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Images clockwise from top right: vintage dress from Dear Golden Vintage, Valentino couture spring 2013.
Self-made cording is a beautiful vintage detail that has stood the test of time. This textural embellishment adds a touch of luxury and sophistication to garments like blouses and dresses.
I am endlessly fascinated by embellishment and details. I never tire of comparing modern garments to their vintage counterparts. The vintage dress pictured above features a rouleau insert that creates a neckline that tiptoes the line between daring and demure. The modern Valentino dress also uses rouleau cording as a neckline detail, but instead of an insert, the trim is hand appliquéd onto a fine mesh yoke.
Corded appliqué and inserts, like on the garments pictured above, involve hand sewing and time, making it hard for manufacturers to create them in factories. Luckily, with a little extra fabric and some hand sewing you can easily elevate your next sewing project—or update a past project—with this vintage-inspired detail.
What is your favorite vintage detail? Share below!
Comments 5
That Valentino collection makes me homesick, in a good way! The cording looks JUST like these wrought iron gates that are everywhere in Puerto Rico:
http://aviedesigns.com/2012/06/wrought-iron-of-carolina-puerto-rico/ (Not my blog, just a good sampling)
Thanks for the inspiration. :)
Thank you for sharing! Those wrought iron gates are absolutely stunning.
Disappointed. The article is way too short and not much meat in it. Where’s the how-to instructions for this?
Hi Mary, here is a link to one of our past tutorials with instructions on how to create this detail.
Appreciate the link, but that’s not rouleau either. Perhaps you were thinking of this: https://blog.colettehq.com/tutorials/rouleau-pocket-tutorial
I knew you had one.
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