And So That Was Christmas - 2019

Another wonderful time of the year!!

It was a happy/sad Christmas this year as our roommates and I concluded our Annual Christmas Party Trilogy. Being the last party of the saga meant it needed to end in a bang and by bang I mean a complete Christmas dinner [Glazed ham, 2x potato bakes, 2x salads, homemade sausage rolls and lemon/raspberry cake for dessert] and the ultimate Christmas Party dress to match with my Christmas tree.

I love planning the Christmas Party, it’s what gets me through from my birthday in August to the end of the year. Coming up with the menu, the decorations and a very, very specific “week beforehand” and “day-of” schedule. Since doing 2 parties previously and some other casual gatherings I must say it definitely gets easier and less stressful. There were the few hiccups, mostly when my inner-dragon personality rears its ugly head to complain when things aren’t done exactly how I want them done but as they say if you want something done properly you have to do it yourself. However, I’ll take this time now to formally apologise to all those in witness, I am sorry.

The real secret to this year’s party though - was not leaving the making of my dress to week of the party.

I had a very specific plan for my dress - IT HAD TO BE PINK. Typically my motive for most things I make.

I wanted it to be the most “party dress” party dress it could be. I spotted the pink floral jacquard on a shopping spree at Lincraft while it was on 40% off. I picked up a couple of metres and the next morning when I saw it lying on my bedroom floor, I thought, “oh my goodness what I have bought?!?” I quickly abandoned this thought for the sake of proving myself wrong and making a questionable fabric into a very pretty dress.

I made the dress over the course of a couple of weeks rather in one big hit.

I used my favourite self-drafted pattern and got into cutting out the bodice and sewing the darts.

When I came back to it I cut the rectangle panels for the skirt, which I wanted to be gathered to its maximum and being a jacquard I knew it would have the puffiness to really burst out from the waist.

I then took the dress back home with me so my mum could fit it to me as tightly as possible. I added the zip and then left the dress unfinished until the night before the party when I quickly hand sewed the hem as short as possible (some may concur too short) and sewed the strips of rhinestones for the straps to add that party glitz and again key word being maximum, I made four straps for extra sparkle.

It’s such a fun, flirty dress to wear!! I’m so proud of it and it definitely served its duty as the perfect Christmas Party dress.

Christmas is my favourite season. It’s fun and celebratory! It’s a time for good cheer, catching up wth friends, reminiscing on the year and having a fool-proof excuse for good food, delicious drinks and fabulous frocks!!

Until the next festive season!

Cheers,

Alexandra