Oscar Buzz '18

Understandably, the Oscars red carpet remains a favorite event among my girls. The glitter the glamour and the prospect of parading around in some of the most gorgeous gowns...what more could a girl (and guy) want?!! Our takeaway from looking at the red carpet this time around: there is a more relaxed approached to eveningwear. A return to elegance is what we've noticed.

We saw this dress by Giambattista Valli--worn by Zendeya--during the Spring/Summer '18 edition of Paris Couture week. We felt the original dress was absolutely sumptuous. The only thing is that there is so much fabric, it can overcome a doll's body rather quickly. For that reason, I decided to show a flash of leg for the 1/6 replica. This version. worn by China. was made as a two piece dress. The top is simply a slightly oversized smocked top with one sleeve, worn over a gathered skirt. Each piece is gathered into a ribbon which helps keep the dress slim around the waist.

It is rare to see a stand-out outfit amongst the men in attendance. So when I saw Olympic figure skater, Adam Rippon in this very unusual tuxedo, it caught my eye. Yes, it was quite controversial--some even calling it S&M, bondage.... And as I was busy making the harness, it even had a sinister military air to it. But at the end of the day, it was an intriguing outfit that I had a fun time putting together. And Sean, pictured here, was pretty happy to get a red carpet outfit!

Here's another example of a look that conjured many emotions. When Taraji P. Henderson walked onto the red carpet, this instantly caught my attention. Very daring, it really doesn't reveal  as much flesh as one would think. Vera Wang used a lot of flesh tone fabric underneath the sheer black to give the impression of nudity. Again, I did this dress in two parts. The skirt is a no-brainer, but the top gave me a bit of a challenge because of the differences in body shapes. Taraji is nice and curvy while Janice is skinny with a tiny bustline! After struggling with the bodice, I finally settled on cutting the top in a single piece (suspended from a wire necklace and sewn into a ribbon waistband) and slitting it up the center!

It's all about illusion! When replicating a look, what is important is to find a 1/6 solution that resembles the finished full figure dress. Gal Godet's dress by Maison Givenchy, is an art deco maze of sequins and beads. The temptation is to replicate it using the same fabric. However, for the Veronica's dress, I used a dark silver stretch lame. Over the top I used a little iron on rhinestones, but for the "sequinned fringe" I slashed strips of the same lame into fringe and stitched four rows onto the basic slip dress.

There were a few of these super simple gowns on the red carpet, like the Gabriela Hearst gown worn by actress Danai Guirira. The secret to making such a simple gown, extraordinary lies in the choice of fabric! The pattern is simple: a strapless sheath with a train gathered into the back. The fabric is sheer luxury: peach silk satin. Grace, our model, also suggests the addition of "regal" accessories: white opera length gloves and lots of pearls!!!

 Mary J. Blige certainly has added a special touch to the red carpet this season. Again, this Versace dress is something we see as easy elegance. Easy to wear, easier to make! I started out with silver stretch lame (minidress) over which I wrapped a white sarong skirt. The small epaulets are pleated silk stitched to the neckline.

Sandra Bullock's dress by Louis Vuitton is one of those dresses that looked so comfortable, so glamorous....like gold poured over a simple black Grecian gown. Of course, the look relies on this particular fabric. I didn't have that fabric, but I did have black jersey and the materials to do a little foiling! This is actually a simple tent dress pattern I pulled up to one side and pinned!

I almost didn't replicate Chadwick Boseman's Givenchy suit, worn here by Jamal. But the doll begged me and pointed out how I've been neglecting the Ken dolls in the house. And so....with the film "Black Panther" so much in the headlines, I couldn't say no to making him such a regal suit. All three pieces are basics: shirt, pants and straight coat. I've simply added silver embroidered trim around the shoulders.

