Fabricmart– you are a friend to me! How I love the sight of a box on the porch. it makes me giddy, as you know. But also full of trepidation- the free bundles are my favorite form of textile roulette. Will it be lovely animal print? Will it be a matching lining for an ordered treasure? Lace? Almost always I get something I am as excited about as what I ordered. Except this last time. Yes, I am about to kiss a gift horse full on the mouth, I am. Grey…..wool……suiting……with pinstripes? Um, what do you do with that? Do they have any idea who they are sending this to? Is it a joke? I ordered a box of my usual fiesta de tacky and they send me Gregory Peck wear????
Cosmic joke. Sure I have the option of wearing business attire to work, but lets be honest, an elastic waist totally rocks on any given day. Sure, I love to dress up, but the thoughtless ease of my lovely brown scrubs is just so perfect at 6:30 in the morning! But I digress. I pondered and I thought about it and asked myself: how can I Anniefy this mature fabric? Hmm…lets all think on it. 
Solution: Vogue 8442
I’m in love. Seriously- this ticked all the boxes. Comfortable, vaguely stylish, work appropriate. Do you hear this, Mother? I have an adult outfit!!
My only issues were fixable. I have no idea why it calls for a center front seam or even a zipper?! I left both off. Next time I will know better and not have a back center seam either. It’s not so fitted that it made a difference. What do you think? Just ignore all of that smut behind me- I swear it’s all religious tomes and higher thought!!
These pics are after work- so ignore the wrinkles, it was a long days! We trained an ortho office and I was bobbing up and down alot. Like you do when training, right?
Funny- well, to me at least. The sleeves are a little stiff at the cuffs and the buttons were a lovely metal Mr B picked out- every time I came thru my office door- they would hit the door frame on one side and CLANK!!! I know, thats not how ladies walk about- barrelling thru entrances like bulls. I need to insinuate myself into rooms- like Gigi’s aunt taught her! Now The Peck and the shape of this having me thinking noir, Susan Haywood ‘You can’t break me, Coppers!’ thoughts, so here’s my noir pose. Probably more effective without 2 Disney world potatoheads behind me, but hey, you get the idea! 
photo credits: meadhawg, google images,pattern review, all images remain the property of their original owners.
Pretty Grievances 
Oooh–I love the applique! Such a fun touch. I pretty much approve of all floral embellishments 🙂
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It just needed a little gaudy in my color pallete, I thought!
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You can afford to have ONE grown up dress! I’d change those buttons with covered ones for a more formal look and less clanging when you come through a door but otherwise, the embroidery looks just right and is enough to say, “I have style”.
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Its even lined! I dont know more people havent used this pattern….
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Ohhh you really made the fabric work,,, the post made me laugh too.. I love your witty writing
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Oh you are sweet!
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You look great! And look how grown-up. hehe. But really, love your dress and the detail. it kinda made me tear up…you aren’t hanging up your gaudy spurs are you? I mean, you can play in both worlds, right? Add touches of color and pizazz like on this dress? Don’t go non-grown-up Anne!
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Its sure its a wardrobe aborition!!
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The Anniefication process worked brilliantly! The embroidery really makes this!
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Grey makes me look pale- shocking!!
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Femme fatale? With Potato Heads? Ha ha!
Great dress. Why would they want a centre seam on that?!
I love a pinstripe. Very grownup.
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The center seam just seems useless…
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Great dress! The appliques add the perfect balance. Totally serious is not fun.
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It really screamed prison matron without them!
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You did a great job with this – and dare I say it… you look good in grown-up clothes!
Lovely embroidery that says “Anne made this”.
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I tried to channel WWRD…..since you always add classic style to clothes.
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Awesome. I love the applique and the buttons, its a great twist on office wear
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Thank you so much!
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Fab dress that ticks all the boxes. And yes, why haven’t more people made it? I expect after seeing your inspiring version it will be popping up everywhere.
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Its really comfortable, too-
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Love your grown up dress. The embroidery is genius.
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Thank you!
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Quite lovely. Great way to make an ordinary fabric into something special.
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Wow! I laughed and gasped when I saw your dress (ended up nearly choking). This is wonderful- I don’t think it’s ‘grown -up” I think it’s witty and almost an internationally recognised one finger salute to society’s expectations of what is suitable work wear! Too philosophical? Then you just rock in this outfit.!
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I think you must have seen that Peck movie! Thank you so much!
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LOVE LOVE LOVE your dress. Great idea to soften it with applique – perfect! Very smart to get rid of the centre seam – What were they THINKING!!
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I think someone put on their review that it wasn’t for stripes, but the cover pic has stripes- luckilly I only think of directions as gentle suggestions
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I myself would never have come up with this perfect solution for gray striped suiting! Love the embroidery. I salute your creativity, to say nothing of your decorating skills!
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Oh, you are to kind! This went so well, I’m sure the next will be a lovely wadder!
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Well done on setting the ray gun to “Annie”. The applique totes put your stamp on this rad suitification!
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I’m rather pleased with myself!
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Very nice. Love the touches of embroidery!!
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You used it well, the pinstripe. Maybe fabricmart thought it was time for you to step out of your colourfull comfort zone 😉 It’s a very pretty dress, you look great in it!
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Fabricmart knows all!
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Well, look at you! In pinstripes, no less! I’ve never seen this pattern – kind of rocks a Lilly P dress I adore 🙂 Great job – and the applique adds your special touch to it and livens it up a bit.
I can see this in knits for a super easy throw on 🙂 Great job – and it actually suits you (no pun intended) 😉
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It does have a lovely little retro Lilly look- hmm- maybe the summer one needs some bright florals….
