Serendipity... a Simplicity 2444... and I've got nothing to wear!

So this week I discovered a wardrobe gap. I had a job interview and had night before panic when I went through my wardrobe and couldn't find anything I wanted to wear. My go-to dress from H&M doesn't fit anymore, my wide-legged trouser suit suddenly seemed terribly old-fashioned and I couldn't find a shirt that went with trousers. In the end I plumped for some smart trousers with a plain white t and a grey cardy. It looked better than it sounds, honest!
It was a really hot day and what I was really yearning for was a simple shift dress with short sleeves. But my handmade dresses are either too wintry or too informal.
So, to add to my sewing list is a smart-ish dress that looks good for an interview but won't look out of place in the park.
I'm thinking along the lines of the pattern I got free with Sew magazine this month - New Look K6123.

I'm not one for the flouncy frou-frous but I think the simple faux-wrap dress in view A or view C with view D's sleeves would fit the bill. I've got some patterned red and cream fabric in the stash that I'm thinking of, but I'm not too sure about pattern matching - it could come out a right mess!

Anyway, I got the job so hopefully I won't be needing an interview dress for a while.

Tonight to celebrate we went out to our favourite curry house, Akbar's. My dad was up from Brighton for the weekend and it's his favourite restaurant in the world. I wore my Simplicity 2444 dress, made out of fabric purchased on our anniversary trip to Paris earlier in the year. 

It was from one of the coupon shops and I think it was 10 euros for 2 metres. I think I made the skirt a bit too short and I felt a bit dorky wearing it to start with. I found that wearing it with leggings and a cardy makes it feel a bit less Laura Ashley from the 80s. It's really comfy to wear and the pockets are great. Next time though I would be tempted to do a straight skirt. I'm not sure the full skirt style is quite me.

Walking back from the restaurant took us past The Weaver's House, a restored medieval house. I could see people knitting and they spotted me peering in and beckoned me in. Turned out it was a Friday night stitching club. It's run by a lovely lady who has just opened Coventry Craft Studio next door on the 1st and 3rd Friday of the month. There are other regular events, including Make Do and Mend Mondays and a Stitch and Bitch group of parents of children with Autism. Awesome stuff, and all on my doorstep! 

When I first moved to Coventry 10 years ago I hated it, but now I am finding more and more pockets of inspiration, creativity and generosity of spirit. Maybe it's not so bad after all!