The proof in the pudding of a new project is how much wear it gets. There have been things in the past which I’ve initially been in love with, only to later realise it was just a short lived crush left to languish in the wardrobe only to see the light of day for an annual Me Made May outing (I’m looking at you Farrow) On the other end of the scale are those lasting true loves that you can fall back on again and again.

The UK, along with much of the northern hemisphere, has been experiencing a heatwave for weeks (a quick look back at my Instagram Me Made May posts shows the last time I needed to wear a cardigan was the 30th May)  Anything slightly fitted or with sleeves has been uncomfortable to wear and a combination of heat and hormones has led me to be a couple of sizes bigger at the end of the day than I am in the morning. The True Bias Southport dress has been my saviour and I can’t praise it enough; sleeveless, loose and with a drawstring waist, it has made the heatwave bearable. My first one was made three years ago and was a lengthened version of view A.  When I came to blog my latest one I realised I’d never got around to posting the previous two so I thought I’d do a catch up triple bill (warning for the picture heavy post ahead).

‘The Southport dress is a tank style dress designed to be worn as a coverup at the beach or a dress for around town. It has a button opening at centre front and a drawstring waist with inseam pockets. View A hits 20” from the waist. View B is maxi length and hits 42” from the waist and includes a centre front slit.
Suggested Fabrics:
Light weight, woven fabrics with movement such as cotton voile, rayon challis, crepe de chine, and lightweight linen.’

The size range is good, starting at 32-26-34 and going up to an 18 at 44.5-38.5-46.5. there’s three inches of ease at the bust and 5 inch over the hips. It’s an easy pattern to grade up or down if you are outside the size range.

I cut a size 16 (42.5-36.5-44.5) which is closet to my measurements (42-36-42) The most recent one is the Peacock print. The fabric is viscose and was a late night eBay find (I’d been on a stash diet but had a slight lapse) It was pictured draped over a mannequin with the ovals running vertically. However, when it arrived they actually ran on the cross grain, I decided to just go ahead and cut it across but as I only had two metres there was a bit of fudging needed. For once being 5ft 1in worked to my advantage, as I needed to shorten it by 7 inches I was just able to squeeze it on. The dress comes together really quickly, I omitted the button placket again, the first time was due to fabric restraints, the following two due to laziness and impatience. I used self made single fold bias tape to finish the armholes and neckline and finished all the seams on my overlocker.

My 2017 version is a lightweight viscose bought from Leeds market, I’m not sure how much it cost but it wasn’t more than £4 a metre;

2016 is a poly crepe from the rag market in Birmingham, I think it was £3 a metre;

The Southport really converted me to the wonders of the maxi-dress, I have lived in them for the past few weeks (and the past few summers) and feel quite put together whilst being wonderfully comfortable, it’s certainly made getting dressed in the morning very easy.

We’re not used to prolonged heat in the UK, most summers necessitate the need for a cardigan and the occasional waterproof and any period of sunshine is met with the scepticism that it will go as soon as the kids break up for the summer holidays. We’re now into the third week of the holidays and it shows no signs of abating. Maybe my other summer dresses will get a look in towards the end of the summer but for now my Southports remain in permanent rotation.