Hubert de Givenchy (1982) Photo: Luc Castel. Captured from http://magazine.bellesdemeures.com

We're in the midst of Fashion Month. Our girls are busy on the ground in Milan and Paris. However, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the passing of a fashion giant. Mr. Hubert de GIVENCHY passed away Sunday. For those of you who don't know him.....he was the Haute Couturier who dressed Audrey Hepburn in many of her films, most notably: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" as well as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Grace Kelly and many others. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Givenchy on several occasions in Paris. I wrote numerous articles on him and his fashions and worked in collaboration with him for a couple of school projects. Coming soon, I will make a special tribute to the man and his beautiful body of work.

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Dolls Eye View: Emmys 2017

It's been awhile since my girls have gone to the Emmys (the awards for prime time broadcasting in the United States). And though we are in the midst of fashion month, many of my divas were quite anxious to strut their stuff on the first red carpet event of the season. Inasmuch as this is a national event, the gowns are less elaborate than those worn at the Academy Awards ceremony. But still, this was the perfect event to display the "Made in America" brand.

Major trends here favor a return to the 1950's beginning with Nicole Kidman's fire engine red, tea length dress. Created by Calvin Klein (special order), it has the  and flare of Marilyn Monroe's pleated frock in "Some Like It Hot." Klein's 2017 version is hung from a bejeweled neckline which is drawn into the waist before releasing a full "New Look" skirt. For our girl, Giselle, I made the necklace out of textured wire and suspended a pendant of thin wire threaded with silver beads in the middle of the bodice panels. For the lower part of the dress, I used a circle skirt pattern. The fullness of the dress is achieved with the help of a petticoat, also cut from a circle of tulle.

This "hour glass" silhouette is also carried out in what brings to mind, old fashion prom dresses. These are simple, strapless bodices over full skirts like the Jason Wu dress worn by Thandie Newton. For my girl, Helen's dress, I used an evening length circle skirt cut from two layers of pink sparkle tulle, another layer of sheer nylon and an underskirt of tulle. The circle skirt pattern allows me to get the fullness I want without all the bulk around the waistline. However, I departed from the original dress at the bodice. The basic corset cut in silk was....well....boring. So, after making this strapless bodice, I covered it with scraps of crushed sparkle tulle. The texture it created was more interesting to my eye.

Quite naturally, this prom look--a take on the ballerina tutu-- suits younger Barbies quite well. Here is Millie Bobby Brown in a Calvin Klein (special order) dress. For my girl Jenny, I stuck more closely to the original dress. The top is a quick and easy tube of stretch jersey. The bottom is a (no-sew) tutu made from tulle slats knotted over a tiny white ribbon, piled over two circular underskirts, on made of silk and the other of tulle which serves as a petticoat. The one thing I did not do was to cut the hemline even. I thought the uneven hem was more interesting to the eye as well as the super long bow of white ribbon at the waistline. After all, red carpets are made for flights of fancy!

There was also a lot of sexy sirens on the red carpet as well.  The girls loved the elegance of the Oscar de la Renta jumpsuit worn by Claire Foy. Because I like to keep things versatile, I made this look for Veronica in two pieces (not including her gloves). It's a simple black crepe pair of slim, stovepipe pants worn under a simple but dramatic top. I used the one piece corset pattern and tacked on a long tube of silk to one side of the bodice. The "jewel trim" at the top was created by braiding a length of string which I brushed on lots of glue then rolled it in silver glitter. To keep the glitter from falling, I slathered on a second coat of glue then rolled everything again, in more more glitter. Allow the whole thing dry and shake everything out of doors. Using string at the base made it easy to hand stitch it to the top of the corset. Then I added a small rhinestone broach (though you could simply make the glittered rope longer and tie in a knot. I added opera length gloves which, for me, finishes off the look.

Leslie Jones is a famed comedian on the hit show, "Saturday Night Live." She is a tall strong woman who, at one time, had difficulty finding someone to dress her. Enter Christian Siriano (the most successful designer to emerge from the reality show, "Project Runway.") Siriano has not only become a serious force in New York fashion, he also specializes in creating beautiful clothes for curvy women. He just designed clothes for Mattel's curvy Barbies! We were simply wowed by how stunning Ms. Jones looked in this sequined dress. And though it's not line for line the same dress, Grace wanted to pay homage to both the comedian and the designer who dressed her.

