It’s the end of October,
It’s 86 degrees,
I’m stuck with climate change,
And that climate change got me! (Sung to the beat of TGIF – I’m obsessed with GloRilla)
Is anyone else having to plan Halloween costumes around record high temperatures? Not fun. Since I’m still running my air conditioning, I figured that it’s not too late to make a fun summer dress. This self-drafted stunner was made with the Minerva Exclusive Triptych Tigers Crepe Back Satin fabric. It’s a fun tropical fabric that feels great against the skin and whips through the air like a dream!
Fun fact about me – I hate animal print! Well, let me clarify. For other people, feel free to wear whatever you want to wear. I just have zero desire to wear animal print. If you’re interested in the long history of fashion’s objectification and exoticism of black women through the use of animal print, here are a couple of links for you. If you’re not interested, just know that animal prints for me are no-goes. I say all this because there are tons of summertime fabrics with animal print designs. From neon pink cheetah print to realistic leopard prints, these fabrics are all over the place. It makes it hard when you’re someone like me who wants to branch out from the typical linens and cottons. Thankfully, Minerva sent me this jungle-themed satin, complete with lush leaves and tiny tigers.
This fabric is so bright and fun and thankfully keeps its vibrancy after laundering. The ends frayed a little, but it wasn’t too bad. The next time I launder satin, I’ll be sure to finish the edges before washing. The design of the fabric is so fun that it kind of reminds me of a photo search. I loved staring at the fabric and trying to find the lounging tigers throughout the print.
The design of my dress was pretty simple. I used a previously made bodice block, cut the front of the bodice down the middle and added panels for the buttons and buttonholes. The skirt is a regular two panel skirt with in-seam pockets. Honestly, the hardest part was deciding which color button to use. I ultimately decided to use a light green to blend in with the fabric, but I was sooo close to picking pink buttons for contrast. Is anyone else working on off-season sewing or is it just me?
