Recreating a 50s cocktail dress - Part 1

the inspiration

While I cut out the lining the other day, intending to put it together and start on the bodice, I really had no interest in working on it, so, I switched over the to skirt.    As you can see, each layer is gathered at both top and bottom, with flat strips between the sections.     After eyeballing it for a while, I decided that the original length of the gathered panels was at *least* twice the final top length.   I ended up with 2.75,  to allow gathers at the lower edge, and I was starting to worry about how big it was getting (i.e, not the full 3x)

Anyhow, as the gathering had to be fairly precise, and I wasn't in the mood to figure out how to pinpoint the tension on the gathering foot of my serger, I ended up doing it by hand.    Its a little on the poofy and insane mini-bubble side right now, but when ironed, and with the weight of the other layers, I think it will turn out nicely.    I also feel I ought to mention, its not quite so shiny in normal light.   Without flash, its actually almost dull with a kind of silky look to it.   (Although burn testing has identified it as acrylic)

poofy mini bubble prior to ironing

     
The plan  is to finish the skirt, and then worry about the rest, as if worse come to worse, and life interferes with getting this done, I can do a fairly plain bodice without it looking too odd.   The fancy gathered bodice and a plain skirt could work... but it would be a little odd, and it was always the skirt that I liked.