One of my projects last year for Linden was a navy blue 1940s cocktail dress. I still haven't gotten pictures of that dress, but I finally got around to taking pictures of the trial dress made first from the same pattern last summer!

I call it my peach dress, but it actually has fine red threads woven through it. The fabric was a thrift store find and it's vintage. I don't know the content, but I'm guessing it's a rayon/cotton blend. Very nice to work with and wear. And I think it's from approximately the right era, for this pattern!

The bodice has scallops on one side and closes with snaps. The ruffle was intended to be twice as wide, but I didn't like how it looked, so I folded it in half and tacked it down. The buttons are not functional.

I added bias band to trim the sleeves, just because! 

The belt I cut on the bias too, to add some plaid play, and used a long hoarded novelty turtle buckle. The skirt was fun to do, with the slanting yoke and gathered panel, and looks so very 1940s!

I finally gave up waiting for the breeze to die down, so this is the best picture I have of the back. Since the dress was on the short side, I ended up doing a very narrow rolled hem, but otherwise adhered to the pattern instructions for the most part. This was one of the first "interesting" 1940s dress patterns I made.

For a trial dress from a brand new pattern I was pleased with how this one turned out, overall, and I enjoy wearing it during the spring and summer.