Monday, January 20, 2014

McCall 3560: The 'Birthday Dress'



Here is my first 1940 McCall project of 2014!  Except it's from 1939! SHOCK! HORROR! hahaha.  Yup, this pattern is nestled amongst 1940 McCall patterns but the copyright date is 1939.  This has happened before (but with a pattern that should have been from 1941 according to the pattern number but was copyrighted in 1940).  This was most likely produced at the end of 1939 and then the release was delayed for 1940.  Despite that, it is happily taking a treasured place among my other 1940 McCall Project makes!

Isn't it beautiful?  I just love the simplicity of the bodice and the fullness of the skirt:


This pattern is featured in the February issue of McCall's Magazine:
The magazine describes the pattern as such:
A twelve-gore skirt is a thing of beauty and joy for a long time. The yellow dress has this skirt. It hangs slimly in deep deceiving ripples, but when you move it goes into a lively dance. Neck and shoulder pieces in one. No. 3560.
And here is my version:


I made the dress from a brown viscose fabric, which works beautifully with the drape of the twelve-gored skirt!

I've been wanting to get my hair cut for a while now and there is an amazing vintage salon in Edinburgh called Miss DixieBelle.  So, I made an appointment for my birthday (what better way to celebrate than with a little pampering?)  I always get a cut and style (because Ariana, the stylist does so many amazing vintage hairdos)...I simply cannot resist getting it styled!

The salon has a fun retro vibe.  Check out the leopard print cover-up:


Here is the finished style!  Oh how I LOVE it!  I would love to wear my hair like this every day of the week!!


Right, now back to the dress....which features pleated sleeve caps, a stand-up collar and two zippers (one at the neck back and one on the side):


The back of the dress is very simple but elegant. I left the hemline on this dress a bit longer than I normally do because it fit well with the flare in the skirt.


We took these pictures at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.  There's something about these gardens that make them nice all year 'round (even in January!)


I am very happy with my new dress! I think it will be a fantastic wardrobe staple.  I can also have fun adding accessories to get a pop of colour!

Oh, here goes the dress into a lively dance:


Later that evening, David surprised me by inviting some of my best girlfriends over for cake and wine.  Check out the pirate candles:



Such a lovely day, and a great way to ring in another year!
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43 comments

  1. Wow, so beautifully made! I would never have thought to use that fabric, but it works wonderfully and looks marvellous on you.

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  2. Beautiful dress, and happy belated birthday wishes x

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  3. That is a beauty you have inspired me....happy belated birthday too
    bestest to you an yours
    Daisy j x

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  4. Omg your hair is just stunning, really suits you, what a brilliant birthday treat! Love the 12 gore skirt, definitley worth all the effort.

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  5. How lovely! I've never seen pleated sleeve caps like those before, I really like them! The dress is such a lovely shape. Happy birthday!

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  6. Wow - those sleeves are amazing (as is the rest of the dress) - happy birthday wishes for you

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  7. Happy B-day Debi ;)
    Your dress is lovely, I am amazed on how you find these patterns with the most awesome details, those pleated sleeve heads really adds interest. And the cute collar :) I wish I had a hairdresser like yours, your hair looks gorgeous in these photos!!

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  8. Happy Birthday Gorgeous! Beautiful dress and amazing hair!

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  9. Happy Birthday Debi! The hair-do is STUNNING... and another beautiful dress, love the shoulder details and the way the skirt hangs.

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  10. Happy Birthday! Beautiful dress and hair!

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  11. oh you 1939 beauty, happy birthday! good man, that david.

    i desperately want to see your locks the day after you shake that gorgeous 'do out.

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  12. What a beautiful dress! Great job!

    Happy birthday!

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  13. Wow! That dress is so flattering on you, it really is gorgeous.

    Happy birthday!

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  14. Happy Birthday! Lovely dress. We seldom see gore skirts/ dresses any more so it was refreshing.

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  15. Happy birthday:)
    Love your hair! I wouldn't mind having such hair everyday either.
    But oh the work it takes!
    Really like the shoulders, nice details.

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  16. happy birthday, debi! love your dress, and your hair is insanely beautiful, you look like a movie star!

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  17. Love love love the dress! And your hair--wow!
    Happy birthday!

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  18. Happy Belated! Your dress is lovely and it sounds like you had a great b-day!

