Aicha Hockx sent me these pictures ages and ages ago, of this amazingly gorgeous modern dress she made that features a Watteau pleat at the back.
You *must* go check out her blog to see the posts she wrote about this dress: this one with more pictures (including the front, which has pockets!), this one with historical references, and this one where she explains it all very clearly!
This would quite possibly the world's best cocktail dress if executed in gold brocade. Actually, if you showed me this in gold brocade I would not be surprised if you also said "Look, it's Prada."
I love this so much. This is the dress I will wear after the time machine is perfected and I visit 2039. (I don't want to look like a hick.)
A Dress A Day 
That was indeed teh awesum. *applauds* What a great marriage of styles!
LikeLike
Fabulous marriage of fabric and design.
LikeLike
Ooops, I copied banis word choice of marriage. I guess I am not as original as I thought.Damnit.
LikeLike
Id also like to put in a my hat for one of these in gold brocade! Perfect sophisticated party frock.
LikeLike
Ooooh, the side view! I didnt really get the effect until I clicked and took a look. Am I crazy or would this be great in a bridal gown? Instead of a train, you know? I love this.
LikeLike
Incroyable.~Sarah B.
LikeLike
To my eyes, this would be the thing to wear to work in an art gallery. Crisp, tailored, creative, and incorporating allusions to art history.
LikeLike
To sew one up, keep an eye out for those 50s and 60s Hawaiian dress patterns. You can still find some with this type of falling back design.(Polynesian pattern #150: http://www.mainstreetmallonline.com/patterns/listingview.php?num=4192ref=2)
LikeLike
And, in 2039, all art will officially be hung skew-haltered!
LikeLike
I did a double take, because the hair and back of head looks just like my daughters. Neat dress.
LikeLike
How easy would it be to convert the back tuck of McCall 5751 to Watteau pleats? http://www.mccallpattern.com/item/M5751.htm?search=5751page=1
LikeLike
Minya, Im not sure. If you go to my blog (just follow the links in Erins post), youll find a describtion of the Watteau-pleat pattern piece I guess you could add that to the back of the McCall dress instead of its usual pleat. Historically, Watteau pleats falling down from short shoulder yokes have been in use for longer than the straight-from-the-top type I used. However, I think you would have to stitch the Watteau pleat down all the way, instead of just to the waist in order to keep anything like the shape of the dress (which, in turn would not make the pleat work quite the way it should)
LikeLike