It took more than a year of watching and waiting, but finally THIS PATTERN is mine:
And I bought it from Wonderful Wiki Contributor Birgit/Tarna's eBay store, which only makes it better. (She also has a Main Street Malls store.)
I love this dress so much. I think it's because (even though the model in the illustration is clearly an ingenue) this seems like a very attractive (okay, let's admit it: sexy) dress for a woman, not just a girl. Think a kind of lush, mid-career Elizabeth Taylor; before women past 35 were encouraged to inject their foreheads with toxins lest — heaven forbid — they showed a creased visage (or attempted to raise their eyebrows).
And is it wrong that I want to make this dress in every color (starting with orange)? Possibly best not to answer that.
If this pattern makes you long to buy some patterns yourself, you're in luck: Janet at Lanetz Living is running a sale (while she goes off to welcome her fourth grandchild into the world — congratulations!). It's
25% off … just use the code sale25 (make sure it is all one word) and it will be deducted for you. Sale will end at midnight CST on Nov 2nd. You might want to start your browsing with this one …
A Dress A Day 
That is gorgeous! Congratulations! I take it there’s a side zipper?
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Talk about optimism and waiting patiently for a out-of-print pattern. Major props! I like the little wings on the sleeves. This dress has a sweetness about it that’s sorely needed now…
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Such a pretty dress – it looks like a dress that would flatter any shape – can’t wait to see the end result
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I also meant to say this dress could work with or without a crinoline. What do you think?
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My daughter (3) commented that the green one is the step-sister and the blue one is the princess. 🙂
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A-dorable. But the little sleevey things would drive me nuts.
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Ah MAN I love a shirred bustline on a dress! Congrats on your coveted purchase and can’t wait to see it when you make it :)(PS, Congratulations on the new baby, Janet!)
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I love the little wing thingies! I have loved them since childhood when Rosemary Clooney wore that gorgeous black lounge singer gown in White Christmas with similar embellishment. As the twig is bent…
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Erin’s a happy miser!
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Wow, that would make a wonderful holiday dress in a lush rich color.
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Congratulations! It is really lovely. It reminds me of Tea’s travel dress. It would make a great holiday dress in a jewel tone dupioni and a great spring / summer dress in cotton as well.But, I’d be tempted to cut the empire line into the back and square the back neckline so that it doesn’t have that step-sister / princess effect. It would be a princess all the way around.
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Love it in black satin!
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Ohhhh. Felicitations. And now you’ll be a guest star on Pushing Daisies, right? (do you love that show’s visuals as much as I do?)I also agree with wundermary.
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Ooh, that is gorgeous! I confess I’m not big on the fauxleros and pockets, but I love that style of bodice and that lovely full skirt… It’s a shame I’m committing to drawing Halloween paper dolls all this month, because I don’t think it’d be right to make something that inherently elegant into a plain old costume. Maybe I’ll draw it next month…
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Oh lord, I am so jealous. I wish I never knew that this existed!
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I believe Lanetz Living’s sale is 15% off, and “sale 15” unless you know something that’s not on the website…
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I just bought something from Birgit, too! And what’s really fabulous is SHE emailed ME when she saw I’d added something to the wishlist at the vintage pattern wiki! Pattern arrived immediately with a cute card. (PS: it was Advance 3021, which looks like a simplified version of the dress Jackie Kennedy wore when she gave the televised tour of the White House.) I like your dress, too…not so much the sleeve cap things, but otherwise delectable. I see it in mauve.
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This dress looks a lot like the one Ava Gardner wore when she married Frank Sinatra. The sleeves are a little different. I believe hers was green.http://www.otrcat.com/z/frank_sinatraava_gardner_wedding_day_(51.11.07).jpg
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It’s beautiful! I like it in a solid colour rather than a print.If it was me, I would take the midriff-band seam around the back, put on puff sleeves, make the bodice in white, the midriff in black and the skirt in white-spotted red. An homage to Agent Sarah Walker in her Wienerlicious days! (Yes, I am tragic.)
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Branching off of Cookie’s vision, I see it in violet velvet.Also, WOW to heidi schempp fournier’s example of Ava Gardner’s dress. These glimpses of glamor make me excited about working with winter fabrics!
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Ohh, I love the turn up detail at the shoulders! Is the size on the picture the size it actually is? If so – could I borrow it to trace out? lolI think it could be really cool in a top layer of chiffon, and a different coloured lining, or underlayer (depending on how many layers you’d prefer) to create an irridescent effect. Or even a cotton gauze for a less formal look. Yummy yum yum!!
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I’m not crazy about the sleeves either, but I LOOOOOOVE the bodice and skirt combo!I see it in an orange polka dot! yummy!! Congrats! 🙂
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So pretty. Lucky Erin. Please make this dress in a rainbow of solid jewel tone cotton sateen, starting with the sleeve wings in navy, sleeve bands in purple, shirred bust in burgundy, midriff deep red, dark orange belt and deep yellow skirt.Or just black chiffon with black satin belt and sleeve wings?Colleen
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talking about orange… i used to think it was a weird and loud color but, from visting your site and reading your blog religiously, it grew on me. now i friggin L-O-V-E love love love it. just thought you’d like to know. :]
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shirred busts can also work with prints…i used to have a 50s novelty print dress (racetrack paraphenalia) that was very close to this (no sleeve ‘cuffs’ tho). the shirred bust made me look TOO busty, but for a-c cups it’s stylin’. i think if i had this pattern and could wear it (!) i’d do it in a mini-stripe of two similar colors, like a burgundy/red mini stripe or a blue/aqua mini stripe.
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Does anyone know of a similar pattern among what’s available today?
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“I think it could be really cool in a top layer of chiffon, and a different coloured lining, or underlayer (depending on how many layers you’d prefer) to create an irridescent effect”This sounds fabulous!
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Today’s Butterick 5029, has a shirred bustline, but a spaghetti strap, at least it’s a start.I have an adorable 50’s dress in the collection made from pale blue print cotton with a shirred bustline. The key is a fine, narrow piping between the midriff panel and the shirring, and it also runs along the top edge at the neckline–Perfect!!!
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How lovely! I can’t wait to see your finished product. It reminds me of the dress Liesl wore in the Sound of Music to meet her admirer out by the gazebo.
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It’s so beautiful! I really love it. I agree that the layer of chiffon with different colour underlay would be really lovely.
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WOWi think it is very very right that you would want to make one in every colouri would toothis is exactly the kind of dress i want for my formal
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You’re inspiring me to make a dress instead of cleaning up on this vacation day. I LOVE this dress, specially the top.
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