MadMen3 - Jane Sterling she's a mod mod girl

Some days, a project just takes on a life of it's own. My social Anna was born out of picking up the right fabric with the right friends present to facilitate it's construction.

This story is like that, although I'll credit the online community and dreams of Sterling Cooper.

I had SO much fun with channelling 1967! Imagine if you will, that Jane Sterling hooks up with Megan Draper's hip friends after her divorce from Sterling (which was very, very expensive) and hits the town...

Followers of The Monthly Stitches Miss Bossy Patterns may recall that I had as option three a rayon printed with an Art Nouveau/1970's geometric design. I was asking for assistance about which late 60's pattern to sew up, my Mum's straight shift dress, or a raglan sleeved one that I thought was simply darling ;)

Influencing my choices was Julia Bobbin's MadMen Challenge #3 - and the seasons have caught up with the late 1960's, opening the challenge to shift dresses and more free-loving styles.

The start of season five, 1966, was a surprise 40th party for Don Draper - and who should walk in (all soon-to be-ex tension radiating), but Mr and Mrs Sterling. .... - ahh Jane, you have had some 'interesting' outfit choices .... and I like them.

Starring in this episode is a red and cream maxi dress with an awesome draped back, which then ties at the front into a bow.

Collage from the episode

and guess what ... my never ending stash of liberated patterns has just the one...
Vogue 8861, an early 80's pattern judging by the hair & makeup, but that back! And the bow tied at centre front!



























I suspect it was present in the costume department's pattern stash and the basis for Jane's party dress - just add a cowled front neckline et voila!

Fabric restrictions called for shortening of Jane's maxi to a more appropriate late 60's length, but I managed to piece together the cowl back and wrap around ties. The social sewing sewists can attest to my care at pattern placement - (just imagine a different placement for those mad heart aliens)....

I used my bodice block to trace out the bodice, lowering the neckline slightly and ignoring the darts. I then continued the pattern straight down according to my original shift dress.
I used the back drape pattern piece, cut on the bias as drafted, and pieced together at the side extensions. The back drape is actually a separate piece added over the shift dress back (with a centred zip that I omitted). The sewing instructions were a tad confusing, so I drafted a new all-in-one front facing and winged the attaching of the bodice to the back pieces & front.

Have I mentioned that 2014 is looking like the year the 60's and 70's rolled back around??
All in all, I think my homage is rather close to my inspiration dress and as a bonus, it's fabulously comfortable to wear!

For MadMen #4 in 2015, I might just manage a 50's frock, maybe ;)