8.19.2014

PIZZA PIZZA

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

For my birthday suit this year, I wanted something insane.  AND I LIKES TO GET WHAT I WANTS.


Ruggy was informed mid-July that I didn't care what the venue was, I would be thrilled to eat a hog dog from a cart, so long as I was doing it in a simple yet extravagant girly frock. August's MSN allowance provided me the materials for my plans: Oscar de la Renta silk taffeta (all gone, sad face hey! it's back!), and magenta dotted organza (almost gone...and don’t be fooled by the picture, it’s magenta for sure!). But plans, as usual, changed once I stared the yardage in the face.

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

And changed. And changed. I wanted a cap sleeve vintage silhouette with crinoline. I wanted a mermaid ball gown. At one point I thought I would make an actual three piece suit.  But after seeing the Charles James exhibit, curves called... although I was ready to start a good old fashioned slice 'n dice drape session, something made me stop. August is the craziest month in all of Kalkatroona (like 86 birthdays, for real, ancestors got tres happy round Thanksgiving), and my brain was too full!  I wanted to be told what to do.

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

Cynthia Rowley 1802 gave me my manifetso for the skirt, and Simplicity 0320 was the plank I walked for the bodice. A TNT pattern, it was heavily modified to get the look I wanted at the shoulder and back, which was also inspired by a giant of fashion, Christian Dior. 

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

Christian on top and Charles on the bottom! SMELL ME.

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

But don't inhale too deeply. Yikes, some of those seams...one could almost say ham handedly modified.  I definitely manhandled the bodice!  Did I muslin? No. I used the “stitch, rip, repeat” method. You can see the silk was getting a little vexed with this decision on the front bodice. And either the dress is too tight in the back, or the just-off-the-shoulder-look meant I needed boning...

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

It fits comfortably enough for an evening of pizza though, so I’m not complaining!

Yes, the venue was birthday pizza, in a magical back garden of a Greenwich Village joint, and I felt splendidly overdressed.  Ruggy, I soothed, I can always trim the magenta away if I want a less costume-y frock. 

But I literally cackle every time I look down at this combo, so I do believe they’ll be mates for some time.

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

Have you ever heard taffeta move? Such a delicious rustle! It’s like a slightly hollered whisper, egging you on to shake and shimmy and sway…which we did, to some seriously stirring after-pizza blues.

No surprise, my guy treated me right. Mais, as a photographer, he is not so into the details, he’s a big picture kinda guy. But I do like his eye. Both of them, actually. So allow me to throw a few close ups into this picture heavy post, it is my birthday dress, after all...


This little bow is an extension of the shoulder hack-- fully lined and sussed out over a cocktail or two...


Three thousand inches of rolled, serged, topstitched edges, the topstitching done with a smile by my baller Pfaff, the serging done under threat of pain by the old Elna (which will only do wovens now). The dress is so insane, I didn't fret over the exposed serging. Having too much fun to fret.


This lining & invisible zip are actually neon coral pink in hue. My extremely old camera refuses to accept this fact.

oonaballoona oscar de la renta birthday dress

This one was a joy to make, and that’s exactly what I wanted for my birthday dress..FUN!  I find more and more that I truly only want to sew FUN things. And if wearing them out means going for pizza, hey, that only adds to the FUN.

Phew!  I can hear the sound of that taffetta right now, sweet music! What’s the last thing you sewed purely for fun?

this birthday dress was made using my monthly fabric "allowance" as part of the Mood Sewing Network. Thanks Mood!

75 comments:

  1. PURE DELICIOUSNESS! Love it and you rock it like a boss. XO

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  2. Wow! That's one fabulous dress! I love the overlay fabric on the curves and what a great combo of patterns. Happy Birthday!!!

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  3. so pretty! and OMG I am totally stealing those shoulder bows! yeah, that is happening for sure on something I make! happy birthday you wonderful lady you! xoxo

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  4. You look just like a real party! What time should I be there???

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  5. Oh Marce, I smell you on all levels of this dress. If only Oscar, Charles, Rowley and Christian could have joined your for some cheese and pepperoni.

    The last thing I made for fun? Come on, you can answer that one. Lingerie!

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  6. I love it! Too many fabulous birthday dresses around the blogosphere these days, now I have to sew myself a fabulous birthday dress! (My birthday is in two days, eek.) I love the just-off-the shoulder look, and that organza is LOVELY.

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  7. You look wonderful, as always! Really like the adjustments to the shoulder and back, so pretty.

