A Dream Dress That Doesn't Exist

Do you have a dream dress that doesn't exist?

Allow me to explain...

Moi-même-Moitié's Sleeping Garden OP in Black x Blue

Moi-même-Moitié's Sleeping Garden OP is one of the first dresses I ever bought, and I definitely considered it a dream dress at the time. Now that I've had it for a few years, I don't find myself reaching for it very often. It's pretty telling that I've had this dress for maybe 5 or 6 years and yet I hardly have any photos of myself wearing it. I still think it's objectively very beautiful - the print is detailed and pretty, and it has lovely arch-shaped lace trim along the hem and neckline. I love seeing other people wear it. For some reason it just doesn't spark much joy for me anymore...but I just can't bring myself to part with it, either. Perhaps it's the terrible exchange rate?

Now that I own more dresses and have a better idea of what I like and what flatters my body shape, I've come to the realization that this cut just doesn't look good on me at all. The gathered bodice makes my very-flat bust look puffy, and the sleeves don't suit my broad shoulders. I also prefer the classic intense Moitié blue to the softer, desaturated blue of Sleeping Garden. I guess I just like the idea of Sleeping Garden rather than the reality. But I really want to like it again.

So what would make me really want to wear it? If I were a master seamstress, I'd just modify it myself. But I'm not, so I have Photoshop instead.

One gripe I've already mentioned is the colour. The re-release features a much more intense blue and a more vibrant ombre effect than the new dress, but it isn't as bright as I'd like. I also think it's kind of funny that for the re-release they went for a purple-and-orange ombre of all colours...but not plain old red. I think this print would be so pretty in bordeaux...blood moon and all.

I would love to see this print on a long-sleeved dress with a slightly different bodice. Moitié uses this type of gathered bodice a lot, so it needs something to differentiate itself a little bit. I do like the lace trim that they used, but it's not very visually exciting. A strip of ladder lace with a ribbon in a contrasting colour, or a lacy ruffle like the one on the Neo Gothic Arch JSK would spruce it up a little bit. I would also sub out the waist ties for a pretty satin ribbon instead.

The Neo Gothic Arch JSK has such beautiful lace and tulle trim.

There are so many ways you could play with long sleeves, too. They'd look great in a more translucent chiffon to contrast with the rest of the dress. The dress is already very light and floaty, so translucent fabric would add to that delicate, airy look. I also love the look of puffy Michelin Man/sausage sleeves like on their Pleats OP - it looks definitely looks old-school so I think it would be really cool to mix that look with a very modern print. I have a few blouses that have ribbons along the shirring in the sleeves to either adjust the poof or just as pretty trim.

Moi-même-Moitié's Holy Cross Blouse is one of the prettiest blouses they've ever made!

Here I've (badly) cobbled together an illustration of one possible way I'd revamp the dress. This is Neo Sleeping Garden OP! I've changed the colour to bordeaux, added the bodice and sleeves from the Harpsichord Trio OP, changed the waist ribbon to black, and added some Holy Cross lace as trim on the sleeves and hemline. Isn't that pretty?

Neo Sleeping Garden in Bordeaux

Putting this together was a lot of fun! I would love to have my own lolita brand someday, but realistically it's never going to happen. I'm a novice at sewing and I don't know the first thing about dressmaking or patterning or...anything, so it would take me years to get to the point of being able to have my own atelier...but I can draw, so I'll just draw the dresses in my head instead!

So, how would you change a dress that you want to like, but don't? I'd love to hear about your dream dresses that don't exist!

[Current Music: Beck - Uneventful Days]