I don't believe in love at first site, so the feeling first felt like a suckerpunch to the gut. She stood in the corner of a smoky, dimly-lit nightclub, reapplying her lipstick as she watched me approach. She was a classy dame and I knew this by the style of her dress. Its curving neckline had delicate cutouts and its swooping skirt overlay gathered at her left hip that told everyone she was going places. If I didn't know any better, I would say she used the Butterick 5880 pattern from their new summer line. “What girl wouldn't use this pattern?” she said to me confidently.

Cut! Good job, Rita Hayworth. That's a wrap.

This is what plays in my mind as I look at the style of Butterick 5880, their '51 Retro pattern. It captures the look and feel of not only that period, but also the essence of film noir costuming. This dress has a lot of period style that's absolutely beautiful. As soon as the pattern was in my hands, I couldn't wait to make this dress.

With this tutorial, you'll learn not only how to create this retro-style dress, but you'll also learn how to create cutouts, tucks, install a centered zipper, do a full lining, and create a fabric, buckled belt. For beginners, this dress looks complex, but, amazingly, it comes together pretty easily. You just have to take it one step at a time, and we're here to help you every step of the way. We've also broken down the video by step, so even if you need help with just one step, you can click on it above in our “Step Breakdown” tab and only view that section.

To purchase Butterick 5880, you can order it here.