This was probably one of my first ever wins at sewing. I think of it as a milestone- since my previous projects weren’t really up to par. It was a series of mistakes, ranging from uneven hems to weird fits. Fortunately, it all counted as experience and I became somewhat better at pattern drafting and tailoring. This was a design I thought of years back, as the Ariana Grande dress (that she wore on Jimmy Fallon) was becoming more and more popular within social media. Naturally, I wanted one for myself- and I thought it was a great opportunity to put my sewing skills to the test.

I used this beautiful blue jacquard fabric I found at my local thrift store. It was quite a hassle to work with- since the embroidery details kept fraying left and right. In order to get the volume that I wanted, I made an underskirt out of some leftover cotton I had lying around. Overall, I’m pretty happy with the way this dress turned out. If I had to pick holes, the straps are a bit too close together for my taste- but that’s just a minor fix.

In terms of styling ideas, I would definitely opt for pearls and some fancy strappy heels. Major points if I managed to score an Ariana Grande-esque half-down and half-up ‘do with my plain, flaccid hair.