From Old Disappointment to New Favorite

This dress is old - at least 15 years, maybe more - but I have not worn it more than three or four times. I found the paisley stripe fabric at Hancock Fabrics but there was only a little more than a yard of it so I picked out a solid fabric to go with it, not sure at the time what I would do but knowing I would come up with something. The "something" turned out to be Simplicity 5558.

(I was trying to look grumpy for the "before" picture but I just look like my grandmother.)

There was so little of the print, it had to be the bodice but there was enough left over that I could get creative with pockets and patches. Overall, I liked it but I had just a couple of problems with it. First of all the neckline looks nothing like the pattern illustration. I don't like a high, wide neckline and although this one wasn't extremely high and wide it was enough to bother me. The biggest problem, though, was the sleeves. They were not really too small but small enough to feel restricting when I raise my arms. Besides that, I just don't wear this length of sleeve very often. Around here if it's warm enough for short sleeves it's usually too hot for any sleeves. So the sleeves had to go and I lowered the neckline about an inch, maybe a little more.

And now, I love it! The neckline looks a little off in the picture but it actually is symmetrical. I could have gone a bit lower but I was being cautious and now it's fine. It feels much more natural to me. The pockets are a little smaller than I like; my phone just barely fits in one of them - not a consideration when I made this - but there's nothing I can do about that now. The length is below mid-calf, about 4 or 5 inches above my ankles. Sort of an odd length I guess but it's the length I really like for summer dresses.

Simplicity 5558 was always a problem pattern for me. I wanted to like it and used it several times before I finally gave up on it. I don't know why I kept trying. Besides the neckline being wrong I really don't much like the high-waisted look and the skirt doesn't seem quite full enough. But now that I've fixed the two biggest problems on this one and I'm really loving it I'm feeling some temptation to try it again. But I'm going to resist. I have other patterns that I haven't even used yet. Time to move on.