Butterick 5749

This is my birthday dress!!
that I was going to make for my 32nd birthday...
back in June...

Oh well.  I'm glad I didn't let it languish any longer.  7 months is quite long enough to lay all cut out in a bin of "things to sew."

This dress was definitely worth sewing.  The pieces all went together nicely, very well drafted.  I was totally over working with this particularly thin and slippery ITY zebra knit from Denver Fabrics by the time I needed to hem the skirt, but I pressed on and finished the dress.
I cut a straight 8 and the only change I would make is to pinch out about two inches width from the center front of the lining.  The drape of the outside is nice but the lining isn't quite as taut across the front as I'd like.  If you fill this out better than I do, the really nice thing about this draped neck is that you won't be exposed if you lean forward.  The lining fits (or should fit) more like a low-cut t-shirt and won't fall open like the drape will.

I also really like the diagonal midriff section.  I think it's a great way to cut a troublesome pooch in half and have a slimming effect if you've got some junk in the trunk as well.

This is a design is a lovely mix of sexy and modest, which is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for.  I want to look great, but not give away the goods.

Hubby loves it and that certainly counts for something too.