I’m a romantic at heart… I daydream about wearing glorious vintage clothes in stunning architectural spots around Europe… I’m Audrey in Roman Holiday, or Grace in To Catch A Thief… In reality I don’t have the patience to get up at dawn to find a location then get in position or wait in the perfect spot for everyone to leave the frame. People in tracksuits tend to ruin the retro illusion. But I make do.

During my trip to Barcelona in May I knew I wanted to at least get blog photos of this dress. I’d hoped for more since I was in a stunning European city BUT I have a very unhappy photographer/travel companion who doesnt like getting in the way/being watched taking photos/the pressure to get the perfect shot. I think Rach and Noelle have a genius solution being dedicated photographers for each other. Any volunteers?

Seeing catwalk dresses and knowing you can make a version that suits your life and budget is so enjoyable! I had the above Dolce and Gabbana lemon and floral beaded poplin dress (£2578) saved on my pinterest board for a long time as well as the below stunning organza silk lemon print dress which is a D&G variation on the first style (£3798).

For my version I used a stretch cotton with zesty lemons on a smaller scale and teal leaves. This fabric is from Fabricland a year ago when lemon fabric mania was at its peak!! Flash forward a year and there’s new lemon designs out there so go shopping with glee everyone.

As a modest lady who gets cold easily I wanted a dress with sleeves and have been quietly obsessing over button front dresses for a while. I got New Look 6587 in a pattern shop about 5 years ago and took it out every year thinking “Is this too 90s? If it is why do I love it so much?”. Safe to say I made it more vintage.

I made view E without the trim. The skirt is barely gathered which I find quite flattering and works well in this style of fabric. I also added an inch to the length for midi coverage. Everything is faced in nude bias binding which is a neat finish. I chose vintage teal and white buttons I picked up in the Bonds of Farsley sale and to make up for having only 7 buttons I added reverse buttons on the inside in the gaps.

My belt was made using a vintage belt kit gifted a few years ago by a fellow sewist. While I’ve made a belt before I’ve never had access to real belting material. My kit was nearly identical to the one shown in this tutorial. I love the finished effect and made sure to perfectly position two holes – one for before dinner and one for after!

This dress turned out so much better than I hoped. The style, colours and fit make me so happy and stylish. (Quick announcement: I’m also in love with my lemon earrings!) Barcelona beach was a fun backdrop for the photos… even if I had to sacrifice my beautiful ideas of retro images. I might wear it to the Italian Riviera themed party at New Craft House this sunmer!

Feeling happy 50s or 90s vibes for this pattern? Take a look at these ace versions: I’m green with envy over this dress, and I’m gagging over this beauty and last but not least visit pattern review to see this, plus more cute versions!