Burda Style #109 09/2015 The Search for Shift Dress Continues
Actually, I think I’m mostly done looking for the “perfect” shift dress. I have several now and I just don’t need anymore. I love the idea of an easy shift dress, and I’ll still wear them, but I just like pants better. I do however think most of these patterns would work great as tops, so the quest will continue down another path.
I finished this dress a few months ago, but it didn’t seem like a winter dress so I only just now have worn it for the first time. And since I usually wait to take pictures of new things until I actually wear them, the blogging had to wait too.
Pattern: Burda Style #109 09/2015 (which is the same as #108 from the same issue but with sleeves), view B minus the collar.
Fabric: Left over linen from my Renaissance dress. Which I still seem to have more of. I should sew with linen more, it’s so comfortable.
Design Likes/Dislikes: I like the side/princess seams, it’s a nice and loose but still has some shape. The pockets in the front side seam are great. However the sleeves are super tight, I even let them out a little and they’re just barely ok right now. It’s weird that they’re 2 piece sleeves at all, seems unnecessary since the seams don’t follow the arm movements like jacket 2-piece sleeves do. You can see in the close up picture the sleeves are rotating weirdly.
Another bummer about this dress is I serged all the seams inside, which makes it scratchy too me. I must have bad serger thread or something because it always makes stuff too scratchy. I try to do french seams when I remember, but it’s not habit for me.
Sizing and Fit: I made size 36. I think the sleeves are too high and tight, next time I would lower everything by 1/2 inch and widen the sleeves all the way down. The problem with this pattern is probably that the other version of it is sleeveless, so instead of modifying for the sleeves, they just forced the sleeves to fit.
Invisible zipper win
Changes: I let out the sleeve seams, made the pockets bigger and tacked the two pockets together inside, and used a deep hem instead of shortening the pattern. The weight of the pockets falls forward, making my stomach look big, but I love having the pockets so oh well.
For Next Time: I’d like to try this pattern again, with the sleeve modifications, but as a shirt.
~Molly
Toferet's Empty Bobbin 
Why it’s a “shift” dress?
I believe it actually refers to cultural changes happening in the 1920s and 1960s, when these types of loose fitting dresses were originally popular, because societal norms were “shifting.”
Or maybe it refers to the old-style undergarment called a “shift”, which used to be worn under a dress, like a slip, or to bed, like a nightgown.
I’m not seeing the stomach poof thing at all. I like it!
Ah I loved this pattern when it was released – so simple but so nice. I like your version but how WEIRD about the sleeves?! I had a Burda shift -actually 2!! That didn’t work out at the sleeves. They were just weird. I blamed the first on me giant biceps and the 2nd on it being a Burda Young pattern but maybe perhaps it’s just Burda…
Cute dress and perfect for this time of year.