Doctor T Designs

Hard to believe my February Burda has just barely arrived and I’m already looking at stuff for March.  Time is flying.  Which might not be the worst thing for the next 4 years.

Anyway, you know its going to be a rough month when I come out and say that the wedding gowns are by far the best looks for the month.  Partially it’s because I think these gowns are a step up from a lot of the wedding looks Burda has published the past few years, and partially it’s because the rest of the magazine is full of a lot of boxy, loose styles.  As with most BurdaStyle Magazines, there are always a few styles I really like, but, on the whole I think this might be one of the least exciting issues in quite some time.

As I said, the best part of this issue is the wedding looks, so let’s start there:

Love this dress!  So elegant and pretty.  You could do some great beading embelishment on the straps as well.

Another pretty look!  This is a beautiful use of lots of chiffon.

TBT to the Royal Wedding? Though that dress was beautiful and classic, so it’s ok if its sticking around for a while.  Maybe not the most original gown, but this could have some lovely lace fabrics used on the bodice.

Not as much a fan of this dust-ruffle design, but I could see it being popular with girls who want a more casual look.

Must admit that the boho shoot is a bit more dramatic than the wedding one, but this over-skirt could be great for someone who wants a long gown for a ceremony, a short dress for a reception, and doesn’t want to shell out the money for both.

This dress is great – it doesn’t look at all out of place in this wedding photo shoot, but it could look equally great going to work or a more casual date night.  Definitely one of the patterns on my to-make list.

Having just made a halter dress, and having just worn a strapless dress to a wedding, this would not be on the top of my to-make wishlist, but I do think it is pretty.  I think I would need to up my corselet skills and structure game before I would want to tackle this, because plastic boning ain’t it kid.

I’m sort of liking the peplum here, because it balances out the very short bodice.  Again, I think this looks really cute, but I don’t know if I’d make the effort when there are so many great dress patterns that are easier to make and wear.  The nice thing about this is that while the bodice might not be the most functional wardrobe item, the skirt could be reused in a lot of looks.  So maybe it would be worth the effort.  Hmmmmm…..

Same skirt, different color.

Love this jacket!  Obviously.  When do I not love tailored jackets with lots of seam lines?

The other major section is the Boho Chic looks.  A mix of rather uninspired dresses and tops mostly:

This will sound odd, but I really love the photos of this dress, even though I don’t like the dress itself?  I think the styling/photography in this issue is top notch, because I love looking at these images, even if I don’t actually want to wear these clothes.  So I guess Burda gets a thumbs up in that arena?

Boho version of the casual wedding dress.  I might like this version better.  Might consider modifying the straps on this one.  Hmmmmm.

Yup, it’s a giant frilly rectangle.  We all know this is not my thing.  Moving on.

I normally wouldn’t care much for this dress, but the styling with the belt actually has me sort of digging it.

I like these trousers.  I think I’ve got similar ones from Burda in another magazine, but, I still like them.

The ubiquitous open shoulder ruffle look makes an appearance.  Actually, this isn’t the worst variation of this style I’ve seen.  Not my favorite, but not the worst.

This little jacket is pretty simple, but could be a nice way to showcase an unusual fabric.

We also get some capri pants.  Again, nothing new or unusual here, but they are a nice classic style.

The Burda Plus section is a bit of a mixed bag for me this time around.  There is nothing I really love, but, then again, there is nothing I really despise either.  Like the rest of the issue, it is sort of just clothes.

 

This dress is cute, and I like the mixed fabrics to make it look like a top/skirt combo.

I’m sort of liking this jacket, but it also feels very 80s.  I think there are better Plus bomber jackets in Burda’s catalog, but this isn’t bad either.

Maxi skirt.  It does have pockets, so that is nice.

Not the biggest fan of this top, though I guess it looks ok tucked into the pants?

I think we’ve seen similar, but this dress is a nice style.

I’m sort of liking these pants.  At least, in the solid.  With the heels.  But oddly interested.  I know they’ve had similar in the past, but the proportions here are sort of working for me.  And seeing it on a Plus model I could sort of envision is working it for me.  I don’t know if I have the panache to pull it off.  But I’m considering it.

And that’s it!  There are also a bunch of baby looks, for really tiny ones, and Burda picked some cute fabric.  But nothing super exciting there either.

Which means it is time to pick the Best of BS for March 2017.  I think I warned you guys ahead of time that it was going to be a wedding look:

Sleek, pretty, and elegant.  Very classic style, and this doesn’t look too intimidating to sew either.  Intimidating to wear, perhaps, depending on strategery of undergarments and fabric choice, but it does make for a pretty picture.

The BWTF for the month was a bit more difficult to choose.  There wasn’t anything offensive to the sensibilities, but there was a whole lot of boring.  As one might have guessed, my distaste for shapeless garments and excessive ruffles means it goes to:

The boxy ruffle dress.  I’m sure this is the epitome of what is “in” right now, but I’m not excited by it at all.  It looks like someone refashioned some curtains or dust ruffles from a bedroom set.

And that’s it!  So, what do you all think?  Is this issue one to be cherished through the ages?  Or is it a total pass?  What are your top and bottom picks from the pattern offerings?  Feel free to discuss in the comments!

*PS: Did we know Burda had a quilting magazine?  Is this new? Will it be in English?  I just happened upon it on the Russian site, and I don’t remember seeing it before.  If you know anything about this magazine feel free to enlighten me!