- I've completely eliminated back darts. Just outright ignored them
- I've added about an 3/4" on to each hip for less fitted silhouette, and used my French curve to draw a new side seam
- I've decided that I wanted my dropped waist to start right around the widest part of my hip. I felt that it was a more pleasing look. I've measured the length from the center of my shoulder to my widest hip and that became the length of my new dress bodice pattern
- For the gathered skirt, I've planned to use rectangle with 1:1.5 ratio for the width of the skirt but I didn't have enough fabric. So I cut two rectangles instead, both the full width of the fabric. I sewed the side seams of the rectangles, gathered them and attached to the bottom of the dress. I also slightly pressed them so the skirt wouldn't "puff out" too much as I didn't want a tutu look
- I've left the top part of the dress and the sleeves untouched. I also didn't insert the zipper since I didn't have issues getting into any of my other Laurels without the zipper. So both my dress front and back are cut on fold
Dropped Waist Laurel
I am completely obsessed with Laurel Pattern. I am not even hiding my obsession or pretending it does not exist. I think I have made over 5 Laurels, most of them un-blogged, and I still have one cut out waiting to be made. I could easily wear Laurel dresses every day of the week and be as happy as I can be. This pattern is so versatile and so easy to make!
Lately I have been strangely drawn to drop waist dresses and I have been collecting images of what I liked on my Instagram. There is just something about that dropped waist and slightly gathered skirt that completely stole my heart.
I envisioned a very simple dress - boat-neck, bust darts, dropped waist, gathered skirt and loose fit. Originally I had my eye on Malvarosa Dress by Pauline Alice and I even bought the pattern. But after trying to put together a muslin and running into fitting issues with my shoulders I quickly gave up. I have enormously wide shoulders! So wide that it would seem that I can swim for hours, if only I knew techniques other than doggie paddle (though my doggie paddle is da bomb!) It does seem that Malvarosa Dress is a great pattern, but I just didn't want to deal with shoulder adjustments. So I gave up and turned to my tried and true Laurel.
My modifications were not complicated at all: