Drop that waist! The Malvarosa
For the last couple of years, 1920s inspired drop waist dresses were all over the runways - from Victoria Beckham, Etro, Chloe to Proenza Schouler, Isabel Marant, Valentino, Chanel and Dior, pretty much every other designer out there included this silhouette in his/her collection. The actual drop of the waist may vary from just a couple of inches below the natural waist to much more for a more “dramatic” look. I think the drop waist silhouette works especially well for a more boyish figure and can be particularly flattering for women with a less defined waist.
When I first saw the Malvarosa designed by the talented Pauline, I fell in love with it - it’s a shift drop waist with an interesting drop shoulder (actually sewing the sleeve to the drop shoulder (at an angle) is the most difficult part about making this dress) an pockets! I love pockets!


Pattern: Malvarosa Dress by Pauline Alice Patterns
Fabric: 100% wool woven, lining
Mods: I modified the proportions, lined the bodice and eliminated the facings.
I love this dress and I love your style!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Coco!
DeleteThis dress is AWESOME! I love the pattern I love the shape I love the fabric and i love your pictures!
ReplyDeleteI also think the leather effect leggings look really cool - i cant believe they were so cheap to make :-I)
DeleteThank you Jennifer ... it's a great pattern.! I found the fabric for the leggings in the last piece bin - in fact they are a bit short ;)
DeleteWhat a amazing dress! You have such great style and the photos are vogue - worthy ;-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Ute, I'm so glad you like it!
Deletehello sexy <3!troppo bella!!!
ReplyDeleteGrazie mille Niko, come al solito troppo gentile :) XO
DeleteThis is a great burberry - esque drop waist. This is a great pattern and it's wonderful to see it made up in tartan. Those leggings are a winner!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kirsty! actually the fabric is the vintage original but I did not feel like telling in the post the story of how I got :) - too many words x 2 languages ;)
DeleteThis Malvarosa is one of the best posted on the net. Great job at matching plaids and adjusting proportions!
ReplyDeleteWith so many great Malvarosas floating around the blogosphere yours is a very nice compliment! Thank you Hélène!
DeleteBellissimo vestito!!! E ti sta veramente bene! Sei stata davvero brava a far combaciare le righe, complimenti!
ReplyDeleteA proposito (non te lo dovrei dire perché sei stata bravissima) hai visto che Sarai di Coletterie ha messo a disposizione un download con dei "tips" per lavorare con righe e plaid? :)
DeleteGrazie Tiz! Si ho visto il tutorial di Coletterie - in fatti ho usato più o meno lo stesso metodo (che penso sia il metodo più logico) ed è per questo che non ho raccontato come ho fatto - niente di speciale serve solo tanta pazienza!
DeleteSo much style! and the leather trend is passing?? Well I need to hurry up and get on the train then! lol
ReplyDeleteHurry up girl! lol
DeleteThank you
XO
Sasha, la tua precisione e' incredibile! Ho colto l'occasione per fare un po' di browsing tra i tuoi vecchi post e sono rimasta ancora piu' a bocca aperta! Anche un genio della maglia...i tuoi calzini sono davvero belli...per non parlare delle foto divertentissime e delle illustrazioni. Complimenti davvero. All-round artist!
ReplyDelete... un genio della maglia!!! :D... grazie mille Silvia sei troppo gentile ed io sono senza parole!
DeleteNon è venuto perfetto?!?!?! Io l'ho visto dal vivo ed è un capolavoro!
ReplyDeleteBelli anche i leggings! Confesso che anche a me piace molto il look "spalmato" nonostante sia già un po' passato e mi piacerebbe farmene un paio da portare come collant, specialmente se a un prezzo contenuto come quello che hai trovato tu!
ahhhh... quei 2mm nella ripresa al seno mi urtano il sistema nervoso ... e poi non capisco perché le cuciture sopra le spalle non sono perfettamente identiche!!! Grazie per le tue parole ... dette da te poi significano tanto!
