Satin and Lace

I finally got to the store to pick up supplies for the Embellishment challenge, and what fun it was! I knew I wanted to make a very pale colored dressing gown but I didn't want to go pure white. I was considering a powder blue, but as I walked past the bridal collection of fabrics a gorgeous champagne satin caught my eye. I never would have thought of champagne but it ended up a perfect choice as there are many examples of 1930's dressing gowns in the same family of pale peachy colors. I found a sheer champagne to match since I wanted to layer an opaque fabric for modesty and a sheer floaty fabric for embellishment.

All the pretty lace and satin waiting to be used!

Next it was on to lace, something I could happily spend a small fortune on! I restrained myself and picked out just two types of lace; a large somewhat ruffled one for hems and a flat one for wherever else I wanted lace. I also grabbed a spool of a white criss-cross trim that I'm thinking more and more that I might leave out of the design, but it will be great for another project I'm sure. 

Buttons were an altogether dilemma, I went back and forth between so many different styles. The first ones that caught my eye were pearl and gold. I absolutely adore pearls, but the gold accents were just too bright and clashed with the champagne too much, and they got scrapped. I finally settled on some simple small satin covered buttons that match the fabric color fairly well. 

I also finally settled on my main design inspiration for the gown. Etsy was actually a great source of inspiration images since there are a lot of vintage clothing sellers, and some of them are fairly trustworthy with their dating of garments. I found a style of dressing gown that I really liked had a fitted triangular waist, and then I found a bridal dressing gown and nightgown set that I want to base most of my dressing gown on.

1930's chiffon dressing gown

I love the flowing sleeves and trailing hem, and the colors are similar to the ones I chose. I even have a lace fabric to use as the waist contrast like in the photo. I'm excited to get sewing, but first there are other responsibilities to tend to. Hopefully this weekend can be dedicated to sewing the dressing gown and maybe even the corset that got left in the dust last challenge. I hear there's a possibility of another huge snowstorm, so I'll make sure I get snowed in with my sewing machine this time!