This was, without a doubt, my favourite pattern when I first saw the new Named Earth Science Collection. I was a pattern tester for this, the Beryl Bomber Dress, as well as for the Gaia Coat (review coming soon). I love how unique this dress is and the cool, casual vibe of the pattern. The lightened photo below shows some of the features including the bomber jacket style ribbed collar, the elasticated waistband and cuffs, big pockets, front zip and slit at the hem.
The sleeves are integrated into the front and back yoke, which is another lovely feature. I made a mistake on this version and cut the back yoke in two pieces instead of on the fold, so had to insert a 'design feature' to cover the error. I was already adding more topstitching than the pattern indicted, so I think I got away with it. The little tab on the back yoke is also a cute feature of this pattern.
I made this dress from non-stretch denim in a medium weight. I like to cut patterns out with absolute minimal fabric wastage and found the fabric requirements in the pattern to be spot on, which was great. Parts of this pattern were a bit tricky, but the instructions and diagrams were very good.
The denim was possibly slightly heavy for the style as the front doesn't sit quite flat below the front yoke. The layers of fabric in this area were quite thick as I used very sturdy ribbing for the collar in addition to the thick denim. I could also have done with wearing a more supportive bra, but I was in a hurry to get the pictures done! I think in a softer fabric, this would not be an issue. Otherwise I love this dress. It feels completely comfy, cosy and very stylish. It is so refreshing to see a completely different style of dress pattern and this one is right up my street. Definitely check out the new Named collection for some other unique designs.