I’ve been inspired to make a tulle skirt for a very long time. I’ve made a few for others – my favourite was an orange one for ‘Amelia Fang’ – but still I wondered long and hard about what kind of tulle skirt would I make for me. And where on earth would I wear it tbh! A lot of what I make might be considered a #sewfrosting entry but I often wear party clothes as office attire so it would never go underworn. So long as I didn’t go for ‘sugar-plumb fairy’ all would be good.
And then one day, whilst browsing the ‘glossies’ in my local hairdressers, I spotted that Dior tulle skirt. I gasped once at the skirt and twice at the price – a whopping great £3,100!
Now I don’t doubt the craftsmanship and experience deployed at House of Dior and I am totally au fait with the arduous task of gathering grief and the time it takes, but still that price point means I’ll just have to make my own. Lifelong story of life!
It would be unfair to say that Dior was the original designer inspiration. It was more Molly Goddard that initially sold me, with her transparent chiffon baby doll dresses worn over jeans with clompy boots. But still that image prompted the action.
I love the cheeky transparency of the tulle and the sideways looks it attracts from passing strangers. I do have modesty shorts underneath by the way – I’m not brave enough to show the world my actual pants! But should the occasion arise for less cheek, I can always rustle up a simple petticoat of black lining.
It’s so much fun to wear. Currently loving it styled as shown with fitted jacket and high-heel Doc Martens but can also see it with a T-shirt and trainers, versus a corset and some sparkly shoes. In your face, repeat-wear shame… I’m even wearing this skirt to Sainsbos!
And it’s perfect for twirling in. Doesn’t take much to release my inner gypsy spirit. I could dance all day!
I’ve been reining in my fabric buying for a wee while now but with a firm idea of what I was going to immediately make, I could justify a few metres of tulle. I just had to endure a few eye-rolls!
The construction at House of Ooobop was very basic: there are fundamentally two layers of two gathered tiers of tulle. The top layer is a soft pin-dot tulle. It has a bit of stretch cross-wise so I made sure to keep the ‘straight grain’ long! The under layer is a mid-weight tulle – not too stiff, not too soft – so it gives the necessary structure to the floppy tulle on top.
Once gathered, the top edges are attached to a satin waistband with button closure. And the beauty of tulle is that there is no need to hem – thank goodness. I was clean out of black thread at the end of this! But should anyone want a more detailed tutorial, please leave me a comment below and I’ll gladly do a follow up post.
Mr O (aka Daniel James Photographic) took these amazing photos of course. His patience and dedication to the cause unruffled by my whinging about the cold (and the smell of horse poo!) … and that my feet hurt from all the walking we did.
But the latter is largely due to wearing my new Christmas Docs from my lovely hubby, fresh out the box without wearing-in first. No pain no gain though!
So I’m totally New Year’s Eve ready, and of course I am also appropriately ready for the much awaited Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the V&A museum in February… which is really soon. And I’m so excited! Who’s coming?
Thank you so much for reading this post, and for all your lovely words of encouragement over the years. I have been a little lapse in the writing dept of late but I’m not stopping blogging any time soon. I’ve got some lovely projects coming up in 2019 already and some I didn’t even get round to posting from this year. So keep tuned and all will be revealed!
Wishing you all an amazing New Year, fuelled with happiness and good health and all things sewing of course! xxx
Ooh, I love this! Looks amazing with the Docs and fitted jacket.
Thank you Sam. 🙂
Beautiful skirt. And perfectly styled too!
Thank you Jen. Inspired by the Dior styling as well as the actual skirt! 😉
You made a dazzling and delicate skirt! You inspire me to make one myself. So maybe a tutorial would be handy?
A happy new year to you!
Wis x
And such beautiful pictures
Thanks Wis. They are so much fun to wear. A little annoying to make but not difficult at all. I will get a little tute together soon. Happy New year to you too x
Absolutely GAWJUS! ! !
You’re really rocking this look ~ so glad you took the plunge.
Happy New Year to you all!
Thanks so much Del. Happy New Year to you too x
I am loving the contrasts! It’s so you! Happy New Year to you and your lovely Dan xoxo
Thanks Mrs C. I love breaking the rules! A very happy New Year to you too. Wishing you all the loveliest things for 2019 xxx
God, I love this soooooo much!
Thanks, Karen 🙂
Oh my goodness, your skirt is AMAZING!!!! And I also LOVE your boots.
Thanks, Lynne. Yes those boots are great aren’t they. Should have been a bit more patient before walking the miles though!
As I said before on IG…. AWESOME SKIRT!!!! And you make me want one.
I love your photographs. Recently my hubby was talked into taking some for me and I think they are some of the best taken photos of any of my clothes. Of course I just did what he said to do and ended up smiling at him the way I would only smile at him.
Your hubby is an amazing photographer and you are gorgeous and always have a glow. And your shots are always so cool. My fave is the ones in Trafalgar Square with the buses in the background.
Love love love the skirt.
Thank you Lori. I can’t imagine anyone else taking photos for me. He pushes me to do poses in public which I would never dream of doing before!
Great ensemble and I’m thinking that you will be able to put together plenty of fabulous outfits with this. Top notch photos, love your spunk and style, happy new year ;o)
Thanks Colette. Happy new year to you too! x
Your House of Oopboo skirt is stunning – the kind of skirts I would love to make and wear – so a tutorial would be handy dandy!
Photos are also smashing as are those Docs!!
Thank you Lesley… tutorial coming soon. And yes I’m very lucky to have a resident bossy hubby photographer!
Places to wear a tulle skirt: library, grocery store, post office, lunching with friends, etc. I too have longed for a tulle skirt.
Absobloominlutely! 😀
OMG, I wish I was about 40 to 50 years younger…I’d be wearing this. Love it!
And that Dior version- no matter the price is still only polyamide! I would expect silk for that price!
Yours is great- a right cheeky wear!
Wow … fabulous … but can I ask where did you take these photos … some of them look like out side jasper c house in Wiltshire
You look absolutely stunning! That skirt….! Please do a tutorial, I would love to (try to) make something similar.
Hello!
You look great! Do you mind letting me know the kind of fabric you used? I’m not familiar with sewing but I’ve always wanted this skirt and I would love to be able to get it made.
Thank you very much.