Newsflash - May Burda Preview Posted!

It seems that the Russian website is content linking the announcement to the German website, which only has the garment photos and the line drawings - in separate posts - so it is a bit difficult to assess.  I am hoping it won't stay this way, but with their upcoming "website transition" I won't be surprised if it does.  Luckily, the Italian website is still posting their announcements in the older format.  A bit slower, and only with the model photos, but more useful for my purposes.  You can check it out here.

All in all I have to say this is a pretty good issue - full of lots of dresses, skirts, tops, shorts, and pants - all with a very easy summer feel to them.  Most of the magazine is separates - many of which Burda has made in the same fabric to give the appearance of having a dress.  However, the separates seem more practical to me, so good for them - they fooled me and I like the result.

I thought this was a maxi dress - actually a long skirt and a shirt.

I also really liked Burda's plus sized section for May - it was mostly black, with simple fitted dresses and a few nice skirts and tops.  Simple, classy, elegant, but still practical enough to wear day-to-day, especially if made in the right fabrics:

Love this skirt - style and fabric choices.

I like the shaping on this top.

And this would be a great summer day dress, especially in a lighter color.

The peplum trend...

Though I actually prefer it without the peplum - check out those seam lines!  Lovely!

Burda is also including a special "vintage pattern" in May, instead of a designer pattern.

Not sure how I feel about Pepto Bismal colored velvet...

But I do like the line drawing.

And the back is quite dramatic!
(Also, what's with the Bride of Frankenstein hair?)

And, well, from the rest of the magazine there were actually quite a few things I liked as well:

The pants don't look like much here.

But I do like them in the model photo...  they are a maybe for me.

I liked this skirt

But I really liked this one - with pockets!

Here is the line drawing.

I really LOVED this skirt though.
(I liked the shorter versions, but it was easier to see the design in a solid.)

I predict this top will be made quite a bit on Pattern Review...

Slight cowl neck and looks super easy.

For some reason I liked the color blocked top, but not the dress as much.  Hmmmm

I also really liked the lines of this shirt.

Yay for fitting darts and center back seams!

And I think I have to make this top for summer.

More fitting darts and center back seams!

But of everything, I am totally swooning for this dress!  Loves it sooooo much!

Line drawing - I am surprised Burda didn't capitalize on the color blocking possibilities.
Well, they didn't.  But I might.

So yeah - lots of nice summer clothes.  Which is something I lack (ironically), so hopefully I can get some of these sewn up sometime this year (well, maybe yes, maybe no - we shall see).

Anyway, it wasn't all goodies, though I did have to really search to find options for the worst items of the month.

I am aware that these have the same crotch as the pants I did like.
I am conflicted on the crotch.  Is it interesting?  Is it ugly?  Will it look like a diaper?

Ok, so this is *probably* linen, and yes linen wrinkles,
but they could have at least tried to press it before the photo shoot.
I mean seriously, it looks like it was rumpled up in some teen's closet.

Sack dress.  Need I go on?

So, after compiling the evidence it is finally time to award the best/worst designs of the month.  It was actually pretty easy - there was one stand out design, and one that was pretty awful.  So, without further ado...

The Best of BS May 2012 goes to:

Twisty butterfly dress!

I love this dress, I love the design, and I think I could happily have more than one of these in the closet.  Perhaps more than two.  Possibly as many as five.  Loves it sooooooo much!

And, the BWTF Award for May 2012 is presented to:

Sack dress of doom!

I mean, seriously - in an issue of bright happy colors, nice fitted designs, and trendy patterns, how could the sad shapeless sack of a dress be anything other than the worst design of the month?

But, all in all, a really great issue.  Enough good basics with a few highlight pieces to make it pretty interesting.  What do you all think - are you going to rip this open and make stuff immediately or is it going to ferment on the shelf with the rest of the Burda collection?  Did you have any favorite designs?  What about my best/worst picks?  Are you swooning for the "vintage" dress?  What about the angular crotch detail - crazy or fashionable?  Do tell!