My new frock!

Two and half years ago our eldest son Michael got married, this March our youngest son Peter is getting married.  For Michael's wedding I had a dress made, but the lady who made my dress doesn't make dresses anymore, so I thought I would have a go..........  she made the pattern to fit me so why not?  I tried to make a dress before about thirty years ago but it didn't exactly fit only where it touched and was a bit small, and before that I was at school, in a class where I didn't get on with the teacher, failed my CSE needlework and the class bully was in the same class, and one lesson I was chucked out for screaming,  the class bully stuck a pin in my bum but I was the one who got told off!   Anyway I thought I would give it a go.  I made the top of the dress from an old curtain I had bought in a charity shop ages ago just to make sure it would fit me before I cut the actually dress fabric.  I also altered the pattern.  The dress is a shirt style but like a mans shirt with a pleat down the back which I didn't want, I just wanted a plain back so with pins, sellotape and brown paper I was set to redesign the pattern which I managed to do.  I made the skirt part fit the same way.  My problem is I am short, stout with a large bum, when I have the dress on and look in the mirror all I see is a frump!  I took my time and five days later I have a dress.  All I have to do now is make sure I have tacked up the hem the correct length, then hem the bottom, hem the sleeves and make button holes.  I think  I will practise a couple of buttonholes everyday for a week before I let myself loose on the dress, but I had better buy the buttons first though, not sure whether to buy abalone shell ones, or make covered buttons?