Unexpected find

Vogue 1717

In the 80s I made a vogue skirt with pleats at the knees, front and back like the blue dress on this pattern. It was such a professional variation on the pencil skirt that I thought it would be very easy to duplicate but I have had little success. I have looked for the pattern in the size I need today but have not been lucky enough to find it.  

Two weeks ago, on a haunch I searched for this pattern (Vogue 1717) instead because the skirt was so similar, plus it has the beautiful four gore skirt too, which is a bonus. I had made the view pictured here in yellow in a white, widely spaced blue polka dot fabric. It was a very comfortable dress and I wore it until I had children. After that time styles changed and so had I.  

I found and ordered the pattern from an etsy seller and it has arrived. I am going to use this pleated skirt version to remake a new version of the original skirt. It will require a few alterations as the back of this dress fastens with a zipper down the center back and does not have the back pleats. I plan to include pleats in the back and move the zipper to hide under one of the pleat seams which will be to the side. The center back will be like the center front without the center back seam. This will definitely require a muslin sample or two.

I also plan to remake a newer version of the dress shown here in yellow. If that goes well I may make the whole dress shown in the dark blue view too. It is the kind of dress you can add a modern jacket to wear for work and beyond. I am so happy to find a larger copy of the original pattern. This will go a long way to help me get the proper lines and fit.

from Online Etymology Dictionary:

serendipity (n.) 

1754 (but rare before 20c.), coined by Horace Walpole (1717-92) in a letter to Mann (dated Jan. 28); he said he formed it from the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip," whose heroes "were always making discoveries, by accidents and sagacity, of things they were not in quest of." The name is from Serendip, an old name for Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), from Arabic Sarandib, from Sanskrit Simhaladvipa "Dwelling-Place-of-Lions Island."

serendipitous (adj.) 

1914; see serendipity + -ous. Related: Serendipitously.