Deleteps leggings: scampolo giusto (anche se un po corto ;) al momento giusto - avevo appena visto sul sito di asos un paio simile a 20+ !
Stupendo sei stata bravissima a far combaciare le righe!! Mi piace molto questo modello e la stoffa è deliziosa =)
ReplyDeleteGrazie mille Sara - ci è voluta solo tanta pazienza ;)
DeleteLovely placement and use of the broad stripe in the bust dart, I enjoy your blog, thank you!
ReplyDeleteJeannie in Seattle
Thank You Jeannie!!! it's so nice to know people appreciate your work!
DeleteSasha, complimenti per il vestito! Ti sta benissimo!
ReplyDeleteGrazie mille Jiulia!
DeleteIl vestito e' davvero bellissimo, mi piace davvero tanto, penso sia arrivato il momento di comprarmi il cartamodello ;)
ReplyDeleteE quei leggings! Stupendi, anche se non avrei mai il coraggio di indossare un paio simile :) Bravissima, come al solito!
Grazie Mary! il cartamodello è molto bello e a parte la complicazione della manca e molto facile da confezionare! I leggings sono un po fuori carattere anche per me - giusto un pochino, forse perché non vivo esattamente in una metropoli - ma chi se ne frega!!!
DeleteSono ancora a bocca aperta da Abilmente! Ho il terrore di cucire il plaid, l'unica volta che ci ho provato è stato un disastro, e tu alla prima volta fai un capolavoro del genere! Non ho parole! Gioia
ReplyDeleteGrazie Gioia! Ho preso il tessuto perché era un'occasione che non potevo farmi scappare poi sono arrivata a casa e... beh... basta dire che non mi ci sono voluti cinque minuti ;)
DeleteYou look so elegant in this dress! The plaid matching looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bella!
DeleteVery nice! I keep being tempted by this pattern but I have the feeling that it may not be all that flattering on my petite frame...
ReplyDeleteFunny you should say that! I think Pauline would qualify as a petite (check out the photo Sewing Princess posted of us together at Abilmente - I'm 177 and as usually I'm slouching and she is wearing heels) and the Malvarosa looks great on her -it's all in the proportions - the right combination of bodice skirt and overall length can be quite flattering on all kinds of sizes :)
DeleteThis looks really great, especially for your first time matching plaids! Well done! The proportions work really for you and the fit is spot-on. This shape doesn't work on everyone, I'm glad you know it works on you and were daring enough to try it. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Emily!!!. I actually think that adjusting the proportions and experimenting with different fabrics this shape would work on lots of people. Basically if you can wear a shift you can wear this! This is why a love sewing and generally garment making - it's creative and you get to experiment and if it doesn't work - well ... you had fun and that is the point isn't it?
DeleteSasha it's just so great! It's not a style I could wear myself but on you it is fab. Those sleeves are so interesting - are they comfortable to wear? I'd be tempted to get the patten just for the sleeves and use it as a straight shift or top...... You've done a great job on matching your checks too. I agree with the comment it's the best one I've seen - the tartan elevates it from being a little girly to being very chic.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarah! The sleeves are interesting indeed and must admit are the trickiest part to sew and fit but they are comfortable! The drop shoulder pattern is developed by attaching a portion of the upper sleeve cap to the bodice. If you decide to buy it give it a try and make it as is - you might be surprised! If you still do not like it on your body you could very easily modify the skirt part into a trapeze to get a shift and keep the pockets or reduce the fullness and put a couple of pleats in it! For the summer (and you guys are going towards summer - envy!) it would look great as a top in linen without the sleeves maybe, reduced skirt fullness to a sort of a peplum size and with the waist dropped just a couple of inches - at least these are my plans for it for the next summer ;)
DeleteThanks Sasha - I'll add it to my never ending list!
DeleteIt's wonderful, such a great style for you! The plaid was such an inspired choice of fabric, and does a great job of accenting those interesting sleeves.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Sara! maybe the most difficult part in matching the plaid was deciding which line to keep on the sleeve - I'm glad it works!
