Most often, I am inspired by fabrics: they are the ones who guide the lines of the future garment. More occasionally, a pattern is clearly defined in my head: then comes the long quest for the perfect fabric. Sometimes, the evidence is dazzling … and sometimes, especially when you’re stubborn like me, it’s more arduous. Ah if we could all print our dreamy fabric, wouldn’t it be heaven?

At the very beginning, there was this dress, in the Burda of November 2016.

Love at first sight for the pattern, but knowing that many modifications would be necessary to get a perfect fit, I thought that drafting it from my basic dress would not be too difficult. Now was to find the perfect fabric.

Not having many dresses with short sleeves totally validated (I realized it by wearing the Nissa dress every 3 days ^ ^), this point was defined. I imagined it in a vintage fabric, a little retro, a little fun. A funny dress, which would make me smiling. I wanted pink flamingos (yes yes) but impossible to find the perfect fabric: I hoped a lot on this one, ordered at Tissus Papi, but on reception it was really too thick for my project. The weeks went by, and my project of a little dress was gently moving away. :/

And then one day, while obviously I was needed only buttons (lie number 1 of any good seamstress ^ ^), Juliette and I were walking at the “Tissus des Ursules” when my baby girl started shouting “MOM, LOOK!! !! THIS FABRIC IS SO CUTE !!! ” (Yes, the saleswomen know us now, we are the mother and the daughter who touch the fabrics, drape us with it, exchanging the roll in front of a mirror and checking whether the colors flatter our skin. This crazy duet.)

WELL, she found me this light yellow poplin, dotted with small pineapples: here is your funny dress ! The light yellow is probably not the color that most flatter my skin, but it doesn’t matter: I immediately liked the softness of its color, and the pineapples stick tight to my desires of the moment: funny pattern , which does not take itself too seriously.

To do so, nothing complicated: I took back my basic dress, which I lengthened the front center to create a fake buttoning, and I drew a facing for interior finishes.

And this time I thought about stabilizing my neckline !

The fabric being stiff enough, I opted for box pleats for the front skirt, and darts on the back.

The buttons also come from Tissus des Ursules…

… the back is finished by an invisible zipper …

… the hem of the skirt sewn with the invisible point on the sewing machine …

… and as I always have a problem with the idea of overlocking armholes, I sewn some bias.

Verdict: honestly, I’m super happy about this dress. Concerning the drafting first: having used a popeline without the slightest touch of spandex, I was afraid of feeling a bit restricted, and in fact, I really feel comfortable. And concerning the sewing too: I paid attention to my finishes, tirelessly recommencing if the least thing was wrong, and for that also I’m really pleased with this dress. The light yellow is not the best color for me (on the contrary you will see that on my baby girl with porcelain complexion, light brown and blue eyes, the result is just GORGEOUS), but I don’t care : I feel good in this dress, and there is the most important. 😉

And why Katy? Quite simply because I cut this dress on the release day of the last Katy Perry album, and my children being super fan, it’s the music that echoed in my ears when naming this dress. In the end I find that her baptism name suits her well: I like Mademoiselle Perry’s style, her way of fucking conventions, of tracing her path by being in agreement with her and her convictions. She is at the same time sexy, funny, and gifted: she is one of those people who inspire me and that make me want to assume myself as I am.

I wish you all a good week, and take care of yourself. ❤