How Not to Whip Up A Prom Dress

There is no way to make this long story short. I must have been out of my mind when I agreed to make my daughter's senior prom dress. Especially because she wants a prom dress with sleeves. Sleeves? YES. Sleeves! And not just any sleeves. A certain kind of sleeve that really isn't a sleeve at all. I've come to learn that it's really more like a wing.

Fabric Store Visit #1
She wanted a black prom dress so we bought black fabric and a pattern that I thought had a little bit of a sleeve thing going on.

We left the store and went home. Then she changed her mind and decided she wanted it out of turquoise. So went went back for

Fabric Store Visit #2 and got turquoise fabric

First Attempt at Whipping Up a Prom Dress

I made the bodice of the dress in the absence of my daughter. This slippery turquoise fabric was difficult to deal with and I had to rip it out a couple of times and remake it. I tried it on her and it was so way to small we had no choice but to chuck the first attempt into the trash can.

Fabric Store Visit #3

I went back to get more turquoise fabric and there was no more left.

Second Attempt at Whipping Up a Prom Dress

We went back to the black fabric and I altered the pattern into something that was basically unrecognizable from the original and made it right on her body. The sleeves weren't long enough for her so I took them out and made new longer ones......and personally thought it turned the dress into a giant T Shirt.....Anyway, the dress was completed from top to bottom, and fit like it was made right on her body, because it was. She really hated it and I hated it. It was just too much black.

Fabric Store Visit #4

We went to get some silver fabric to make a sash to match her boyfriends tie, thinking that would help the dress. We also stopped on the way and got a pair of killer silver and black high heels

Second Attempt at Whipping Up a Prom Dress Continued:

I made the sash and she hated the sash and we both still hated the dress.

My other daughter stopped by and tried it on and asked if I'd make her the exact same dress only shorter and with different fabric so she could wear it all the time. She also offered an interesting comment to her sister about the dress "Pretty dresses are for those girls who are ugly. You are so beautiful it doesn't matter what you wear. It's all about your face and hair." Somehow there was just no consolation to be found in those pearls of wisdom, so we wound up throwing the second attempt into the trash with the first attempt.

The next day we went to the mall to look for a dress to buy. She hated every one she saw, especially the ones I made her try on.
We decided to make her dress, again. So on the way home we stopped for

Fabric Store Visit #5

and found fabric she liked, this time turquoise jersey knit. but they didn't have enough of it.

Fabric Store visit #6

The next day I went to another fabric store and found enough of the turquoise jersey knit and a new pattern with the kind of wings she wanted and then brought her back to the store for approval. She liked the fabric and the pattern, we bought it and out the door we went. We stopped on the way back to return the high heels.

Third Attempt at Whipping Up a Prom Dress:

So far it seems to be going quite well. I've only had to make minor adjustments to the pattern. I'd say it should be completed by Wednesday evening. Then we'll have to go find a pair of shoes so she can stand in them with the dress on and I can figure out where to cut it off.

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