Vintage Sewalong 2011, my Adele Simpson, Vogue 1346

I'm going to join my first sew-along, Joanne M's The Vintage Sewalong 2011 but it's a bit of a cheat, as I was planning to sew this Adele Simpson design anyway:

This contest has great potential, because my "vintage" and your "vintage" might be quite different things. It reminds me of the New Yorker cartoon where the lady my age tells the salesgirl, "I can't wear vintage, because I am vintage." But I trust my choice isn't too costumey. It came out in the early 1980's which to my astonishment and horror was thirty years ago, duh. But I bought this "vintage" pattern myself when it was the very latest thing.  I hope the short version will make a great spring concert-going dress, and I love the way the drape can be hung around your hips for a 1920's effect or wrapped tight for a more modern sheath silhouette. 

Simpson was a New-York designer trained at the Pratt Institute who launched her Manhattan design company in 1949 and continued her collections into the early 80's. I can see going with jewelled tassels on the ends of the drape if I do the hip version, but then at this stage, I often think bigger than my budget.

I will not be put off by the fact that Simpson dressed Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Barbara Bush, none a personal style icon.  I mean, anybody can walk into a store, right? 

Ideally, this should be made in a great silk crepe, and that means ordering from overseas...Meanwhile, I'm supposed to be prepping a new manuscript for submission to a London-based publisher and this dress may be my reward for a job wrapped up!