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LOL! Cosmic humor or no, the end result is FAB! I especially love the little appliques, they really make the dress pop. 🙂
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Totally love it, and the pretty applique is just the right touch! So grown up! ;p
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Way to embrace the wool pinstripes! It’s about time menswear suiting fabrics found their way back into womenswear.
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Great dress and yes very grown up, very practical and very comfortable… ticks all the right boxes for me as well. As as for the buttons clanging on the door… nothing like making a grand entrance and that’s one way to make heads turn LOL. Also love the applique as a little extra special touch 🙂
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it made me think of Carol Burnett in her Scarlet dress- whacking walls with her curtain rods!
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Thanks for making up this dress, Anne! It’s been in my queue for a very very long time, and I love it in the pinstripe! Lovely grown-up dress!
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I really think a summer version will happen- it looks disney worthy!
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I love it, especially the added embellishment. I’m a fabric mart bundle junkie myself. 🙂
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They are like manna from heaven!
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I love how you used this fabric and the flowers are a great design touch!
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Great job. Love it!
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Nice dress. I love the spots of color. But, really …. You talk about potato heads when you have Mary Poppins and Bert on the shelf!?
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There really arent any non-foolish places to stand in my house!?
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Foolish or non-foolish places are in the eye of the beholder. 🙂 I just really liked seeing your Mary Poppins and Burt dolls. Lucky girl! Oh, wait, grownup dress – lucky woman! ;-()
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It looks great! Good idea about the covered buttons but maybe you could do a cufflink type thing with the sleeves and change them out? Two buttons with heavy thread or thin cotton yarn to attach them….. In any event I like the adult look and the nice mid dark grey sure shows off your coloring and hair to full advantage
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OOH- I could change them out- oh, fun!
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I actually love this lots and lots.
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oh, thank you!!
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I was imagining your disappointment at seeing that pin stripe – but you have rocked it Anne! Well done.
Can’t wait to see what they put in next to test your imagination 🙂
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I pulled it out of the box and held it out to the husband like plutonium- he asked if I had the wrong order!
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I love fabric with the appliques, very swank! I would assume zipper was for ease of gettng in and out of fitted dress, but when you look at the pattern pics, the dresses are not fitted at all. so dunno. Suggestion: Mr. potato head applique covering back of dress. hey??
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Hmm….not a bad idea…
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It’s so elegant!
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Oh, now no one has ever said that to me!!
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Great solution for that fabric. The floral applique is a nice touch, makes it a bit more flashy. I’ve got some similar fabric in my stash. I always thought I’d make a skirt, but after seeing your dress, I’m rethinking the skirt idea. Always look forward to your fun posts.
Have a great week!
Beth
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Comfortable, attractive AND work appropriate? No, it’s can’t be. I simply don’t believe you.
But you look good lying to me… 😉
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It’s like a unicorn made it, right?
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Well, you absolutely successfully went from Peckish to Anniefied. The buttons totally rock, and they also have the added bonus of announcing your arrival into any room. Genius. I think you’re right about leaving the back seam out next time. It should work fine. You look great, woman, especially with the Potato Heads.
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The flowers and that pattern totally saved a boring fabric! Grown-up? Nah. You’re just a kid playing grown-up. 😉
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Oh give me a grey pinstripe any day! and your flower motif is a nice girly touch on a masculine fabric. Great shape and sleeves and I love that they make an entrance.
I have a Mr Potato Head who has Woody and Buzz Lightyear costumes!
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The one in the sewing room is dressed as Mary Poppins right now- she may be Ariel later this month- depending on her mood!
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Gorgeous. And the floral appliqué certainly takes it up a notch. Love the Anniefication.
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Why thank you!
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Girl, that dress is the bomb. Er…da bomb? You did a beautiful job…the applique certainly adds a lovely touch, too.
My only time getting the bundle (so far) there was nothing I was excited about, so even though you weren’t enamored with this yardage, I think you still did pretty dang good!
p.s. If you receive any future loathed gray wool suiting, feel free to think of your northern neighbor who is slightly cold intolerant. 😉
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This was a great idea. Looks like a fantastic work dress to me – love the embroidery too.
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Love your pinstripe dress. I have the pattern stashed and plan to make it this spring/summer. I was a bit concerned b/c of the drawing that the sleeves might be too wide and flappy, but I can see that isn’t a problem.
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The button really keeps it from flopping around.
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Love the grown up lady suit! And Gregory…well he is my secret love….
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He’s one of mine, too!
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I do like the neckline on that dress – I’ve got my own pinstripe sassy dress that I need to iron and photograph. Let’s call it flattery instead of imitation. 🙂 I started it after you posted this.
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I love the idea- cant wait to see it- we can take over an empire together!
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Oh, yes. a grown up dress Anniefied with appliques! And your good efforts are being prasied by a miniature chorus of boys in the background!
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You have to travel with your own backup singers!
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Consistency…hobgoblin of little minds…mutter, mutter. It’s a woman’s prerogative to shift her style focus whenever and however she likes, and especially when it looks this good! And it goes great with religious tomes and higher thoughts. I love how this piece looks very you and yet is a little bit of a departure at the same time.
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Oh, you are too kind! Im glad my style doesnt come off as 1 note as I think it does!
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I love a good pinstripe!! I’m amazed that you made that. Growing up I thought clothes just showed up in stores, I never understood that people actually sewed them. The appliqués are great as well. Well played, ma’am
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I love it! What a wonderful dress!
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