Short Review: Sew Inconic

About the Book:

From Marilyn Monroe’s billowy white halter in The Seven Year Itch to Audrey Hepburn’s effortlessly chic black number in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the silver screen’s stunning dresses have always left stylish women enchanted. But no matter how many trips they’ve taken to the mall or even to designer boutiques, it’s still always been nearly impossible to find those dream dresses.

But now, with Sew Iconic, they can finally have the show-stopping outfits they’ve always wanted! This amazing guide includes sewing patterns, tips on materials, and clear instructions for making the dresses of Grace Kelly, Rita Hayworth, Kate Winslet, and many more iconic actresses. Beautiful photographs throughout show the full skirts and fun tops in all their glory and are paired with stories of the clothes, the designers, and the films — all timeless classics.

My Comments:

Like most girls my age, I learned to sew.  Like most women today, I don't sew.  Today I can buy ready-made clothes for the same price, or less, that what it would cost to sew them, and I know I'm not wasting my money on something that, while it fits, just doesn't flatter me.  Still, some people do sew and they usually do it to be able to create their own fashions or make things that aren't shown in every store.

Some dresses are recognizable by many people, like Marilyn Monroe's dress shown on the cover above.  This book teaches you how to make ten dresses you'd recognize.  It also takes you through many of the lessons we were taught, back in the day.  I'll admit I'm the world's worst at reading a "how-to" book and then actually doing it, but with the knowledge I have about sewing, I think that most of the patterns in that book are going to be beyond the capabilities of most newbies; however there is one I think that first-timers could do--though I'd try it first with fabric that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.  

If sewing isn't your thing, the book is still a fascinating look at some beautiful dresses, and includes information about the movies in which they were seen.