Okay, here’s my take on sharing my Aubrey Plaza Emmy dress journey, blog-style!
Alright, so you guys know I’m a huge fan of Aubrey Plaza, right? And when I saw her at the Emmys… that dress! I just HAD to try and recreate something similar. It looked classy, a bit edgy, and totally something I’d rock. Here’s how it went down:
The Inspiration & Initial Panic:
First off, the dress. That golden, shimmery, kinda-chainmail-looking situation? Stunning. I started by scouring the internet for similar fabrics. Spent, like, a whole evening just scrolling through different metallic materials online. I quickly realized “golden chainmail” wasn’t exactly a readily available option at my local fabric store. Panic started to set in.
Fabric Frenzy & Compromises:
Ended up hitting up a few fabric stores (IRL this time!). Found a really cool, slightly stretchy gold sequin fabric. Not exactly the same vibe, but it had that shimmer and the right kind of drape. It was heavier than I initially wanted, but I figured I could make it work. Bought a couple of yards, hoping it would be enough. Spoiler alert: it almost wasn’t.
Pattern Problems (Because There Always Are):
I am NOT a pattern-making wizard. So, I went hunting for something similar to the dress’s silhouette. Found a basic slip dress pattern that I thought I could modify. It was a little too “sweet” looking, so I planned on making the neckline lower and adding a slit for some extra oomph.
Sewing Shenanigans:
Cutting that sequin fabric was a NIGHTMARE. Sequins EVERYWHERE. I vacuumed like three times during the cutting process. I highly recommend cutting sequins outdoors or at least near a window, trust me. The actual sewing was tricky too because the fabric was thick, I broke two needles. I had to go slow and steady, making sure the seams were strong. Ended up using a walking foot on my sewing machine – total lifesaver!
The Modifications & Near-Disasters:
Remember that lower neckline and slit? Yeah, those required some serious improvising. I kept trying the dress on as I went, pinning and adjusting until I got the shape I wanted. There was one point where I thought I’d cut too much off the neckline, and I almost had a full-blown meltdown. Thankfully, I managed to salvage it by adding some strategic darts.
Finishing Touches & The Reveal:
After what felt like a million hours, the dress was finally (mostly) done. Hemmed the bottom (another sequin-related struggle), added some thin straps, and spent another hour picking stray sequins out of my hair. The end result wasn’t a perfect replica of Aubrey’s dress, but it was damn close! And more importantly, I felt amazing in it.
Lessons Learned:
Sequins are the devil, but they look so good.
Always buy more fabric than you think you need.
Patience is key, especially when dealing with tricky fabrics.
Don’t be afraid to improvise and make mistakes. That’s how you learn!
- Would I do it again? Absolutely! Next time, maybe I’ll tackle a simpler design.
- Was it worth it? 100%. Nothing beats the feeling of creating something yourself.
So yeah, that’s my Aubrey Plaza Emmy dress story. Hope you guys enjoyed the journey (and maybe got a laugh or two out of my sewing struggles). Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go vacuum up some more sequins.
