The Leni Top-to-Dress (Version 2.0)

This make is inspired by a few things, but foremost an occasion. The provided dress code was ‘Formal’ so I settled on making something that worked not just as a “dressy” dress but a piece that could be equally good for work/play/other as well.  Likewise, I didn’t want to end up sewing something that I’d wear once or twice because I’ve been there, done that, possibly will again, but would prefer to avoid it if I can. So in light of that stream of consciousness, a bit of planning went into this dress. And by planning I mean thinking, I mean Pinterest, I mean scrolling and I mean screenshot-ing (screenshooting?).

The result ended up being inspired by a combination of this dress and this one. Both simple, both supremely comfortable and both definitely do-able as dress up/dress down options. I decided to go for a solid, statement colour and have looooong loved this Harley cupro/linen/tencel blend in Blackberry – it’s such a luscious, deep, rich shade. The other great aspect to this fabric is that one side is matte and the other has a subtle sheen. You can use either but for the intended dressier event, I chose sheen-side out.

Last year, I made and modified the Leni Top pattern into this Leni Dress (still a favourite!) and once again, Leni turned out to be the perfect starting point for this make. I simply straightened the gentle angle of the side seams, extended the length and created a centre front split. I wasn’t sure if the straight up/down style would be something I loved so at some point in the planning process, decided to make a belt for additional versatility. I left two small gaps in each side seam so that the belt could be fed through and tied at the front or back.

Like this Assembly Line oversized shirt, I added a D ring detail on the back and discovered after the fact that it made for a handy/convenient design feature to accomodate the belt when not in use. Credit where credit is due because I’m sure this idea also came from Tibi as I recently spied this trench detail on their website and yeah, so clever. Tibi describe the addition of their detachable trench bandana as a “nuanced style hack” and while my take is a little more…umm…rudimentary, a change of silhouette (and shoes!) definitely lets this dress to move through different moods and needs, and that’s a definite bonus in my dressing book. It really does give this simple style a touch more versatility and I love that. Here’s the dress without belt…

…and below, with belt, tied at the back.

Same same but different. The belted silhouette above very much reminds me of our Lois Dress pattern, but with some gathered detailing happening at the back (below).

You can also tie the belt at the front for a more caftan-y feel, but I forgot to photograph that so you’ll just have to trust me when I say that look works as well. I do have a reel planned for social media to show the different ways it can be worn, so keep an eye out for that on our Instagram or Facebook pages.

I umm-ed and ahh-ed on whether to add pockets and, in the end, decided against it. I’ve since worn the dress once (for intended occasion) and I’m looking forward to getting a lot more wear out of it in the coming summer months in a few different ways. Leni delivers, again.