absolutely determined to pair this fabric and the gathered view, despite falling significantly short of the recommended fabric allowance. The pink flowers on mint read candy-sweet, and the shirting details really tone that down to suit my style a little more. However, the gathers add a bit more femininity to the silhouette – I love the finished product so much!
In order to squeeze this dress out of my 2 meters of fabric I added a center-back seam on both the bodice and skirt and cut everything on a single layer. I also cut the inside placket, yoke, under-collar and collar stand out of a matching pink cotton lawn from my stash. I absolutely love this detail – it matches perfectly and really elevates this dress to a “wow, you made that?!” level.
The only thing I wish I could change about this make is the interfacing. Since I have washed this dress it has bubbled and separated in from the collar and placket and in order to get it as smooth as the photos above needs to be ironed. I don’t have the patience to do this every time but I wear it anyway! I doubt anyone else can tell.
Since sewing this I’ve discovered that rifle paper co also has a line of floral printed Keds and I so want matching shoes! Maybe if they go on sale…
Kausalya Mahadevan 