Back Interest

It's so cool to see some interest, a little design detail, on the back of a garment. It adds so much to the overall effect. And it is a couture element that can't be found in commercial "store-bought" clothes. I love to add that extra touch, but not too much. Just enough to make people say "Look at that. Look at what she did...what a clever idea." And it's sooooo easy!

There are several ways to do this. I always use an element that's already somewhere on the garment. It gives continuity to the overall design. It could be a covered button with embroidery on it on this turquoise dress with white collar, the design taken from the front of the dress. You have to use something from the existing embroidery, smocking, etc., to bring around to the back of the garment. Otherwise it doesn't make sense in the overall design. Besides the buttons, look at the embroideries on the back collar of this girl's dress (originally in Sew Beautiful Magazine) that add an interesting touch.

It could be a less involved embroidery design than what's on the front and placed on the back of the garment. Look at the feather stitch around the back of this little baby jacket (with the bonnet), an extension of the front design. Notice the tiny bullion rosebud right at the center back, a very subtle back interest.

It could also be something from another part of the garment that's put in an unusual place. I knew this blouse needed something on the back. It looked too plain, almost a let-down after seeing the front with contrasting collar parts and shiny black buttons. This blouse, wrinkled as it is on the hanger, has tabs on the sleeves so I also put one at the back neck for added interest in the same contrasting fabric (which is also on the underside of the collar and on the collar stand).

Now look at this baby dress bodice front and back below, the current project I'm working on. See the flowers on the back bodice? They're tucked into the corners of the back and they add such lovely interest. I will also sew two Mother of Pearl buttons on with pink thread (to match the pink flower and pink gingham of the dress skirt) to add an extra little dash of interest.

Imagine seeing a grandmother holding a baby on her shoulder and you see some fetching back interest on the baby's garments. The dress back is very visible and that added touch is absolutely perfect! It's not hard to do the extra special little touch of back interest, it just takes a wee bit of extra effort and time to add that couture touch!