Thanks to @PeterSokolowski, here’s a photo of another Simplicity 5723 — this one was taken at a lovely event for the Dictionary of American Regional English earlier this month in Madison, Wisconsin. The two spiffy gents in the photo are Simon Winchester and Jesse Sheidlower — so you get some bonus wordsmith-candy in your (ir)regularly-scheduled dress post today.
The dress is in this fabric:
I’ve had this fabric since November, 2008, or at least, that’s the datestamp on the file on my hard drive. Could have been earlier, but this looks suspiciously like a saved-it-from-the-eBay-listing photo. It’s a nice heavy linen-y fabric, without actually (I think) being linen, which is my favorite way for fabric to be linen-y.
When I have a minute and the dress is not in the wash (I’ve worn it every week since I’ve made it, I’m pretty sure) I will take a picture of it on the dressform, so you can see how nicely I matched the (broken, which makes it easier) plaid across the skirt panels. Until then, you will have to take my word for it.
My only problem with this dress is that I don’t (yet) have a cardigan to match it. It’s not any of the various pinks and maroons I have in my Cardiganary (that’s my new word for “cardigan library”), and I haven’t started my ambitious new project of carrying around a swatchbook of all the fabrics of dresses I have made so that I can match cardigans anytime, anywhere. (My current process is to just say “eh, maybe it matches?” and buy the cardigan. Which has not yet ended happily, especially in the very tricky “teal” family of colors.)
You also can’t see in the photo that this dress looks nice with a very skinny black patent belt. Belts are my new cardigans, I’m now trying to amass them in every color. (This can only end in tears.)
A Dress A Day 
Gosh you look pretty in that photo!
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beautiful!
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Or it could result in lots of belts.
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The dress is gorgeous but what I really love is the combination of pocket square, gingham check and casual jacket on Mr. Winchester.
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How lovely to see Mr. Winchester with you. You introduced me to his books, then made me a true fan when you forwarded my thanks for the introduction, and I got an email from him. I love his circuitous, lovely writing, and am forever grateful to you and your blog. A wordsmith that sews is a grand thing.
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You can borrow my approach – just have 4 or 5 cardigans to go with everything: black, navy, off-white, pale pink, red. Almost everything I own would go with the black or navy; the other colors are just for fun.
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Why must every dress have a sweater?
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Oh now that is gorgeous! Self-fabric covered belts, maybe? (I’ve never been brave enough to tackle one, buttons are hard enough.)
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I don’t think it would actually look half as good with a pinky-red cardigan as it does with the black. There’s something to be said for a little contrast.
And total word on the belts. I’ve discovered that they can be bought for almost nothing on eBay and now I am hooked. I’ve discovered something that Anne Fogarty knew all along: a wide cincher belt really does make your waist look thinner.
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Cardiganary! Yes, every home should have one, perhaps stored in little moth-proof ziplock bags. But how would you stop them sliding off the shelf…? Yes, agree with Joni that the black is spiffing with that gorgeous painted plaid so fret not. I can see why you’re giving it a lot of wear.
Wait a minute, *THE* Simon Winchester…??! And you’re talking about cardigans…???
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That fabric is magical. I mean it. Looks like a great wear-it-everywhere kinda fabric. I adore it.
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Love seeing your dresses!
And reading hilarious pattern stories!
I thought you might enjoy this vintage ad, it reminded me of your everfaithful 8728’s! (Number 3 in blue.)
(From what-i-found.blogspot.com/2011/12)
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That is one purty fabric. Gorgeous dress x
Penny Dreadful Vintage
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Wait a second: THE Jesse Sheidlower?
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I just found 100 dresses at my new library job. I devoured it and have been checking out your site. This post may have solved a mystery for me. I couldn’t remember the name of a dictionary about regional expressions. This might be where I found the etymology of the WI expression “a horse a piece.”
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