Angela – Recommended
I have always had construction success with Vogue patterns and this pattern is no exception. This Wardrobe collection includes a jacket, dress, skirt, shirt, and slacks – so you are really getting your bang for a buck! I constructed the the jacket and the dress this time – both in a size 16, according to my measurements (not my retail dress size).
The jacket needed no altering and fit very comfortably (which is unusual for any patterned garment – we tailors are always adjusting for size somewhere). Now let me warn you: if you are under 5’8″, you will be adjusting for height with Vogue patterns – these patterns are designed and marketed to taller women (as a matter of fact, Vogue patterns are the tallest commercial patterns on the market). I am 5’9″ and sometimes I even need to slice off a bit of length on these patterns. Regarding the jacket, which is hip length and has a 3/4 sleeve, a shorter woman will most definitely have to adjust for height if she desires the look of the pattern.
As for the dress (and since the shirt is the identical pattern, just lopped off at the waist), there were no troubles with the fit…from the waist down. Both the dress and the shirt are fitted garments, however, there is only one horizontal dart at the side under-bust – this is fine if you are a 34 B. But I’m a 36 C, and I think Tonia’s a 38 D. This little oddly placed dart will not do for us gals who are fluffier up top! lol! So, you will need to replace the darts according to your bust measurement if you are larger than a B, or you will have stress in the fabric across the breasts.
For my dress, I modified the bodice, removing the sleeves and altering the neck to make a jumper and it came out darling, maintaining the retro design of the original pattern. It’s comfortable, easy to move in, and easy to accessorize. The dress slacks to this collection are going to be my next professional wardrobe sewing project – 