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  19. Elegant dress, gores are wonderfully slimming and work so well with the simple bodice. Love those Mary Janes too! Your hair style leaves me speechless, so lovely on you. Happy belated bd!

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  20. Happy birthday - looks like you celebrated in grand style :) Beautiful dress - fits you perfectly! And I agree, too bad we can't have hair like that every day!

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  21. Happy belated birthday, Debi! I love those sleeves, and your hair is perfection. And nice work with the catalogue research!

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  22. Happy Birthday! Your dress is lovely and your hair is gorgeous!

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  23. I can't decide which is better, the hair or the dress! Both are just fabulous. Happy Birthday!!

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  24. Your dress turned out fabulous! Very cool about the vintage hair salon, that would be so much fun!

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  25. Congratulations on your birthday! Your hair is to die for and the dress is beautiful as well! The viscose fabric is a very nice choice, it flows so beautifully :)

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  26. You look a lot like Marion Cotillard :) Love all these gorgeous dresses!

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  27. I always expect high necklines to look severe, but it looks absolutely lovely on you as usual. And the hair! You look like you belong at Downton.
    Remember when we first started blogging? Lol I think about how amazing our blogging journeys have been!

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  28. Happy Birthday, Debi!! This dress is wonderful on you, what a great staple to wear as you've done here, or to gussy it up with colorful accessories. The style is perfect. Your hair is stunning, too, what a wonderful birthday treat!

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  29. just joined your blog last weekend...this dress is GREAT... if i see the pattern i think 'mwahhh', but the finished dressed is absolutely fabulous..i want this pattern now...:-).
    And i saw Edinburgh?? I am officially a fan now!! (the last 3 years we went on holiday to Scotland, because i had been nagging my husband for that for 7 yrs), and after the first visit he was addicted...i want to live in scotland...love scotland...and you are actually there...how lucky are you!! (we're from Holland by the way).
    Looking forward to your blog-posts...this dress...fantastic!!!

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  30. OMG your hair is incredible!!!! So so beautiful - A perfect match for your dress! Early 1940s (or late 30s!) sleeves are my favorite because of the little darts. Gorgeous dress as per usual, Debi.

    I hope you had a wonderful birthday :)

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  31. Happy happy birthday Debi!! :-) Sounds like you had a wonderful day. :-)
    That hairstyle is simply gorgeous!!
    Also, love the dress. 12 gore skirts are so much fun to wear. :-)

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  32. oh how lovely you look in that dress, and the hairdresser did her job very well. looks as if you had a lot of fun. and most of all: I adore your pictures in the royal botanic garden (a place I've seen last October). and guess what? I was standing on exactly the same bridge.
    warm regards
    cu
    Ulrike

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  33. Gorgeous dress, love all the details. Your hair looks fabulous,what a pretty style.

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  34. This is such a lovely dress. I agree it will be a good wardrobe staple. The style is very flattering on you and and your hair dresser has done a wonderful job on your hair too. Very pretty!
    Happy birthday Debi!

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  35. Blessed birthday Debi! Love your hair so much! The dress is so simple yet so elegant:)

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  36. Happy Birthday Debi! You look stunning! The dress is so deceptively simple that you and your 'do' are the stars. I love the sleeve cap on the dress, such a lovely detail.

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  37. Happy birthday from Switzerland, belatedly... I love the pictures taken in my favourite city! I have been to so many places, but to think of Edinburgh always makes me feel homesick. Now that I know there's a vintage hairdresser (hair artist?) I so much would like to go there. Great style! (I hate hairdressers and due to my experiences I cut my hair myself now.) This dress is amazing and you look so fabulous!

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  38. This is absolutely gorgeous! I love this on you! I also really like the color you chose-- it's unusual, but so rich and stunning! LOVE the hairstyle, too! Lookin' good, birthday girl!!!

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  39. Happy Birthday and great dress but I loooove the hair!

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  40. Happy Belated Birthday to you! Does it get any better?-- new frock, wine, friends, new 'do? Sounds perfect :) Brown is not a colour I gravitate towards, but it looks fantastic on you! I have similar colouring to you, so maybe it's time to branch out & try something new?!

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  41. Lovely dress, lovely hair! You could be Lady Ellen Hoxley in Land Girls! http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2009/06_june/04/landgirls.shtml

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  42. WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS PATTERN?? Your version looks absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been looking for the perfect skirt pattern for a project, and this one is perfect, but quite hard to track down!

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I read each and every comment--thank you so much!

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