considered closet 2022: sad sack or sophisticated drape?

In its defense, this dress feels like wearing air; it's perfect for the extra hot and humid weather of the dog days of summer, like yesterday, when my wet hair in the picture dried in about five minutes .  The color is me, so very me.  The double gauze is buttery soft.  And did I mention it feels like wearing air?

I'm definitely on the fence about the combination of the Wiksten Shift Dress and the double gauze, though.  The pattern probably needed a more substantial fabric to be at its best and most flattering for me.  When I first tried it on, I worried that it looked too sack-like.  Maybe it does?  I also wonder if I should have sized down? My measurements put me solidly into the 8, but a 6 might have seemed less baggy.  Either way, it will still see quite a bit of wear as a casual every day dress during the hottest part of the year. 

A few notes about the business of putting it together.  The instructions were very good--definitely a beginner/advanced beginner pattern.  Using double gauze bumped the difficulty up a notch or two for sure. I had to piece the back yoke section because I was short on my fabric yardage.  I prefer the look of the seam there anyway, and it adds a little more structure to the fabric.  The neckline turns a bit outward, which is my error.  I zigzagged the neck opening before I sewed on the facing--a rookie move--which stretched out the fabric and distorted the seam.  Especially with this fabric, it's important not to stretch any of the edges.  Jenny suggested using thread to mark darts and the pocket placement (although maybe in the Tova or Tank pattern?) rather than a marker, which I really, really liked.  It's my new preferred method!  

G was very interested in photobombing.  I cropped him out of just about every shot we took!  He really wanted to be included.

The little bird pin is from the Etsy shop Stockwell Ceramics.  Some birthday money financed a little order from the shop; you'll see more of what I received (buttons!) in future posts.