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  8. Absolutely stunning. Those little shoulder bows are perfection.

    The last thing I sewed purely for fun was my Oonapaloosa dress.

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  9. Simply GORGEOUS!!!!!! It is so delicate and colourful. I love the straps with little bow! Bring on the birthday celebrations! Why can't you get dressed up and just go for pizza?

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  10. The bows and the colours!!!! I love it

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  11. This dress is stunning. You did an excellent job. You should wear it to the grocery store and for couch-date movie nights too.

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  12. Love this, yea for birthday dresses x

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  13. Gah, this is too fabulous!!! It looks SO swishy and swirl-able!

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  14. That dress is just incredibly audaciously lovely, so basically, you!

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  15. For MY birthday season, I have been working through TWO Alabama-Chanin-style projects, though not in her silhouettes (though I do really really like the red A-line skirt with couching in "Alabama Chanin Style Sewing + Design").

    I'm nearly done with a Butterick 5950 mock wrap in gray jersey, oomphed up with AC-style stencil detail in cream, reverse-applique'd with the same gray, and stitched in tan (using the knots to emphasize the Anna's Garden stencil).

    AND I have cut out some one-pattern-piece wide-legged swishy pants in winter white double knit jersey, which will have more Anna's Garden in proper appliqué with parallel whipstitching around the hips to obscure big patch pockets.

    If the creek don't rise, I'll get to wear this fall sewing...IN THE FALL. The same fall that I made it for. (This has never happened before.) Birthdays are supposed to be about leveling up, right?

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  16. It's one of my favorites of yours. I love it!!!!

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  17. I love the colors on this fabric and the shoulder bows are perfect!

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  18. I love me some great print mixing, and you've taken the cake (pie?) with this one, my sweets. Absolutely gorgeous! And the bows on the shoulders... Perfect amount of gilding. <3 <3 <3

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  19. If you had entered the Oonapalooza contest, even anonymously, you would have won.

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  20. Gorgeous. I love the way you mixed the fabrics, the details are awesome.

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  21. This is such a beautiful dress. I love those ickle bows on the shoulder. And it's so YOU! Happy birthday.

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  22. That dress is absolutely stunning and Ruggy has done an amazingly good job with the pictures...that first picture..OH, that first picture!!! I told you before you should be on the front cover of Vogue!

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  23. errrmm...girl crush....I mean who doesn't love a girl that goes for birthday pizza! No, seriously, it's the dress and the bows and the neckline!!! Gorgeous!!!!

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  24. What can I say that hasn't already been said? Hmm. I think I even said that already, so I'll keep it basic: very pretty. =)

    Oh and it's nice to like both of your guy's eyes. If one goes, you got one more left. Muahaha.

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  25. THIS.IS.AWESOME! the bow on the shoulder is just too cute! :)

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  26. Leo's in Birthday Frocks Unite! This is so damn fabulous, I can't get over those weirdly wonderful little sections in that skirt. You must have felt like the shiz! And so you should.

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  27. Utterly GLORIOUS!

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  28. "stitch, rip and repeat" I love that line..That's exactly how I do it! It is a lovely dress.

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  29. Breathtaking!!! Beautiful you & stunning dress!

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  30. Happy birthday to the both of us! You are such a babe! The dress is gorgeous, I bought that Cynthia pattern just for the skirt, circle inserts are so flattering.

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  31. Always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed is my philosophy...particularly if you think you need boning.

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  32. What a beautiful dress! I looooooove the fabric, both of them. Beautiful colors and so happy and sexy at the same time. Happy birthday!

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  33. Those little shoulder bows are just the most demure and lovely little touch! Love this!

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  34. Love your colorful, happy dress! You look great in it. I love everything about it.

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  35. Beautiful! And don't you ever trim the organza away. Those fabrics were meant to be together! Happy birthday!

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  36. Absolutely gorgeous!! You and the dress! Happiest of birthdays Oona!!

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  37. Gosh you make me want to wear a dress (and I don't have the legs for it). Lovely garment as always. I love the combo.

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  38. Those shoulder bows! I covet! I swoon!

    Nicely worked, lady! Happy birthday! <3

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  39. Happy birthday!!! This is so fantastic! I really love it!

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  40. Wow, looks absolutely spectacular! Happy birthday!!

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  41. This is absolutely gorgeous!!! And don't ever take that magenta off of there. Those shapes the contrasting fabric make around your waistline are so flattering. I think my fave part though are those bows. And I'm not a bow person. Fantigitytastic.

