The Little Black Dress (LBD) has been considered a wardrobe staple for every woman since the days of Coco Chanel – chances are, if you wear dresses, you’ve got a LBD hanging in a wardrobe right this moment. Especially a black 50s dress.

I, however, don’t really do little. Go big or go home, right?

In comes the Big Ol’ Black Dress (BOBD is much more amusing than LBD).

I wear black dresses a lot. And since I’m running out of variety in my BOBD wardrobe, I thought I’d knock this Big Ol’ lady out with just some plain cotton (possibly a pique) that I got from my friends over at Rolls And Rems on Holloway Road.

It’s a really lovely quality cotton, but the issue I have with anything 100% cotton is that it just absolutely has to crease at every bloody opportunity it can. Infuriating but so lovely to work with.

The pattern used is my self-drafted No Cock Nor Tails pattern, but with an added full bust adjustment because the original didn’t really accommodate my larger-than-I-think-it-is bust.

However my first ever FBA didn’t go so well, and I ended up with some weird bagging right on the bust apex. AKA baggy nipples. No one wants baggy nipples. Plus, some extra fabric in the arm scythe. The former isn’t that noticeable, but you can definitely see where it doesn’t fit right in the arm holes in this picture;

So this dress has inseam pockets in the box pleated dirndl skirt, a lined bodice, and a centre back zip. I screwed up with the insertion so there’s a gap in the top, as you can see in the photo below. I’d say I’ll put in a hook and eye, but since becoming single, there’s no way I can undo that sort of fiddly thing myself.

But you know what? It looks pretty good, it feels pretty good, and it’s a great BOBD.

Now. I’m going to stop talking about the dress and take a moment out to TALK ABOUT MY HANDBAG.

This is The George pub bag from Vendula London and it’s quite frankly the greatest handbag ever.

One, it’s a fucking pub. Two, you can take the handle off and use the long strap to wear it as a cross body bag. Two handbags in one, yes please! Three – THE LITTLE SIGN OPENS UP.

If you’re in London, pop into our shop to see this beauteous thing in the flesh, because it is just so amazing.

Hair Flowers; Lady Luck’s Boutique
Earrings; Bow and Crossbones
Brooch; Luxulite
Shoes; Miss L Fire
Bag; Vendula London

A while back when I was checking my local fabric shop I came across this cotton. It’s black and off-white striped and near enough to a canvas but without the crazy stiffness. I loved it. I loved it more when I realised there was a few meters on the remnant table! So what did I need? A striped circle skirt!

Now, you might ask why I thought it was necessary to mention I was ill when I was making this skirt. My dears, in my flu-high, I managed to cut the thing arse about face! I ended up with a centre back seam that was… well… a little fucked up. I dashed back to Rolls and Rems to source more fabric, but I was unsuccessful. In the end, I decided to take my scissors to my pattern pieces in a desperate attempt to salvage the project.

And damn, if that doesn’t look like a purposely-decided design feature, I don’t know what does!

So I should possibly explain. Since my skirt has side seam pockets and a centre back zip, I had a half-circle for the front and two quarter-circles for the back. 3/4ths of this skirt was perfect and matchy-matchy. Then that last quarter panel was pretty much an exact copy of the other, instead of a mirror. Boo.

So with a little bit of brainstorming and some help from Rosie, I decided to split by back panels into eighths and take off an eighth either side of the front panel and mix it all up so that the panels’ mixed directions look a little less like a mistake! My visual help looked like this, if you were somewhat confused.

Whew. That was wordy. Anyway. It worked out pretty nicely, I’d say! Even if I did mess up for a second time and accidentally switched around two panels (Points go to anyone who can spot my mistake ;D).

Literally the only other thing I dislike about this skirt is I made the holes to the pockets just a tad too small. That’s it!

Necklace&Brooch: Vintage
Top: Primark
Belt: Collectif
Bangles: Splendette
Bag: Sun Jellies
Shoes: Swedish Hasbeens

It’s Saturday afternoon. I’ve just eaten a massive Korean-style burrito and I’m hungover. Surely, nursing a hangover doesn’t usually suggest going out and walking around at The Classic Car Boot Sale, does it?

Alternative title; MORE BLOODY GINGHAM. MORE BUTTERICK B5880.