I fell for the blousing effect of the bodice of the Blue Monday dress by Mimoï. I did not know this pattern brand, I discovered it on Instagram while browsing the beautiful photos of this model.

This dress features a wide belt that highlights the waist and frees the bust. The boat neckline is also sublime and the sleeves flare at the bottom to be tightened at the wrists. I find that it gives it a nice romantic effect...
The skirt can be cut in midi or short version.
Given my size, I opted for the short version.

Photo from www.mimoi.fr

I had bought a magnificent green coupon at Yuzawaya in Kyoto last year that I was reserving for a future project that would do it justice... and so to avoid surprises, I first started with a "wearable" toile in chambray from Nomura tailors in Kyoto..
I do not regret the work done because I like my Blue Monday dress in Blue Jeans ;-) with its beautiful finishes.

The Blue Monday pattern is only available as a PDF pattern at the price of 8.90 euros on the brand's website. You can download it in A4, A0, or US letter versions. It comes with its instruction booklet in A4 format.

The dress is available from size 34 to 46, which corresponds to:
- a bust circumference between 80 and 104cm,
- a waist circumference between 60 and 84 and,
- a hip circumference between 86 and 110cm.
For my part, I printed the A4 and after a bit of patience and gluing, I cut out a size 36 that corresponds to my measurements.

No technical difficulty noted for tracing the pattern. The seam allowances are included; which greatly facilitates this step.
The assembly notches are well placed and allow for easy assembly.

Isabelle, the stylist-pattern maker, suggests starting the assembly of the dress with the facing; which is different from the usual dress assembly process that often begins with assembling the bodice (bust dart, shoulders...).
Two finishes for facings are offered: a neat one and a simpler one. I chose the neater version by sewing a bias tape over the entire outer edge of the facing. I used a pre-folded bias tape with Japanese patterns bought in a 100 yen shop. This step takes a little longer than the simplified version, which consists of overlocking the edges of the facing.
It is also necessary to create a thread loop to close the back slit of the dress.
I appreciated the explanations for assembling the thread loop; I had never made one before. I learned something new thanks to this pattern.

We continue with assembling the bodice from the facing, and add the flaps and under-flap.
Next come the assemblies of the belt and the skirt.
I am not convinced by the proposed belt assembly method; I will modify this assembly in my second version by sandwiching the outer and inner belts directly, rather than attaching the inner belt afterwards.
For the slitted sleeves, assembling the slits poses no difficulty. The explanations are clear and sufficient.
I was surprised by the cuff assembly method. It differs from classic shirt cuff assemblies; but by following the instructions, it is very simple. I will repeat this assembly method which is original and easy.

Back loop

Cuffs

To summarize, I was a bit surprised by the sequence of assembly steps proposed which are unusual. I will change the sequence to save time, especially for overcasting the pieces all at once. I appreciated the original cuff assembly method and learning how to create a thread loop.

This pattern is reserved for experienced sewists. Indeed, there are many technical points:
- making and assembling the collar facing with back slit
- attaching the bias tape over the facing all in curves (if choosing the neat version) which absolutely requires basting if you want a result up to standard
- making the back loop and attaching it
- making regular gathers on the bodice, skirt, and cuffs
- installing an invisible zipper
- making sleeve slits
- attaching the cuffs to a gathered sleeve
- sleeve assembly with easing
- making 4 buttonholes per cuff.

After trying my "muslin", I will slightly modify the pattern so that it fits my measurements more accurately. Here are the modifications to be made:
- shorten the sleeves by a few cm because they are a bit too long for me.
- narrow the back
- put a longer zipper to facilitate dressing
- remove the flap and the under-flap.

I can't wait to make the second version which I will not hesitate to share.