Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Never Too Old to Daydream...

Saturday night I was flipping channels, and I stumbled across my most favorite movie... Dirty Dancing. In 1987, I was 13 years old, and I loved everything about the movie. The soundtrack, the dancing, and the wardrobe. For me, Baby's finale dress is right up there with the iconic "Breakfast at Tiffany's" dress.
I'll let you in on a secret... When I was a pre-teen, I'd daydream of having random dance sequences happen during my normal life, like in the movies "Footloose" and "Grease". While that doesn't happen in "Dirty Dancing", I'm pretty sure that there were also a few fantasies of dancing with Johnny Castle, too. 
What girl in 1987 didn't?!
So, what does this have to do with sewing? Have you seen the newest Vogue patterns? As I was reading a blog post offering the thumbs up and thumbs down on them, this number popped up and it immediately made me think... "That's it. That's Baby's dress."
Vogue 8943

Now, hear me out.  Dropped waist. Check.  Flared circle skirt. Check.  
Scooped Neckline with tank top straps. Totally Fixable.

In this shot, you can see the back of the neckline.  I love it even more.  I can use this Cynthia Rowley Simplicity pattern (already own) for the front neckline.
Simplicity 1607
This dress is really close "as is", but the skirt yoke is actually quite loose (and long) and the gathers are all wrong...
The back zip would need to be moved to the side. No biggie. 
So... Simplicity top + Vogue bottom = "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"!



What would I do without "Paint"?

So, I have absolutely NOWHERE to where this, but it excites me. I wouldn't do it up in pale pink (too much like the movie dress), but a red version would be fun. Who knows... with Christmas and New Years ahead, anything is possible.  There is also a Big Birthday on the horizon for me, so perhaps this could be for that occasion?

Did you know that...The indoor scenes (Penny crying in the kitchen, and the Houseman's cabin) were set at the Mountain Lake Hotel in Mountain Lake, Virginia? Twenty-five years later, the hotel still hosts "Dirty Dancing Weekends"? How fun would that be?!

So, please do tell... if you could have any dress/outfit from a movie, what would you pick?

17 comments:

L said...

I remember Dirty Dancing like it was yesterday. I still have the soundtrack on cassette. Yup...I still have (and play!) cassettes. Like always, I'll be following your progress on this project.

As for a movie dress I'd like to wear, that's a good question. I'll have to think on that for a while.

Carolyn (Diary of a Sewing Fanatic) said...

I love that you saw that dress in those patterns! I think for your birthday you should do the dirty dancing weekend in Va wearing our version of the "Baby" dress. It would be fantastic!

abailey said...

So cute! Totally think you should make that dress! You saw it right away and are so passionate about it. I can tell that you would love the dress and that means you would be amazing in the dress :) I say go for it!!!

Jenny said...

Best movie ever! I'm on such an 80's kick right now - movies, music, some of the clothes. I was 13 in 1987 too! anyways, I say make that dress in the pink or red but I can't wait to see it made up!

Lori said...

A wonderful movie and you should make that dress. First it would look fantastic on you and secondly, you and your hubby can practice all the dances! Can't wait to see it.

RhondaBuss said...

Dirty Dancing is one of my favorites as well :)At some point I want to copy a suit that Grace Kelly wears in the movie Rear Window. It's drop dead gorgeous.

Ann Made Studio said...

Also one of my all time favorite movies...I always use the line, "Nobody puts baby in the corner".
and love the pattern It is in my cart ;)

Mariela Alethia said...

Dirty Dancing was one of my favorite movies. Your birthday is the perfect occasion for the dress. What the heck, on your birthday get dress, your and DH go out for drinks and spend the night in a hotel. Dirty Dancing?

Anonymous said...

I love Baby's dress, the way it moved when she was dancing, it was certainly a thing of beauty. Who cares where you wear it, no matter where you go it will made you stand out. Red would be a wonderful color. Pair it with a pair of red dancing shoes, dreamy! Can't wait to see it completed. If I wasn't so old....

Anonymous said...

My movie dress is really sick - and I'd forgotten about it until you mentioned it.
Movie: Fatal Attraction Dress: scoped neck/knit/flared skirt/sundress Glenn Close wore in the kitchen scene with the butcher knife methodically cutting her thigh... memorable as I had just sewn one and was wearing it to death in pastel aqua that summer!

I love yours! Can't wait to see it!

Brenda

Bunny said...

My movie dress would be the LBD on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. Love her look and would be happy to wear anything she wore.

Loved Dirty Dancing. Patrick Swayze is beyond gorgeous, hm, hm hm,,,,,

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Anonymous said...

Grace Kelly's sky blue chiffon from "To Catch a Thief"

Anonymous said...

You can never go wrong with red! It's my favorite color and I think the dress would be fantastic

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Unknown said...

So did you ever make an actual pattern? Id love to make this

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