Help me out...dress pattern advice needed!

[Gwynyvyr]

First and foremost... PLEASE do NOT state the obvious when you see the pattern...don't want to jinx what appears to be possibly in my future....
ANYWAY....
Here are a few patterns I have found that I like.
I am 5'6" and chubby (about 175 now), though I am losing weight. I am big-busted (38DD) and no, I NEVER lose that when I take off weight for some reason!
I will be going with a heavier fabric (possibly a light brocade or heavy silk) and not white....deep cream or possibly gold (not metallic) or maybe french blue.
Or I could make the body of the dress one color and go with a different color for sleeves or inserts (whatever pertains here)
I prefer empire waisted as , hell, it shows off my hooters and takes the focus off my chubby butt!
IF this does happen (and, yes, he and I have been discussing it at length), it will be a purely religious ceremony in my faith (Asatru), so a dress that looks like it came out of the Viking age would be appropriate.
(again, PLEASE no mention of the *M* or *W* words!)

This one looks pretty good:
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4378.htm?tab=evening_prom_bridal&page=3

I like the *square neck* view of the next one:
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5003.htm?tab=evening_prom_bridal&page=2

I looked in the *costumes* as well and like this one (just envision it in different colors!) :
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5264.htm?tab=costumes&page=1

This one, the view in white is wildly romantic looking:
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4889.htm?tab=costumes&page=3

Patterns 4940 (page 1 ) and 9891 (page 2)
http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?cat=4&type=19&sec=39&startrow=1

I couldn't find anything at Vogue that I liked...if you see anything that looks good, post it here!
I know there is a company or two that makes *costume* patterns exclusively and *this-sort-of-dress* exclusively, but I can't find them, dang it!

[MNMOM]

This one, the view in white is wildly romantic looking:
http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M4889.htm?tab=costumes&page=3

This was my favorite of all of them, and indeed it is very romantic.

Edit: What color eyes do you have?
If you have green or brown, I would go with a gold dress, if you have blue I would go with the french blue.

[Faye]

I like the first one because it is beautifully simple and the 4th one because it IS wildly romantic. The costumes don't appeal to me at all because they look very costumy. I know that is not a word but it was the only one I could think of.

[Gwynyvyr]

Thanks to my Irish grandmother...I inherited her looks, I have Irish pale skin, red hair and hazel green eyes...green with flecks of goldish color. And have natrually spiral-ly curly hair. Long hair.
And yeah...I am torn between the simple one and the romantic one, too, heh...

[MYellowRose]

Gwyn I absolutely LOVE the square necked one and I think you'd look STUNNING in it, especially since you want one with an empire waist to it. I think it would look good with one color for the dress and an entirely different, but coordinating one - maybe a sheer floral, for the overskirt. Say the dress in sage green with a floral overskirt, maybe rose or pink flowers on a very light green background.
'Course I must admit I don't have all that good a sense of fashion but I think with your red hair and hazel eyes something like I suggested would be real nice on you!
I too love the empire waist look.
Good luck.
Can you do an overlay of your face on the pictures so maybe we could see how they would look on you?

[Gwynyvyr]

Okay...wonder if this would be possible...
The *square neck one* for the dress, the sleeves from the *wildly romantic one* and the cape from the first simple one?
(ye gods and little ponies, I'll have to get all three patterns.... :P )
The problem with the wildly romantic one *as is* is that I am afraid my backside would look WAY big in it as it is a bit formfitting. Although my darling man says he adores my backside! ;D

I was thinking of cream silk brocade for the bodice and insert of the dress with the main skirt to be french blue, gold gauzy fabric for the sleeves and cape?
Thoughts?
(will try to find examples of the fabrics online...)

I rarely wear green...for some reason I can't find a shade that looks *right* with my skin tones...but french blue looks nice on my pale skin. :)
The problem with a floral print is that I am afraid the dress would come out looking more *colonial* than *viking-ish*.
Maybe a very small print...in a celtic knot type pattern?

[leera]

I REALLY like the first one.....I can picture that in the french blue.........You'd be beautiful in it!

[MYellowRose]

I hate to sound dumb ladies but just what shade is French blue? It's a term I'm not familiar with.

[Gwynyvyr]

Examples of French blue shades...it is a *rich* shade, whether dark or pale...
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0001CKSIQ.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
http://www.giftaria.com/Uploads/ihr22548.jpg
http://www.designerlinensoutlet.com/store/prodimages/big/shm05138_4.jpg

[Txanne]

The 3rd dress on the first link---It is you.

IMO--of course--the square neck may make you look to broad acroos the shoulders.[it would me--and you got bosums lol]]

Or the only other one--Sim:4940-

they are all beautiful--- ;D

But that beautiful red hair--ohhhhhh would i love to dress it for the occasion!! ;D

Cream--with a hint of gold threads--sstay away from whites ---But if blue is your chose of color--COOL!!

annie--blubbering

[chloe3388]

Wow some beautiful dresses, the first and the third are wondeful. That Celtic goddess thing and you are just the gal for it. Love the idea of blue. Now you got me dreaming of dresses feeling all girlie.

chloe

[nancy1340]

Ok, since I have had a FTF with Gwynnie I vote for the 4th one. Hands down. Love it! That little dip in the top is just the touch.

