Prom dresses... its that time again.

[kochi~mochi]

Its prom dress season again! Last year, my mom made my Jr. Prom dress, and she screwed it up. Didn't look anything like what it was supposed to, didn't fit right, and I ended up miserable.

But this year. This year is different. This year i have a lot more sewing experiance (about a year more, imagine that) and i'm toying with the idea of making my dress. I can't find anything in the stores (i'm a size 20 in the stores, bigger then that in patterns).

I have other projects i'm working on. The anime convention is the same weekend as prom, so i'd have to get the dress i'm working on for the con done as well as my prom dress. I only have one dress i'm making for the convention, and i've already started on it. I have until late May, memorial day weekend.

I'm really hesitant because last year's dress turned out so badly. I have it in my closet so that i can eventually take it apart and use the fabric. I really want this prom's dress to be something special.... Last year we didn't do a mock-up. I didn't have the experiance to make the adjustments myself, and my mom didn't get to it until really late. This year, if i decide to do this, I'd be working on it alot more and a lot earlier. I would be doing a mock up so that we didn't have those fit issues we had last year. I'd be thinking about the fabrics a little bit more then i did last time, not letting Mom cajole me into something she likes. I'd be doing alot more detail work, broken up into stages, where each stage of the beading or whatever looks okay on it's own. I'm pretty confidant in my ability to do the bead work, i've done quite a bit of experimentation. I've never done a dress, but i think i could do it.

So what do you guys think? I'm a little hesitant based on the fact that last years turned out so badly, and that i don't really know exactly what I want. Should i start looking at patterns, or keep looking at dresses?  

[Isabelle]

I say go for it! Start scoping out the patterns available, there's also some stuff in season for prom-ish stuff. Only it might just be under 'wedding' junk in the giant pattern books. There's always new books out, but everything seems the same to me. :S Also scoping the made dresses would be good too for inspiration. Once you get more practice sewing, most things seem do-able when you find 'em. :3 Do-able and cheaper, woohoo!

Anyways, yeah! Just start it earlier, with more measurements, and a clear idea and I think you should be fine for Prom.

I made my formal dress...that measurements weren't great, but not bad either. It was tight in the middle and loose at the chest, but I didn't have the time to alter it, so I just got one of those sinchers for the tummy, and double-sided tape. @___@ It's amazing what little things can do to fix things, haha. Just in case eh. :3  

[Silver Mist]

I'd say go for it. I couldn't buy a dress in stores either, for my senior prom (size 4 waist, DD chest, back in the day...*le sigh*). My mom made mine and it was awesome being the only one there who wasnt wearing the same dress as another girl. ^^  

[Noxious Puppet]

I say go for it. Though, I would strongly suggest doing some practice stitches and toying around with different patterns and fabrics before going all out. Purchase like a small amount of fabrics and layer them and try different techniques like sewing seed beads or lace or even something totally out there like buttons.  

[DiruAngel76]

I would say go for it, but maybe also peruse the stores with dresses that you like so you can really see what you want. That way you can take the elements of the dresses you like and combine them. Take pics too. Good luck, hope to see the finished product.  

[Fionamule]

If you want to sew it (which i say go for it!!) and if you find a pattern: buy some really cheap fabric and practice. that way you have made it once and have an idea of where problems could occur. plus if you get a cool cheap fabric you can either wear it (not to prom, but elsewheres) or rip the seams and use the fabric for something else.  

[Kingyo~goldfish]

if you are AT ALL doubtful, then don't do it.
really.
just don't.
it's not worth ruining your prom for craftiness.
my mother is a professional formal wear designer, and she's always having to alter terrible dresses for girls who thought that they could do it themselves, and ended up losing money, time, and blood in their fingers(them needles are pokey)  

[bookaholic]

I wish I knew how to use a sewing machine... crying
I envy you in that you actually could make a dress if you decided to. You get the luxury of choosing what sorts of decoration you want, what length, how revealing... I have a hard time finding dresses, myself, being "endowed" but living in an area where the majority of girls have no boobs or butts.
I can understand that you don't want to have another disaster on your hands, so could you get a person with experience to help you make it, like a Home Ec teacher or the head of your drama department's costume department or something?