DeleteSasha I love this is on you, it's divine! I agree that the drop waist looks best on tall lean silhouettes. I dream of a drop waist, but on my pear shape it's a disaster. You look gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jillian! After reading your comment I realised I need to update my "About" page with my measurements! When I first discovered your blog I thought "yay! this chick has my same body type + the muscle mass I wish I had but I don't (envy alert!) " I sincerely think it's all in the proportions and the length of the "drop" :)
Deletestupendo *_*
ReplyDeleteVanessa Van
http://vanessavanhandmade.blogspot.it
Grazie Vanessa!
DeleteBrilliant!
ReplyDeleteThanks Cat!
DeleteThis looks fantastic. Despite what you wrote, I think you did a great job with pattern matching. Looks good to me!
ReplyDeleteThank you Maddie, I'm glad you like it! There are some imperfections like the 2mm you can see in the bust dart - that I find annoying, I know other people wouldn't notice but I know it's there!!
DeleteWow, I don't think I've ever seen a drop waist look so stylish! I love those sleeves; the dropped shoulder seam is a really interesting design line. It's a really lovely dress on you - I'm sure you'll get many happy years of wear out of it!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Danielle! I do love the cut of the sleeves!!!
DeleteBellissimo, a me viene l'orticaria al pensiero di dover far combaciare righe e quadri!
ReplyDeleteSabrina
Grazie Sabri! Il segreto e non pensarci prima ;)
DeleteBellissimo!! è perfetto e ti sta da dio! Brava brava! L'allineamento delle righe mi sembra praticamente perfetto...io invece non sono ancora riuscita ad allineare bene nemmeno le cuciture...ho appena finito un vestitino e ancora non ce l'ho fatta. Ma ci riuscirò prima o poi ;) Stupende anche le foto, sono perfette!
ReplyDeleteGrazie mille Martina!
DeleteNon ci credo, guarda ... ho visto la tua Mathilde dal "vivo" ed era perfetta ... Non vedo l'ora di vedere il vestitino!
Ah Sasha, what a drama-queen ;) Those pics are gorgeous. And the plaid matching is perfect. You woudln't be able to find something matched that well in RTW clothing, but I'm well aware that when we sew something we somehow demand much more that it has to be perfect....
ReplyDeleteThank you Annika ... Maybe I'm a little prone to exaggeration but when you spend hours to get the lines to align perfectly and you sew and you turn and they are a couple of mm off ... steam starts coming out of your ears and when you look at it it's all you can see!
DeleteIt's wonderful !! A great style with this fabric, and gorgeous photos !!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Marielle!
Deletelooking wonderful! love the fabric you used, and little changes you made to the pattern.. and i love the leggings, of course :) i made so many of them with that particular pattern, i wear them instead of tights nowaydays
ReplyDeleteThank you! ... this leggings pattern is definitely my favourite !!!
DeleteHot, Hot, Hot!!! You hit the ball out of the park with this one. Plus your plaid matching is pretty perfect.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Christina ... so nice discovering your blog!
DeleteSasha! These photos are straight out of Vogue!!! Dress is gorgeous & you look amazing in it.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Ebony!!!! :D... coming from a stylish gal like you means a lot :D!!!
DeleteSasha, I totally agree with the others that yours is the best malvarosa out there! I would love to make one like this. I am fairly new to sewing, having only finished a few dresses so far. Could you please let me know how you modified the length and sleeves?
ReplyDeleteOh ... thank you! so nice of you to say so :D! I modified the proportions = the relative lengths but I cannot give you exact numbers because 1. I did not write them down and 2. they are in relation to my height I'm 1.77 and the pattern was design for an average height of 1.65 so I had to lengthen everything before even starting to consider proportions and look. If you want to achieve the same ones I would advise you to look closely at the pics and then fiddle with your muslin (leave enough seam allowances) - that is pretty much what I did ;)
DeleteLove, love, love the dress and amazing photos too!
ReplyDelete