Simplicity 2584 - "Walking on Sunshine" Shift Dress

When we were planning for New Orleans, I knew I was going to need cotton dresses. (For those who haven't been, New Orleans gets very hot and very humid.) Dresses are my default outfit. They can fit in a casual setting but they're dressier than shorts so, they also work in a restaurant with a somewhat stricter dresscode. I decided that nothing would work better in the hot climate, while still looking polished, than a cheerful cotton shift.

Shifts are commonly less fitted, which means they're cooler because they allow air to pass between the fabric and your skin. I chose Simplicity 2584 for its versatility and wonderful reviews. I can see why this one has created a buzz - it is so, so easy to sew together and yet has quite a polished look, curtousey of the unique yoke. To give it an even more professional look, I replaced all the facings with a full lining of white sheermist batiste, used an invisible zipper, and added two rows of small, white daisy trim near the bottom hem. Even with those additions, the dress was finished in only one day!

It's so rare that I finish a pattern without having made corrections in the margins but those one is so simple and so well explained that my only notes regarded the lining change, which, of course, isn't mandatory. I highly recommend this pattern to anyone who wants a cute, feminine dress that is quick and easy to construct! This is one is back in my queue, just waiting on lace for a fresh, white version!

Photo taken at Ashton's Bed & Breakfast (after a long day of sightseeing)

Throw on some 60s dance music and sew this one up this summer! It's a must have! x