As simple as....a high waist skirt, a bra and a belt and there you have Claudia's version of the Narciso Rodriguez gown worn by comedian, Kate McKinnon (of Saturday Night Live).

What would a red carpet be without sequins? Sometimes it's fun to take an outfit you don't particularly like and redesign it. Case in point...Anna Chlumsky's "liquid metal" silver sequins gown.. We saw possibilities! Instead of sequins, we used glitter and silver lame. Emanuela's V-neck top is a wrap-around top made from silver tulle that I glittered. Her skirt is an oval shaped skirt (a circle skirt with a train).

Hey everybody, it's fashion month! The girls are on that style train making its first stop in New York!

With the exception of the pictures of the celebrities (Getty images) all other photos and text property of Fashion Doll Stylist. 2017. Please do not reproduce without prior permission. Thank you.

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Oscar Buzz '17

Well...it's that time of year again when all eyes turn towards the Academy Awards' red carpet. And this time around didn't disappoint. Like I said for the Paris Couture report....as those trends go, so do the dresses on the red carpet! In fact, the Chanel gown we featured in our last report resurfaced on actress, Sofia Boutella!

But if this version looks a little different than the one in my dolly Couture report looks slightly different it's because in the first gown was cut from a dark silver lame to which I added a light silver glitter, trimmed in a white, long-haired faux fur. I was pretty happy with the result, but felt the styling could be improved. So I replaced the fluffy tail and replaced it with rows of shimmering silver fringe.


Paris Haute Couture Spring '17: Chanel. (left to right) Original dress, 1st doll version, final do-over

Then I tossed a silver leather jacket over Waris' shoulders and wrapped her with lots silvery jewelry. I was not going to undo this revised edition, so I made a second version, this time using silver metallic leather and the fluffy trim that I had removed from the first dress!

I had quite a selection of looks to chose from this year. The limiting factors were time constraints and fabric. I would love to have done that exquisite gold and white beaded Givenchy gown worn by Emma Stone. But since the look is all about the beads, I had to pass. One gown I immediately said was impossible...the Elie Saab worn by actress Janelle Monae..I ended up making. I love Ms. Monae's choices of red carpet dresses. She's a real risk taker who loves to experiment with her look! As usual, translating something this complicated all boils down to closely studying the design and breaking it down to its most essential basics.

What convinced me to make this gown was the printed fabric---taken from an old blouse I cut up. What is important in translating this kind of "complicated" look is to give an overall summary and not get bogged down with the intricate details of the original which is covered with beaded embroideries of birds and tiny feathers!  For Tamron's version, the top is a basic bodice to which I have sewn on bird silhouettes I rough cut from scraps of silver lame. I added beads around the armholes and neckline.

The skirt is printed fabric where I have enhanced the horizontal strips with rows of beads in the front. And for the bustles-- my sparkle tulle came to the rescue! Gathered and added to either side and back of the skirt and lined with a layer of polyester taffeta (which explains how it holds its shape)!. Here, I've sewn it directly to the waistband, but as soon as I undress Tamron, I'll remove it and stitch it to a ribbon so that it can be removed. Like that the dress is more versatile! I added some more cut out birds to the bustles. (You can tack them with a few stitches which is what I did on the bodice or simply glue them in place on the tulle, which is what I did with the bustle!)

Karlie Kloss in Stella McCartney's white gown also caught my eye for the pureness of its sheer simplicity.
For the dress, I used a 2-way stretch rayon jersey and made a pattern right on her body. There are only two side seams. The left shoulder is left open so that the doll can get in and out of the dress. For the cape, it is the standard pattern as outlined in our tutorial (click HERE) except that on the back, only one side of the back includes the rounded shoulder while on the opposite side, the pattern takes on the natural shoulder line of the bodice. On the doll's left side, I dropped a straight line from the neck-shoulder point to the hem. (This is attached to the shoulder seam on the back of the dress. The front dress shoulder seam folds over this and is closed shut with hook and eyes. In the front of the cape, the curve of one shoulder is there but I dropped a straight line from the side of the neck to the hem for an abbreviated cape effect. It is fully lined in a polyester that perfectly matches the jersey.

