Second Bookses

When I spotted Sew Iconic by Liz Gregory in a list of titles I could request at NetGalley, I jumped at the chance. What novice costumer hasn't wanted to recreate some of Hollywood's glamour in his or her own home? I devoured the galley in a single evening, and will, in all likelihood, be purchasing the real thing when it comes out this June so I can have the patterns; at the list price, the patterns for six dresses is a steal.::: Like Crack for Costume Nuts :::Gregory takes 10 dresses she deems iconic, from one of Audrey Hepburn's dresses from Breakfast at Tiffanys to the green gown Keira Knightly wore in Atonement and breaks them down for the at-home sewer, providing patterns as well as a synopsis of the movie the dress appeared in, interesting trivia about the costume designer, and directions for sewing the dresses. Each section has pictures of the dresses as they appeared in the movies as well as the recreations that should result from the book's directions, with multiple views of each. Gregory also includes basic sewing instructions before the reader even begins getting into the dresses (including how to alter each pattern for your own size) as well as suggestions for updating the dresses or changing them up to match your own wardrobe.::: If There's a Sequel ... :::... and I hope there is, there are a few things I hope are changed. As the dresses get more complicated (Rose's gown from Titanic, anyone?), they begin to look less like their movie inspirations, simply because it costs thousands to make some of the more complicated movie costumes. I'd rather have seen Gregory pick other, simpler dresses that are less expensive to recreate and look closer to the real thing; with so many popular movies to choose from, there have to be more than the 10 she chose. Branching into television, you can go even further, and venture into cosplay ideas. I'm more likely to make the iconic Lucille Ball polka dot dress than Rose's from Titanic with all that beading, and if Gregory is shooting for accuracy, simpler is better. Still, the book is a quick read and has helpful tips for even experienced sewers. I'm excited to see how the actual patterns work out.