In Which Gail Carriger Gets Crafty: Turning A Little White Dress Retro Style

It took me a very long time to learn to wear white. My mother, being a gardener, is deeply mistrustful of the color and has never worn it my whole life. However, it is a common vintage color, or at least cream is.

My dear friend Rachel (who also Betas my books) believes that you can never trust anyone in white trousers. I will admit to once being tempted by a lovely white suit, but until this season the furthest I ever went into white was a tailored white shirt, or cream knit sweater. However, the 2011 spring runways were all about the little white dress (LWD). 

So I decided I could break away from my dear Mum, and become an Adult Who Wears White. I thought if I thrifted one and tailored it myself, perhaps I wouldn't be so scared of it. The quest was on!

The original dress, cream eyelet muslin from Bon Mar Thrift store, $5.

The modification in progress. 

Hemmed dress to shorten it and then used cut piece to make small sleeves. 

Also nipped in at the back to make more fitted at the waist. 

The finished dress on the dummy. Luckily I have a slip that is perfect for wearing underneath.

Here are some ideas as to how to take a dress like this from retro to street and from summer to autumn. I'm looking forward to experimenting.  Of course you don't have to go for the whole dress, you can always just do an accessory.

I'm introducing and new occasional feature to the Retro Rack blog. The book that matches your outfit!

For the Little White Dress I am suggesting you try an old favorite of mine, Restoree by Anne McCaffery. It's an earth-girl-stolen-to-alien-planet political drama with a great romantic thread and a light breezy tone. It has a summer read feel to it. Don't worry, the aliens are amorphous ~ no bugs. There is some plastic-surgery kind of experimentation, but it's very light. The romance element is wonderfully well done.

Have a lovely weekend all!