1940s Claire McCardell Monastic Dress

I was so excited to get my hands on a pattern for a Claire McCardell Monastic dress-inspired design that I sewed one up in two afternoons (the power of procrastination, lol)! The pattern was produced by @julie_eilber and @cashmerette , and has excellent instructions.

Originally designed and produced around the 1940s by noted American designer Claire McCardell, the monastic dress was renowned for its almost 'monastic' simplicity--this dress has no darts at all, and is shaped only by gathers and thin spaghetti straps, thus making it endlessly adjustable.

Now, I love the mid-century fit and flare silhouette, but after wearing a lot more looser unfitted traditional Chinese clothing, I must say that the comfort of loose-fitting clothes has grown on me. Adjustable clothes are the next best thing; no need to worry about fluctuations in weight!

Swipe to see more details of this color-blocked dress, such as the bias rouleau straps and underbust gathering that is secured by seam binding tape on the inside (I substituted with twill tape).

這件洋裝是一名美國設計師Claire McCardell在1939年設計的，是1940年代最暢銷的洋裝之一，多虧他寬鬆、只靠綁帶塑型的版型。我用一塊雙色的條文布製作，想要做出撞色的效果，不過好像對比沒有我預計的明顯QQ 脖子上的綁帶還有腰間的綁帶我也有特地做撞色，不知道看不看得出來？