Just in case you hadn’t noticed, I love Titanic (that’s my fan site, of course). I especially love the costumes, and if I could dress like that everyday, I would. And while nothing is really stopping me, per se, from dressing in a whalebone corset and layers of chiffon, taffeta, and lace on a daily basis… yeah. I don’t. I think the three biggest factors are not wanting to destroy nice gowns, the fear of being cold all the time, and not having anyone around that I’d want to lace me into my underwear everyday.
So, I took inspiration from the costumes from Titanic, and started sketching up dresses I could actually wear to something other than the Oscars. Shorter skirts, softer fabrics, and fewer (and sturdier) embellishments. The first one… only one… I’ve made is my modern Swim Dress. I was standing on the front deck of the ferry going from Vancouver to Vancouver Island, watching the sun set and dreaming about how utterly lovely it would be to have layer after layer of chiffon skirt fluttering in the wind behind me. So I designed this dress with the colours of the sunset and the ripple-y, flow-y wonder of the Swim Dress.
Four chiffon skirts, hand-dyed different colours, and four sashes, dyed just the same, with pearl belt ties. The colours are lilac, pale pink, and white, with a final deep, deep navy. There is one sash and one skirt of each colour. The dark blue is for the night setting in, and the pastels are the sunset streaked clouds.
The dress looks like an empire waist, but because it’s strapless, it’s structured over a boned princess-seam frame to keep things on the up-and-up. Three of the skirts are straight around, each a few inches shorter than the other, while the top one is shaped like the top skirt of the Swim Dress. The sashes are long, so they blow in the wind. Not as long as I’d like, since I ran out of fabric (whoops), but still long.
The final dress is perfect for wearing on windy summer days. Light, fluttery, and so soft that it feels just lovely on the legs. Just the thing when you feel like Rose, but it’s 2012.
Oh how I wish I could sew . . . your dress is beautiful! If you ever decide to sell some please let me know!
Will do… but don’t get your hopes up 😉 I’d really recommend learning, though—I started when I was 12 and if 12 year old me can do it, anybody can!
That’s a very beautiful dress, Marie! Without question you put A LOT of heart, soul, and quality into your sewing creations 🙂 once I make the actual, original Swim Dress from Titanic, I’d love to make a modernized version of it, too! My sister would love a dress like this 🙂
Did you consider adding the two overlay layers of chiffon to this dress that the original one had? (The two layers that went outward)? Or would that not have looked right? Because I may consider doing that if I ever make a modernized swim dress as beautiful as this! Great work! You have magnificent talent!
-Jonathan
Hey Jonathan! Honestly, I think I ran out of fabric to do another layer, but I made this back in 2009 so my memory isn’t the greatest on my rationales 🙂 Thanks so much for reading & good luck with that swim dress of yours 🙂