Simplicity 5785

Another day, another doll dress.  I'm not too happy with this one.

Pictured here on Morticia, my Model Muse body type.  Because she was one of only two dolls this would fit, the other being Petite.  And the bodice was too big on Petite - the neckline hunched up toward her chin.  So this dress is Morticia's, I guess.

(She's named Morticia because she was wearing a Halloween dress when I bought her, and because between her expression and blood-red lips and nails, I'm 100% sure she's killed someone.)

This dress is pattern E, illustrated up in the upper left corner of the pattern cover.  (This pattern is still available, apparently, and still under the same pattern number)  I opted not to do the "belt" on it simply because I didn't have any black ribbon to hand.

Fitting-wise, the problem is that the dress simply won't close on any of my other dolls.  They're either too broad around the waist (Vintage and Bellybutton bodies) or around the ribcage (Twist'N'Turn bodies).  And the problem with it on Morticia, actually, is that it's loose in the bust.  So this pattern manages to fit precisely none of my Barbies well.

Construction-wise, I do not like the armscye.  It's very shallow; the side seam meets a "V" rather than a "U" shape.

Things I do like, however, very much include the skirt!  It is actually a true circle skirt, and does fit with the bodice like hand in glove.  No finagling or finessing of seam lengths; they're a perfect match.

If I make this dress again, I will be narrowing the shoulders, to try to make them proper sundress straps, and altering the armscye to make it less, hmm, argumentative to deal with.