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  42. Adorable!!!!!!! From the fabric combo, those eensy winsy shoulders ( swoon) to the gorgeous birthday seamstress!! Happy belated birthday :-)

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  43. Your birthday outfit ideas sounds similar to what mines would be. lol
    This dress is gorgeous, matching the gorgeous lady wearing it. Look at those guts.
    I am glad you got to make a fun lovely dress for your birthday even for pizza. Did you go to the place we went to? I hope you had a good birthday.

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  44. This is so so cute, I really like it! It is a good idea to make a dress for your own birthday, will consider to do it also^^

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  45. You really are the queen of fabric matching. Love the 'off the shoulder' neckline ma'am! Happy happy x

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  46. Excellent birthday pizza dress!! Happy birthday to youuuu!!

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  47. What an awesome dress!

    Most of what I sew is just for fun. But I am a bit timid with pinks even though I love them. I just need to get over that, right?

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  48. I absolutely adore your party frock!! I just love sewing for an occasion, what better way to express yo self! Happy happy birthday for reals this time!! The dress is stunning on you!

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  49. Very pretty dress inside and out.

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  50. Happy Birthday! And it is absolutely amazeballs, OMG, how do you even think of those colours combinations! Brillliant!

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  51. SOOOO PRREETTTYYY!!! I just bought that Cynthia Rowly pattern and am now ashamed I was considering making it in a mere chambray. Happy birthday!!

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  52. Happy Birthday!!!! That dress is AMAZEBALLS. Just WOW

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  53. i adore the fabric combo here!!! it's just too perfect. pure fun sewing suits you, and you do it so well. happy birthday!!

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  54. Oh my gosh Oona! I'm dying here! Love love love!

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  55. That. Is. Perfect. In every possible way, with every good adjective, adverb, whatever, that is just fabulous! Can I just bask in your twirly amazingness?

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  56. Those bows!! What a great idea. Love the dress. I wouldn't change a thing!

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  57. Woo whooo to you AND your dress. This post, the photography, the story . . . make me happy. Thank you for sharing these visions of loveliness.

    Cheers,

    Lyric

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  58. it is insane dress, and an ultimate oona dress! and i love it on you!

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  59. An absolutely fabulous frock! You are a birthday genius.

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  60. You sparkly fun unicorn of amazement and deliciousness! Happy birthday you! xxx

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  61. It's Oona perfection. And therefore perfect as a birthday dress.
    I think my last example is a simple blue seersucker pleated skirt. I wanted to be practical, use up stash, have a new skirt. Then I went ahead and pleated more carefully, and sewed for the fun effect. Ta-da!

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  62. 'Let them eat cake!' Delicious and all things lovely! Hope you had a great birthday!

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  63. Love it! the gorgeous details the inside the fabric the just lots of squee's and why can't i have an amazing dress for my birthday today!

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  64. HELL YES! How you do come up with such amazing color/fabric combos all the time?? Love everything about this, especially those little bows! Happy Birthday!

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  65. Beautiful! I was taught that the sound taffeta makes is 'scroop'.

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  66. Hell, yes! Gotta sew stuff just for the fun of it! I know for a lot of us (myself included) this sewing gig has turned into a bit of a lifestyle choice & we try to sew as much of our wardrobe as we can, but sometimes you've just gotta get a bit silly. Absolutely love this dress & hope those fabrics stay together for some time yet :) Happy Birthday, hope you had a smashing day!

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  67. Oona, happy birthday!!! Wish you a lot of fun and fabulousness! And, this dress is beautiful - I love the style, the print and your changes to the patterns - lots of love from Cyprus

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  68. Such a fun awesome dress! Have a spectacular day of birth party!!! :)

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  69. LOVE IT! And the silk taffeta. My wedding dress was an off-white, creamy-colored silk taffeta. Best money I ever spent in my life!

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  70. shiny bright happy and lovely <3
    as your new year should be! best wishes!

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  71. Nothing could be more perfect or more juicily, oozingly Oona-riffic than neon pink & silk taffeta married together in this candy floss dress - I can't imagine your birthday pizza being accompanied by any better adornment! ^__^

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  72. That fabric is just gorgeous, both of them together...I never woulda thought of combining them like that, but it works. Also, I love your tip about taking photos on the ground, I didn't realize! I'm going to start lowering that tripod.

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!