Pattern Report: Two-Tone Purple Color Blocked Dress

Vogue V8552, as altered

Everybody in the fashion world is now familiar with Tim Gunn's "make it work" fashion design philosophy. When my sister was studying fashion design in college, she had a professor that was even more specific. Her prof advised the students that there are two choices when confronted with a mistake: hide it or accentuate it. I was reminded of that advice as I worked on my most recent project.

I had leftover fabric from a dress I made using Kwik Sew 3394 , that I reviewed here when I joined patternreview.com. I loved the drape of the blouse I made for my daughter using Vogue pattern V8534, reviewed here. So I decided to make a dress that combined the look of the two patterns, Vogue V8534 for the top and Kwik Sew 3394 for the bottom of the dress.
I know, how many purple knit dresses does a girl need? ....but I had leftover fabric and purple is a great color on me.

Close up of belt detail

As it turns out, my idea was not new. Vogue already had a pattern doing close to what I wanted: Vogue V8552. I used V8552 view B as a guide and planned for  a number of small pattern alterations. I added a belt and omitted the pockets. I skipped the zipper as there was plenty of ease and this worked well as a pullover dress. Rather than cut cap sleeves, I constructed the top as a dolman sleeve. I used my serger to make rolled hem at the sleeves and lettuce edge at the hemline.
 

Close up of color blocked inset

True confessions. The surprise pattern alteration was the color block I added to the sides of my dress. It seems the scissor elf played a trick between the time I cut my fabric and I began sewing. That has to be what happened....because the dress was cut wrong and I did not have quite enough fabric for the dress to cover my rump. :( Not a pretty look. I decided to create side panels to solve the problem. I pinned in matching fabric and contrasting fabric as tests before sewing. The matching fabric just looked like strange construction. The contrasting fabric (I used a darker shade of purple) looked like a color blocked fashion statement. Yay! Since the dress fit fine up top, I cut an inset panel that ran from 1-inch to 3-inches. After a 5/8 seam allowance, the inset ran from just under 1/2 inch under the arm and at the bodice to about 2-inches over the hip to the hemline. To tie the look together, I used my serger to create the belt with leftover fabric the color of the dress and dark thread the color of the inset panels.

I love the look of color block, but the look goes in and out of fashion so fast I could not remember whether the dress I just created was a modern or retro look. That evening, I found the latest Lord and Taylor Style Guide in my mailbox. Whoopie! Lord and Taylor devoted nine pages to color block styles labeling it "The Modernist." The brochure read, "Mod-style colorblock creates a stand-out effect. It's the new way of looking at vibrant head-to-toe color." Good to know. :)

I do not have Sofia Vergara's figure and, even if I did, there is no way I could wear a tight dress like she does in a downtown DC work environment, but I really love the way the color blocked side panels came out on this dress.

Patterns 
Vogue V8534
Kwik Sew 3394
Vogue V8552
 
Summary of pattern alterations for Vogue V8552: 
1) no pockets;
2) added belt;
3) added color block sides;
4) omitted zipper;
5) omitted cap sleeve and constructed as a dolman sleeve;
6) rolled hem at sleeves;
7) lettuce edge at hem line.

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