The one that got away

Maybe six months ago, I spotted a pattern I really liked on eBay.  And OK, maybe that in itself is a pretty common occurrence.   But I really liked this one.  The auction would end while I was at work, so I slapped a high (for me, anyhow) bid on it and went off to save the world or whatever my job called for that particular morning.   I guess I figured, given my high (again, for me) bid, that I would win it.  Alas, it was not to be.  And while there are plenty of patterns that I bid on and don't win, this is only one I've continued to regret.   Since then I've been looking for another copy, but no luck yet.

Which pattern might this be?  It's a Pauline Trigere pattern, McCalls 7985.  Here it is, courtesy of the Vintage Patterns Wiki:

Doesn't it look fabulous?  Wah!  Why did I think I would win it for $22?  At the time, that was more than I'd ever paid for a vintage pattern.  (And that remained true, until yesterday ... more on that another time!)  Anyhow, since then, I've been looking for another copy of McCalls 7985 ... no luck yet.   However, a few weeks ago I did find a mail order pattern that I think will make a good starting point for attempting to reproduce it:

It's pretty far from being a ringer, as you can see.  Why the Trigere pattern wasn't knocked off six ways from Sunday I have no idea.  But, this mail order one came cheap, and it has the inset sides and the back zipper, and I can start from there.  The inset shape is different, as is the sleeve line, neckline, skirt shape, and of course there are no awesome pockets.   I'm not sure when I'll tackle this project, but I'll get to it eventually.  I expect to fail a few times before I get it right -- if I ever do!

Do you have a pattern that got away?  Did you ever find it?