There are so very many reasons I’m sad that Mad Men has ended. Number one, I don’t get to look at John Hamm as much as I would like to. I mean, yeah, sure, I can google him, but that’s, like, so much work, and besides he’s not usually in a suit demeaning a woman while concealing his identity and whatnot so what’s even the point? Number two, when people smoke everywhere in my life now, it’s because I am spending time in India, not because it’s charming and the 1960’s. Number three, amazing storytelling, you grow with these characters, fascinating psychological study, blah blah blah, the usual. Number four, serious lack of Christina Henricks in my life! Yes, obviously I watch Another Period and it’s magnificent and amazing and you should totally watch it, it’s Downton Abbey meets The Kardashians and it’s magical.
But is THIS:
Better than THIS?
Again, it’s THIS:
OR THIS:
Once more, with feeling. You can have THIS:
OR THIS:
You know which one is superior.
Which brings me to my most sewing-oriented reason for missing Mad Men, and that is, of course, costume porn. Have there been consolations? Of course there have, the world keeps turning. Feud: Bette and Joan, I’ve heard that show Velvet is good, The Crown , although the British are so damn dour, aren’t they? and that reflects in their clothing, lots of great tailoring, but you aren’t going to get anything close to this kind of thing, right:
Sigh. But the saddest thing about the end of Mad Men, other than the fact that we never got to watch Paul Kinesy get hit in the face, or watch Harry Crane get hit in the face, or just a whole list of white dudes get hit in the face, is that the Mad Men Copy Cat Challenge is no more. Sigh.
But if it HAD happened this year, I can assure you, this would have been my entry:
This is my first iteration of the (rather controversial) Rue Pattern from Colette Patterns. It’s really a lovely pattern, at least, I like it, and I appreciate the changes the company made to it after it’s release, allowing the side panels to sit under the bustline. I still found the armsyc a little tight, but that’s probably because of my sick guns, so…
I really love this print, but it totally does obscure the design lines. AH well. So what I did for sizing was not..the best way to do this, but, yeah. I cut a size 16, which was WAY too big everywhere but the bust. I graded down in the waist, but when I ended up trying it on, I think I took out about 5 inches or so out of the waist. I will say that the bust first beautifully, so I can’t really complain, but I think next time I would go to a 10 or 8 at the waist but stick with the 16 in the bust because although Colette patterns drafts for a C cup, I’m a D, and I think going with the fullest bust measurement is always the best way with Colette Patterns. For this skirt option the hip is sort of irrelevant, honestly, so that doesn’t matter.
Let’s talk about the skirt, actually, while we are here. I honestly think this skirt is sort of whatever. I would totally make this again, but honestly, this pattern is worth it for the bodice, not the skirt. Next time, (I have this mint gingham all ready to go!) I’m thinking of changing the skirt to a circle skirt, and it would be great with a pencil too, but the design options included are just okay, in my humble opinion. I mean, I like it fine, large pleats, what’s to dislike? but it’s nothing to write home about.
A little back view for you. I do love the back bodice, that little dip is so nice!
I had to doctor the color of these photos a lot because my friend Rakhee (hi, Rakhee!) took them late in the afternoon and they all ended up sort of blue toned. Ah, well, fits the fabric…
And it fits the title, which is a reference to the Mad Men episode of the same name. How DO we know that the blue I see is the same one that everyone sees? I don’t know, Ms. Farrell, you were like one of the least interesting people Don has ever slept with, SEE ya!
A little bodice close up for you. There is something just so charming about the bust tucks, seriously.
This fabric, a cotton from, of course, my new favorite place, Thakur, was about 1.40 a meter in USD. WHAT? Yes. But that’s actually great because this dress is a real fabric hog. I thought this fabric would be so appropriate for the pattern, and can’t you just see Betty Draper rocking this? Ah, Betty. I think I miss you least of all.
I didn’t line the skirt, but I did line the bodice, and apart from taking in the waist, as mentioned above, I made no changes.
It is a little hard to swan about all 1960’s like in Mumbai, of course, but I made it work. I mean, if Joan can do it….