I began my pattern cutting process by trailing different elements to make sure I had an accurate starting point. My master pattern was originally ill fitting and had an unusual neckline so I made adjustments before continuing with the process. I methodically worked through creating panels and pattern pieces that would make my design a reality. And then I began construction after creating a list to minimalise mistakes and ensure the process ran smoothly.
This is the design I settled on. A straight shaped dress with an asymmetric button stand. A high neck mimics a collar from a shirt. A contemporary addition sees a belt that loops around the button stand. And to add interest and shape to the sleeves, a box pleat.
I decided on a dress but it needed to be a more relaxed, flattering shape that my initial designs. I also wanted to incorporate some kind of button stand with a belt. I also began to use the idea of putting a pleat into the bottom of a sleeve to add shape.
I decided that I wanted to use quite a masculine shape, with a button stand mimicking the lines of buttons that reoccur throughout 1920's design. To make the garments more feminine I would experiment with the use of pleats.
Part of my research into the 1920s involved looking at important social and cultural changes that may have impacted the styles of the time. Gangsters and crime. Silent Movies. Harlem Renaissance