Anybodywho follows me on Facebook will be aware that a) we’re having a heatwave in the UK, and b) I’m not enjoying it. (Please note: this may be an understatement.)
I’m really not cut out for existing in hot weather, never mind still having to go to work and actually Do Things on a daily basis. My current medication makes me light sensitive, which means I burn even more easily than usual, and my eyes hurt. I also overheat easily, which means I sweat a lot (lovely!), which means I’m now on my summer diet supplement of disgusting electrolyte drink sachets, as it’s physically impossible to drink enough fluids to replace what I’m losing in the heat. Not Fun.
So, in order to alleviate the horror of the summer just a little bit, I decided to make myself a couple of Emergency Dresses. They’re both from the same pattern, one I drafted a couple of years ago. I wear the black linen version all the time, so a white one seemed like a good idea.
The one at the top is white cotton broderie anglais, with multi-coloured embroidery. It’s lined down to the knees with plain white polycotton, and I’ll probably wear a pair of bloomers underneath too, to combat horrible sweaty legs. (Classy!) I am slightly concerned that it looks rather like a nightie, especially since I added some matching rainbow coloured broderie anglais trim to the bottom. (It has the cutest little stars on it! Not as awesome as the pears, but still pretty.) I might add some big patch pockets onto the front, to make it look more like a dress than a nightgown. But I think with a nice belt, it doesn’t look too much as though I’ve accidentally gone sleepwalking.
The plain white one is linen. You can’t really tell from this picture, but I definitely should have lined it. And I didn’t. The black one isn’t lined, and the linen is a thicker fabric than the broderie anglais, and of course doesn’t have holes all over it. However it is a looser weave, and the light does pass through it rather well. I think this one might end up as a layering dress rather than being worn on its own. Sadly that means it probably won’t come out of my wardrobe until the weather starts getting a bit colder again. (Can’t wait!) Unless of course, I decide to just wear it as a nightie, on the days when I’m too ill to do anything other than pootle gently around the house. A pretty lounging dress might be quite a nice thing to have, come to think of it.