Kate's - COCKTAIL (shorter) dresses

[PruNordstrom]

Where's Vava when you need her...

As Vava would say there is the case of the fluctuating bustline in all the recent dresses.
 

   I've been in my sewing room! 

Yes, Kate's bustline is always changing.  Just like the thickness of her hair, I guess!

Been in my sewing alcove too! Must be a winter thing.
Made some dog coats for the little bitty dogs at the shelter (coat goes home with adopters).
Also busy making clothes for niece's AG doll. We've been designing - mixing & matching parts from different patterns. Now figuring out how to make a Maddie princess dress. She saw a picture of Swedish Maddie's dress at the b-day party and wants to create one similar. She has never asked to make any princess dresses from the UK. I'm relieved, to say the least.
 

[Pomme]

The description of the dress say matelasse fabric, I think (correct me if I'm wrong) thicker and different than seersucker.

Thanks for going through the trouble!
On closer inspection, the structure of the fabric is indeed not your usual bunched squares, but more like a roughly woven, furniture upholstery, mattressy structure. Matlasse fabrics are apparently made to look padded (some indeed are, the kinds dusters and dressing gowns and bedding are made of) but the more fancy ones have structures  (or ton sur ton flowers!) that just make it look like it's padded. I actually enjoyed a bit of research into this stuff LOL (must be because I'm sewing curtains for a friend.) I wonder if the structure is pressed, rather than woven in?

quoting one fabric online shop:
"END USE: Drapery, Bedding, Pillows, Table Coverings, Light Use Furniture, Slipcovers, Cushions."

(they forgot Bathmats)


ETA: Re bustline - are you referring to position, shape or size? None seem to be existent in the black dress. Blue coat dress must have come with chicken filets attached...

[Vava]

Where's Vava when you need her...

As Vava would say there is the case of the fluctuating bustline in all the recent dresses.
 

   I've been in my sewing room! 

Yes, Kate's bustline is always changing.  Just like the thickness of her hair, I guess!

Been in my sewing alcove too! Must be a winter thing.
Made some dog coats for the little bitty dogs at the shelter (coat goes home with adopters).
Also busy making clothes for niece's AG doll. We've been designing - mixing & matching parts from different patterns. Now figuring out how to make a Maddie princess dress. She saw a picture of Swedish Maddie's dress at the b-day party and wants to create one similar. She has never asked to make any princess dresses from the UK. I'm relieved, to say the least.
 

Oh, that sounds great, Pru!  I've been making some cotton garments for an upcoming trip to Hawaii.  Trying out some new patterns!

[Lady Willoughby]

To me this is just too young a dress for her. Florals & long sausage curls (again) Is it too much to ask for her to dress like a professional 35 year old? Aghhhgh

[Eliza B]

Erdem is a British brand known for floral. Given the price,  the audience is not youthful.   I think the dress is good for this type of visit on its own, if you remove this specific wearer:



I think the fault is with the styling.  It is winter,  a nice coat over it for the outside pics, and better accessories (the burgandy was a miss, the earrings dont match). The eye liner is awful - who makes a winged eye with soft pencil? Also pull the hair back-, even if a ponytail with the curls if she insisted on keeping it "youthful"... but the dress details shouldn't be hidden by the secret garden of hair. Posture alone could have made this 100x better.

Given her wannabe boho princess looks last year,  at least we were saved her trying to pull off a more intricate Erdem look like this:

[Lady Willoughby]

all that tells me is they are ridiculously over priced.

[PruNordstrom]

(This comment in response to a post in the Kate Photo & News III topic on 22 Feb.)

I must admit my niece's sorrow over her favorite holiday outfit reminded me of the duchess outfit.

In autumn 2015 I began to teach my niece how to sew.
She selected the pattern and fabrics and it was her favorite outfit of the winter season.
This was the style she chose:


The dotted line shows the change of the hem line from one year to the next due to her growth spurt.

Within one year she grew taller so quickly that it did not fit in autumn 2016.
She tried to tell me how it could fit. But no alterations would make that happen.
The jacket was too short above her waist.
The skirt was too short when she bent over. (There were undie exposure issues.)
It did not prevent her from wearing it to a Thanksgiving holiday dinner.
Her cousins quickly told her that her outfit should be retired.
With sadness, she finally agreed.

It lead to a new choice of outfit/design for the 2016 holiday season.
She did the majority of the sewing and was so proud of her work.
She wore it as often as she could. And she took some photos.
Reason for photos? So she can see the change next year on herself from the year before.

Thanks to my niece I saw what it was I didn't like in the duchess' outfit.

  to my niece.

[PruNordstrom]

Duplicate. Delete.

[PruNordstrom]

Here's another suit..and the reddish one for comparison.

 

Also has the problem of the growth spurt where the jacket and skirt are too short now.
The skirt has been added to so not exactly the same.
 

[Vava]

She really is in dire need of a qualified and experienced stylist.

[Georgie]

Emily Andrews: We all thought it was an old Rebecca Taylor suit! But no! It's new dress!

https://twitter.com/byEmi...status/836576535041597442

[PruNordstrom]

Wait...what? The dress from the manufacturer has a very full skirt and Kannot's does not.
Has the mystery tailor taken in all of the seams to convert the dress to a straight skirt?

Unlike the other similar version of this design worn in previous years, the midriff doesn't fit well. So buying coordinating pieces in two different sizes? Because.....?

[MidnightDiamond]

Wait...what? The dress from the manufacturer has a very full skirt and Kannot's does not.
Has the mystery tailor taken in all of the seams to convert the dress to a straight skirt?

Unlike the other similar version of this design worn in previous years, the midriff doesn't fit well. So buying coordinating pieces in two different sizes? Because.....?

She needs one to fit her padded bra.

[getafix]

She really is in dire need of a qualified and experienced stylist.

...after she's had that sandwich she is in dire need of first 

G

[Noodlesza]

Kate is wearing Marchesa Notte $1195