On one side there is a "cape" while on the other an elegant train.

It trails in the back like a train from the exposed shoulder. The front of the dress closes over at the shoulder line and is held in place with the help of 2 hook and eyes.

This is a dress I probably wouldn't have given a second glance. This is Louise Roe in Pronovias...a brand I don't know. This was simply a "I-Can-Do-It-Better" challenge. The dress has so much potential but is undermined by its length and lack of accessories. Given the Oscars is a formal affair, I question the choice of the hemline. Simply by extending the hem to the grown, the dress is more stunning. Moreover, the actress could take a few tips from our model Samantha whose hair has more volume. And nothing glams up a look than a big fluffy feather boa!!!

The Dior dress worn by actress Kirsten Dunst was irresistible. It's quite simple but spectacular. It's the kind of look my dolls will be fighting to wear for the end-of-year holidays! The original dress calls for some degree of gathers in the front and back. But in my first glance, I saw a beautiful off the shoulder princess line dress. In reality, Yvette's Dolly Dior would be more easily worn by most (human) women because it more gently falls over the body without injecting the kind of bulk bring to a garment. So for our version, I used the classic princess line pattern, but redesigned the neckline to be strapless. Worth noting...there is a waist length strapless foundation underneath. Essentially, it is sheer, strapless bodice which helps hold the dress to the body of the doll. Also, the hem is slightly asymmetrical, hiked up just enough to reveal the foot.

We could not do this report without including the Armani Prive dress worn by Oscar winner (for Best Supporting Actress), Viola Davis. This started out with a basic sheath dress where the dress is suspended from a strap around the neck. Of course, I flared out the sides, then added a train. A long piece of fabric was gathered at both ends. One end is tacked in place behind the neck strap. It drapes down over the shoulders, around the back and the opposite end comes back up and is stitched behind the neck strap. I cheated a little by securing the folds with a few hidden stitches there at the neck as well as where this drapes around the arms! I used an inexpensive fabric, but as soon as I can get my hands on a lovely piece of silk jersey, I will be making this dress again!

Well....while we've been dancing during Carnival and taking in all the festivities in Hollywood, the fashion capitals of the world have been busy hosting the Fall Winter Ready-to-Wear fashion collections. Our girls have been on the ground collecting information on all the hottest looks they plan to wear in six months. We'll begin our coverage shortly!

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Doll's Eye View: Golden Globes 2017

It's that time of year again....the first red carpet event of the year! The Golden Globes! My girls love these types of galas. It gives them an opportunity to rival, if not upstage the actresses present on the red carpet!

In covering these events over past few years, I've noticed how the fashions at these events have become increasingly simple in line. Emphasis is placed more on the fabric rather than the cut which presents a particular challenge for choosing what to make. There were a few gowns I passed on simply because I couldn't find a similar fabric or print. Still, I was able to make a few which I share with you here.

This dress, designed by Armani especially for Janelle Monae, really compliments the actress' personality. I was immediately attracted to it for its fancifulness and originality. But I wasn't sure if it was a dress I'd want after making it. However, Iman, pictured here in the dolly version, insisted on having this dress. The bodice is a simple bodice cut from a band of mini sequins (perfectly scaled to the 12" doll). The skirt is a bubble skirt gathered into a satin ribbon waistband. What is difficult to see in the initial photo is that atop the white bubble is a single layer of tulle, to which black disks are attached.

I love slinky gowns with a bit of draping. Of course, getting the look is tricky due to the weight of the fabric. The trick is to select a silk or, in this case, rayon 2-stretch jersey. It's thin enough get the folds (which are controlled by slip stitching them in strategic spots).

