1950s Dress Fit Adjustments

 So, to start off, here's the link to the original pattern I used for the dress. 

https://www.etsy.com/no-en/listing/797451459/vintage-1950s-sewing-pattern?ref=notif_psffl&fbclid=IwAR3eVMPo3Gml6xM4HM-o6Qt04jjLSUiIT5z5PtXp5_LES6CwF-xO9LcTw60

I originally bought it to use for making a bridesmaid dress for my cousin's wedding in October because I didn't want to buy one I'd just have to figure out how to alter anyway.

For my first test of the pattern, I decided to make a wearable mock-up with some fabric I got from my grandma's stash. It fit pretty well, but I didn't like where the underbust seam hit, and the neckline was a little wide and low for my taste, so I made some adjustments.

The bridesmaid dress needed to be the specific color and length, but otherwise my cousin didn't care what style they were. This is how my dress turned out and I was really happy with it, though the neckline was still a little too wide in the front, so I added darts to the lining piece on the front.

Here's the most recent dress I've made, using all the adjustments, and I feel it fits just how I wanted it. I saved this fabric from my grandma for years before making it into this dress because I wanted to find the right pattern for it and have the right sewing skills, and it was worth the wait.

On to the actual adjustments I made. 

Starting with the upper front bodice, for the gathered outside layer, I measured the height from where I wanted the neckline to where I wanted the seam to be, and made sure the piece was the height I wanted. I also added a little bit to the side to help allow for mobility.

For the lining layer, I started by adding an inch to the top to raise the neckline a bit, then about a half inch to the bottom. I then messed with the bottom curve to shift the seam lower to where I felt it would be more comfortable. After making the bridesmaid dress I added a small dart to the neckline so I wouldn't keep having to fiddle with it to keep my undergarments from showing. I also added a bit to the shoulder seam for added mobility.

For the lower front, I mostly just shortened it. After making the bridesmaid dress I added some of it back on to lower the waistline, just in the front. 

For the side front I matched the curve to the upper bodice lining and shortened it. I also narrowed it at the waistline just a bit, but added a bit to the top corner.

For the back I added an inch to the neckline as well as a little on the shoulder seam for a little extra mobility. I also narrowed the center back a little from the top. I shortened the bottom about an inch like with the front, but I didn't add any of that back on later, because I like where the waistline ended up in the back.

For the short sleeves lining I added an inch to the neckline as well, and a bit to the hem, as well as shifting the curve of the seam outwards a bit to accommodate my arm better. I also added to the shoulder seams a bit to add more mobility. I didn't really make any adjustments to the gathered outer layer.

For the longer sleeve I added an inch to the neckline as well, and added a bit to the shoulder seams for mobility, but the changes weren't big enough for me to bother making a new pattern piece like with the others. Now that I think about it, I may have forgotten to add the inch at the neckline on the last dress I made. Oops. It turned out nice, so I won't complain.

As for the length, I just folded the piece at the length I wanted it to be for a half sleeve.

As for the skirts, I took basic gathered rectangles and just played with the length and fullness to suit my needs. For the chiffon layer on the bridesmaid dress, the fabric was cut unevenly when I bought it(it's a slippery fabric for sure), so I ended up making that layer a hi-low skirt and just had the lining layer long. On the dark blue dress I did a slight hi-low skirt just for fun.