The Little Black Dress: How to Make the Perfect One for You

by Simon Henry, Andrew Fionda (Foreword)

The little black dress is classic, timeless and a fashion in short, no woman should be without one. But where to find a tailor-made LBD, one that fits you perfectly and complements your body shape? The answer is to make it yourself! Even if you have never before sewn a stitch, expert dressmaker Simon Henry will guide you through the process of making the perfect little black dress. The book begins with the materials and sewing techniques you need to get started. Simon then shows you how to construct and fit a body block, based on your personal measurements. The block forms the basis for all the patterns in the book and you can go on to make your first LBD. There are three classic a chic shift; a stylish wraparound and an elegant strapless cocktail dress, with a jacket and hat to match!

Genres: Sewing, Nonfiction, Crafts, Fashion

175 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2008

Reviews

[Marnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are general knowledge sewing books and then there are books that focus on one thing only. This book clearly falls into the latter group. The reader is first walked through draping a dress block that perfectly matches her figure, then through modifying the block into three different dress types, and a small jacket with a bonus fascinator pattern at the end. If you sew alone and don't have a trusted partner to work with, you'll need a very accurate dress form, to complete the projects.

There are some interesting parts, that I may use at some point. In particular, the sleeve cap drafting section looked good, and it's my first introduction to draping a body, from scratch, but for the most part, I felt the information presented in the book is neither novel enough to stand alone, nor basic enough to be good for a novice. From the sounds of it, this book is written based on how the author teaches his classes, but doesn't account for the fact that having a teacher present is a completely different experience than reading from a book. I'm guessing I would really enjoy one of his classes, I just don't think the process translated well to this format.

[Гергана · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book, which promises successful making of advanced dresses for beginners. And it fails - neither the dresses are advanced, nor beginners will succeed with drafting their own block. Not to mention that you'll need a partner, who will work on you, for creating that block, or the fact that the drafting method is very strange.
I don't recommend this book.

[Belebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novice, I've learnt much from this LBD book! I must try and make one when I finally have time!