Sometimes simple is challenging! I assumed the criss-cross draped bodice of the yellow gown would be pretty easy. But alas...it took me a day to arrive at something I could live with. I decided to do this dress in two parts: a corset over a slim, high waist sarong skirt. I began with a waist length foundation piece (for structure), over which I draped softly pleated fabric which criss cross over the skirt. I could have used a China silk, but instead I wanted something with more body, so I used, instead a polyester. Silk would have produced finer drapes over the bodice but I feared the skirt would have been a bit flimsy. In any case, my dress is INSPIRED by the original Atelier Versace dress. so I am still happy with the result. Eva need something else...so I gave her a white boa in addition to her pearl necklace.

At this year's even, there were a number of women who appeared on the red carpet in a tuxedo. The jacket is the one from my post on Yves Saint Laurent. The trousers are a standard pair of pants, but with slightly wider legs. The blouse (cotton) was made with the basic bodice sloper but with a front closure. The bottom front edges were cut diagonally away from the center front. A long, rectangular strip was added to the neckline which wraps around the neck twice and ties into the bow.

 

For another tux, Kathy wears a bra underneath a slightly shorter jacket and the same, wide trousers.

 

The focal point of this Armani Prive gown is the horizontal beading on the silver satin. I was able to recreate the look of this fabric using metallic ribbon with "ribbing" that resembled the beads. I sewed the horizontal edges of each band together. However, you don't see where I've sewn those bands together because I discovered that I could glue strips of ribbon over those seams and iron them in place. On the other hand, in my first attempt to duplicate the exact neckline, the ribbon frayed terribly and I discovered that with this very stiff material, it did nothing for the doll. So I decided to simply decided to "sculpt" the ribbon over the bust into a 3-dimensional form. Naomi still felt this dress was missing something, so I gave her a long shawl of silver lame to toss over her shoulders. Admittedly this dress is more of a "craft project" than a real dress. Nevertheless, Naomi has made me promise that she will get first dibs on this dress next holiday season.

I don't know what it is about velvet that makes me want to make a dress out it..especially at 1/6 scale where with tiny details, it is difficult to control. I liked this "Dowton Abbey" sort of gown with its draped cap sleeves and long train. For the doll, I decided to lower the neckline which made the sleeves fall slightly off Karen's shoulders. Personally, I think the dolly version looks less matronly than the original dress.

 

The dolly version of this Tom Ford dress is a simple strapless dress made from black sequins. If you can find stretch sequined fabric, you could make it by simply making a long, skinny tube the length of the doll. In any case, it still needs something else. So Lana brought her attitude as well as a whiff of bejeweled, black tulle.

 

Coming up next....part two of our last post...but this time we have a few more ideas on......Footwear!!!!

 

 

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Dolly OSCARS Red Carpet 2016

My girls had a VERY good time on the red carpet of the 58th Academy Awards in Hollywood. "Something for everyone" was their general impression. I'm finally coming to terms with the notion that couture as I once knew it, is a thing of the past....at least for the moment. The reality of our current times dictates a type of red carpet fashion that is simple in silhouette. The best of these "simple" looks are those rich in details.

Our favorite was the pant/dress combo worn by Lady Gaga, designed by Brandon Maxwell. We loved it for its originality and its old school glamour. There were certain modifications I was forced to make due to the scale of the doll. I used a wool crepe which afforded me the kind of weight I wanted for the drape. The fabric was a bit bulky, but it afforded the kind of drape and smooth rolls I was looking for. Due to the problem of bulk, I recreated this look in three parts: top, pants and over-skirt. For the top, I was able to drape a neckline which came close to the original, however, it involved too much fabric around the top to give me satisfactory results. Finally after fighting with it, I decided to simplify. It is a bodice with the top that rolls forward and is stitched down underneath. The pants are pretty straight forward. The skirt was an accident. I had cut a circle skirt out of this fabric for another look then realized it didn't work for the look. On the other had, with a few adjustments, I was not only able to make it work for this one, but discovered that it had just the right amount of body to hand softly in a sumptuous way. Lesson learned here...what counts is that the finished results strongly resemble the original design.