First color choice would be a jewel toned seafoam/green.

Second choice would be cream with a lightly beaded lace bodice.

[Gwynyvyr]

Ok, since I have had a FTF with Gwynnie I vote for the 4th one. Hands down. Love it! That little dip in the top is just the touch.

First color choice would be a jewel toned seafoam/green.

Second choice would be cream with a lightly beaded lace bodice.

You don't think the slightly fitted waist and hips on that dress would make my butt look like it needed a *wide-load* sign?
Man...am I sensitive about the size of my backside, lol....

[grandmajoy]

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B4571=x&TI=10013&page=4
Gwynn hears one that is nice too you could use several colors on this. The V shape of the belt is a nice touch.

joy

[Gwynyvyr]

WOW! :o
Ladies, I think we have a winner!
I could use both colors on that...bead the bodice a little...
Looks like everything I want in a dress for certai *special occasion* and more!
THANK YOU gramajoy!

[nancy1340]

You don't think the slightly fitted waist and hips on that dress would make my butt look like it needed a *wide-load* sign?
Man...am I sensitive about the size of my backside, lol....



Like a infamous friend of mine said once.....................or twice. "If their (God I am glad I can spell "their") looking at your hooters they won't see anything else". ;)

I think you would look lovely in it.

[grandmajoy]

I glad you like it Gwynn, I think the french blue would look fabulous and I would use silver to accent it. I think I would look for a jacquard or satin print with silver in the design for the front skirt panel, and the sleeve caps, satin for the bodice and the rest of the skirt, and lace for the outer sleeves, and possibly a silver lame' for the inner sleeve. I would defiantly do beading on it as well, you can also get rhinestone trim by the yard at Jo-anne's its expensive but that would look good on it to.

joy

[grandmajoy]

http://www.housefabric.com/categoryview.asp?CategoryID=108

Look at this site, it has great fabrics and trims, some of it is quite a bit spendy but you can get an idea of what you might want.

joy

[Gwynyvyr]

http://www.housefabric.com/categoryview.asp?CategoryID=108

Look at this site, it has great fabrics and trims, some of it is quite a bit spendy but you can get an idea of what you might want.

joy
Joy...I think my keyboard may be ruined by my drool...the fabrics at that site...holy cow! :o

[Txanne]

http://store.sewingtoday.com/cgi-bin/butterick/shop.cgi?s.item.B4571=x&TI=10013&page=4
Gwynn hears one that is nice too you could use several colors on this. The V shape of the belt is a nice touch.

joy

I love the thinner look of the shoulders--narrows down[[thinner looking--not boxie]] to be totally feminine.

And that V-look as GmJoy points out at the waist is a real slimmer downer and ---classie look---

And WOW LOVE the sleeves----a very beautiful dress.

annie

[Gwynyvyr]

And since my local Wal-Mart...where I usually don't shop...is closing down the fabric dept and had some good stuff at prices that I couldn't ignore...

I found some fabric.
http://i19.tinypic.com/30c4pyc.jpg

Thats a dime in the pic so you can see the scale of the print.
Also, I got that lovely gold fabric from Dawn and am going to use it for the insert on the skirt and to line the sleeves for contrast.

The colors didn't show up the greatest.
Yes, it's an oriental print, a silk/rayon brocade, pale ice blue with french blue and gold in the weaving.
Beautiful drape with just the right *body* and feel for a long dress.
If nothing else, I will have the most kick-ass renaissance dress around, lol! ;D

[bookwormom]

downright stunning. and at Wal mart. who would have thunk it.
well, I was just going to put my two cents worth in for Mcalls 4889. (although that headdress that looks like Brunhild would not suit you, is my guess). I really like the first pattern a great deal,too. I hope we get to see a picture when you are done. :)

[Gwynyvyr]

Well, DANG!
Okay, being typical female ;D I assumed my fellas favorite color was blue.
D'OH! :-/
Turns out it's green. With white. His favorite combo.
So now that I found the pattern I like, I gotta go in search of new fabric (I got a plan for the fabric I already have ;D)
So...if anybody has a good online fabric store bookmarked POST THAT LINK, BABY!
Cheap places preferred! :P

[MYellowRose]

I hate to be dumb Gwynn but since you're wearing the dress shouldn't it be in a color you like and look good in? ??? I know you're trying to please your fella but you gotta think of yourself too!

[Gwynyvyr]

Yeah, I know....but I really would like it to be in a color he likes....I guess because, after all is said and done...I am a shameless romantic ::)

[nancy1340]

The blue is pretty but I think you would be stunning in green. JMHO 8)