Reader favourite: Winter Project- The Infinity Dress

Girls, meet the Infinity Dress. I swear this will end up being your ’go to’ dress for everything.

We met in 2009 when I had a Uni Ball to go to; I wanted a versatile full-length Ball Dress that I could wear again. Not to mention I was pregnant, HUGE, and didn’t want to fork out for a preggers dress from a boutique.

My great friend Joleen and I spent two long nights putting this together (mainly her sewing and me directing); it fit, I was comfortable, and we did it on the cheap!

I picked out some funky black and white print stretch fabric on special at Spotlight for $12- stretch is best, I picked one that would drape but could pull off a formal look. I bought 5 metres but you could do the short style with 3 metres- easy! For versatility, I suggest you choose a block colour. To check the ‘see through’ factor, put your hand under the fabric and stretch a bit- can you see it? I had to make a skirt lining for mine.

Here are the instructions to make the fabulous Infinity dress. I made mine full length to have the formal factor (and I’m 5’11 so the technique made the skirt a bit too short for my liking). My steps to a full length skirt:

• fold fabric in half (across width so long ends meet)
• on one long side measure half of waist measurement from closed end and mark
• from this point, cut diagonally to the other side of the fabric (so it is longer in length)
• sew diagonal side together (makes a bit of a tail)
• cut and hem if you want, I didn’t and kept it extra long instead (cheeky tip: use hem tape from The Warehouse or Spotlight)

I added 4cm to the waist measurement (extending to 8cm) and added a band (basically a tube from the same material) with elastic in it to allow it to gather at the waist- I’m a real amateur sewer so I’ll use any cheeky tip I can!

For styling tips and ideas for fabric see Vintage Origin.

If you do it, I’d love to check it out! Post a link to a photo.

Project Runway here we come!