Mad Men Challenge: Joan Bow Dress Plans

A royal blue figure-hugging V-neck Joan dress with cuffs? And a bow? Oh, yes, please.

Are you as excited by Julia Bobbin’s Mad Men Challenge as I am? A Joanie dress has been on my epic to-sew list for EONS now. I actually missed the entire last season of the show (I blame my awesome toddler for being way more fun than watching even a really excellent show) but no matter. Also: I used to work on Madison Avenue! (In marketing, not advertising, but still).

I’m not sure what I think–I’m not as in love with the drawing as I expected to be, but I think it’s the hair and the fact that I couldn’t figure out how the dress would work on my narrow shoulders–which is why I didn’t draw in the brooch. Maybe I need to convert it from the set-in sleeve of the pattern to the kimono sleeve of the real Joan dress?

I have the main dress fabric (and some boring gray doubleknit from the stash for a muslin) but I’ve been frustrated in my dickey fabric search. As you can see above, I got some random cheap poly chiffon that sorta works–but Joan just strikes me as a genuine silk charmeuse kind of woman. I’m struggling to find a silk charmeuse with an even vaguely similar or 60s-appropriate print. This awesome printed silk remnant on the Denver Fabrics site is perfect, but I emailed them and they’re only selling it as one big 8 1/2 yard piece… I need like, 1/2 a yard:

I’m also working on a modified Ruby Slip to wear underneath (I considered a half slip since I have one cut already, but I know I’ve seen Joan wearing a blue silk full slip in several scenes).

So are you in? Have you picked a dress? I DID consider a non-Joan dress… briefly. But really, my figure type is closest to Joan’s, and I’ve never drooled over the other character’s clothes the way I have hers.

More details on my dress/plans over on my blog, Polka Dot Overload.