Cover Designs! #12

It's been a few months since my last Cover Designs post! Cover Designs is a feature in which I try to match up the outfit on a book cover with a dress pattern and sometimes even potential fabric matches as well.

Today's featured title is a book that's been on my TBR for a long time. It's The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy -- a story of WWII on the island of Guernsey. Vivienne de la Mare is caring for her two young children and her mother-in-law while her husband is away fighting in the war. But when Guernsey is Occupied by the Germans, she falls in love with one of the German soldiers billeting next door. When the reality of the Occupation begins to get more harsh, she has to make a decision...

When I saw this cover image, a pattern in my own stash immediately came to mind, mostly because of the distinctive puff of these cap sleeves. The dress I'm thinking about, Simplicity 2591, has the same silhouette as this one -- fitted bodice, fuller skirt, and the same little sleeve. 

That little pink puffed sleeve is so similar!

When you can only see the cover dress in a misty brown, it's hard to match details, but it looks like she's wearing some kind of belt as well -- either that or the bodice is way too long for her! It would be easy to wear a full belt rather than the decorative button band on the pattern cover to really match. You can see the similar look better in the line drawings. I'm thinking of View A, fully covered up and with the little sleeve. To match this cover image, you'd just need to wear a little lace collared underblouse that would peek out at the neckline.

To cap off the vintage look (ha ha) you would also need to wear a hat. The Rosabelle Cloche would be perfect! Not only is the right kind of hat, it's a free pattern created by Wendy Talené for Sew Mama Sew some years ago.

photo: Wendy Talené of Elsewhen Millinery

Or if you prefer you could always buy yourself a little summer straw hat with a small brim, and attach a fabric band, finishing it off with a rosette. Then wear it all to the seaside!