I knew from the moment I saw this Dior dress last year that I wanted to attempt re-creating it for one of the weddings. It’s seemingly innocuous from the front, but oh so scandalous and daring from the back. That is what I love about fashion, the unexpected, being daring and different.

At first glance, it seems very straight-forward. Jewel neckline, short sleeve, plain bodice, straight skirt. Even the pants are nothing special. Then, you start thinking about closures and facings. How is this all going work together with a massive gap in the back? At even closer inspection, there’s a lot pleating going on, so the structure’s getting even more complex. I did get lucky with the fabric, and found exactly what I had envisioned.

I decided to just take it step by step. I knocked out the pants first since they really were the most straight-forward. Then, I drafted the front of the dress and sleeves, and finally tackled the back. I made an educated guess of the measurements and pattern pieces, and it all ended up coming together. Probably not the exact construction methods of Dior, but it’s a pretty good approximation of the design.

 
It did not disappoint. My sister-in-law let out an audible gasp, when I turned around. She thought she was looking at my underwear!

Next week, the final dress in this series. What will it be? Long, short, straight, full, topless, bottomless?