I had not planned to do this gown because I did not have the right materials. But someone on Twitter begged me to find some way to recreate this look. So.....instead of the silk for the body of the dress and the feathers and rhinestones for the "butterfly" embellishments, I used a sheer white muslin for the body and I cut up bits of sheer polyester curtain fabric which I then frayed the edges in place of the feathers and glitter glue and a few rhinestone stickers for the butterflies. Those bits are then folded into tiny quarters then stitched, one by one onto the dress. The dress itself uses the basic princess line pattern. As I began to stitch on the embellishments, I was very happy with the results.

This dress immediately caught my eye. I love the asymmetrical detailing around the shoulders. Realization was quite simple as this begins with a strapless sheath dress. Afterwards, I pleated a bit of silk then draped it over the arm and bodice. That extra piece is stitched down onto the dress in the front and back but left to flow freely from the waist. So it is in effect, a slim dress with a sash! I sewed on small beads over one side of the bust. (Though if I had black sparkles on hand, I would have used that instead because it resembles more the original dress). I also made a beaded belt which closes in the back. I had made her beaded trimmed gloves a few years back. You'll notice I painted her hands to resemble gloves with fingers as shown in this post.

I'm not so sure I would want to wear this for myself, but as soon as I saw Kerry Washington's outfit, I knew it would be simple to make and Carol, one of my S.I.S. Barbies was only too happy to pose in this. This is quite simply a one-piece leather corset with straps added to the top and bottom. (The leather came from an old belt I cut up.) The skirt is simply a piece of silk wrapped around her hips in sarong fashion.

The girls were very attracted to the amethyst color of Tina Fey's Versace gown. I liked it for the way it was draped around the body. Unfortunately, I didn't have any of the fine silk used for the original, but I did have a polyester substitute in the same color. This dress begins with a foundation cut from the same material and is realized by draping and tacking in place the folds over the body in a technique previously explained here.

 I love the look of what some call "technical" fabrics. While I didn't have the exact material, I used two layers of polyester organza (sometimes called "crystal polyester") tacked to a foundation underneath to simulate the look.

I chose this dress for the color and simplicity of the style. This dress consists of a narrow, fitted, halter neck dress suspended from a ribbon (which ties in the back). My fabric is not the silk charmeuse used in the original. It's thicker. I cut this on the bias, but still needed side bust darts to pull closer to the body. Essentially this is a slim dress that I have added  a wedge into the back seam as a train.

My last dress--another simple, yet dramatic dress. For the dolly version, I made this in two pieces: the basic sheath dress with a one-shouldered caplet draped over one shoulder. There was also a Calvin Klein sequin dress which at first glance--appeared to be fairly mundane. What made that dress a small wonder was the gradation of fish scale color sequins arranged in scallop formation from the hips to the ankles. Again an example of the expression...."the devil is in the details!"


We now return you to our regular broadcasting.....up next....Doll's Eye View of the Fall/Winter 2016 Trends from Milan.


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Doll's Eye View: Golden Globes 2016

Red carpet season is back beginning with the Golden Globes Awards. I still have issues with these formal events due to what I see as a lack of good old fashion glamour. For me, the dresses are lacking in interesting cut, beautiful (Italian) fabrics, and accessories. I have nothing against simplicity, so long as it's brilliant and flawless in execution. However, most of what I see today is rather.. ordinary. In part, it's the fault of the designers. Inasmuch as I am not seeing a lot of interesting dresses on the couture runways, I shouldn't expect much on anyone's red carpet. I put the rest of the blame on the stylists, who don't seem to have much in their repertoire when it comes to dressing women to look like queens. My girls were rather bored, but I refused to give them the option of coming home empty handed. So we compromised. I allowed them to improvise.

The most intriguing look for all of us was the custom designed Versace Haute Couture dress worn by Lady Gaga. True, your average woman (or doll) cannot pull off this dress, but the construction of this "Ace of Spades" velvet gown was amazing. Moreover, Gaga with her "Marilyn Monroe" hairstyle and her legendary sense of drama, pulled it off in spectacular fashion. I chose this dress, fully aware it would (and did) create all sorts of problems from the panne velvet fabric (way to bulky for the doll) to the padded (Kardashian) hips. I should point out, the original dress has lots more fabric in the skirt which I simplified to suit my doll, Brie.

I love how the neckline of the dress drifts off the shoulders and plunges deep over the bust. The darts are sharp and pointed while the fitted bodice gives way to an exaggerated, hour glass silhouette. I draped this dress directly on a spare doll body To get the shape of the hips, I taped cotton balls to the form and draped the fabric around it. It required two deep pleats to steer the fabric away from the form. The sides are then tapered back towards the body. I inserted a 3/4 circular wedge at the center back, just under the hips. At first I sewed in a tuft of pleated tulle above each hip, but the dress drooped, so I made tiny hip pads to maintain the shape. Working with the velvet was not easy. The proportions are slightly different, due, in part, to the bulky fabric as well as the difference in body proportions. If I were tempted to try this dress again, velveteen might be a better choice of fabric.

Very striking on the red carpet was Jennifer Lawrence in a fire engine red Dior dress. Though this dress is the epitome of understated elegance, it is anything but easy to make! I used a sheath dress pattern for the dress and a basic bodice top (without stitching down the darts) for the sleeveless bolero. In reality this outfit is really an exercise in trompe l'oeil. What seems to be two distinct pieces in the front, comes together as a single piece in the back with a keyhole over the torso in addition to the ones over the hips. My sheath fitted perfectly---that is, until I cut the holes over the hips. I had to make a lot of tiny stitches to hold it to the figure for the photo shoot. Moreover, my dress has darts while the original, which I believe was cut from a silk crepe, does not.

If I had the time, it would be interesting to find another alternative by draping a new pattern directly on the doll's figure.

My doll Samantha was not happy when she saw me choose the bubblegum pink Prada dress worn by Katy Perry. The dress was a banal slip dress, blending into the actresses natural skin tone. "So bland!" lamented Samantha. I made the 1/6 scale version using the wrong side of a silk satin.

The trick in getting my doll to wear it was in the accessories....opera length gloves and a furry shawl!

Karen was rolling her eyes at first over the Ralph Lauren's blue 2-toned gown worn by Kate Winslet. "B-O-R-I-N-G!!!" she cried. While this look works for a more intimate affair, I personally feel that a Hollywood fete commands a more glamorous gown, even if you do it through accessories. I remained faithful to the overall spirit of the Ralph Laurent gown. I used rayon-lycra jersey for the body of the dress and silk for the triangular insert and trim.

But to bring more "excitement" to the look, I added a cocoon made from polyester organza (another fun, instant glam fabric to be the subject of entire post in the near future).

And then there was that Stella McCartney white silk jersey gown worn by Taraji Henson, star of the hit TV drama series "Empire." And yes, Taraji did look wonderful in the dress, and the long train does add a certain amount of glamour, but jersey is well....a bit overdone. 

My dress for Yvette really has little to do with the McCartney dress other than the fact they are both white and have trains. I started with a foundation underneath then used a woven lightweight polyester to drape a more interesting neckline. I even took liberties with the train, fashioning the top edge into soft ruffles. The end result is softer, like whipped cream over the body.

Lessons to be learned here: Dresses with lots of gathers and fabric must be simplified to reduce bulk. When translating a full scale outfit into something significantly smaller, consider fabrics best scaled to the doll, even if it means a less fancy fabric. It is more important to capture the "look" or the spirit of the original dress than to attempt a line for line copy! And one more thing...don't be afraid of a challenge. You learn through your mistakes!!!

 

 

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