3.3.11

The new fashion season

In and out of the car the other day, I caught parts of a story on "Bush Telegraph" on the different number of seasons experienced in different parts of Australia, and how far removed they are from the traditional Winter, Summer, Autumn, Spring.  This got me thinking about my wardrobe (because everything comes back to clothes and sewing, in the end, doesn't it?).  I had not got around to completing my Marfy pants, partly because I had no need for them.  In many other places, loose-fitting, white linen pants would be considered a summer wardrobe item, perhaps even a summer staple.  Not here.  Not this year.

It has been too wet.  Too many puddles.  Too much mud.  They are too long to be worn with plastic thongs.

Today I received a Country Road winter catalogue in the mail.   I was momentarily confused, seriously.  I tried to remember what month we were in.  I wondered if it was a Sale catalogue.  Why were they sending me this?  The brain moves slowly these days and it eventually dawned on me that it is March and the start of the Fall fashion season in the Southern Hemisphere.

Where I live, some years we have the Wet and the Dry.  Not always.  Some years we have the "Hot & Disgustingly Humid" and the "Hot & Sunny" seasons. 

Anyway.  Enough Babble.  I finished the pants and here they are.  I think they look much better in real life.  I got a lot of compliments on this outfit, which totally confirms my belief that the image in my head is far more accurate than the one that the camera shows me.  As I explained to my sister recently, I am a pear masquerading as a column.  These pants make me feel column-like; I just need my photographer to capture that feeling.
 

Some lifted t-shirts shots to show more detail.  I really must remember not to waste time on waist details when I never tuck shirts in.  I don't need to provide close-ups, now that I know you all blow up my pictures looking for imperfections!!  (Really, did you think I would show you all the bodgy bits of my dress?) The linen is a twill weave and I wouldn't be surprised if I found it was actually a linen / silk blend.

I have actually lost weight since I started sewing these, so they fall down a bit and are baggier than they should be.  Is that something to complain about?  Not really, I am sure they will fit perfectly again in the not-so-distant future.  I am not happy with the buckle.  It is just basted in until I find one that I like better. I would like to do a PR for these pants, but it is so long since I started them, I can't really remember what I did, although there are a couple of construction posts, if you are interested (here and here).  I'm pretty happy with the skin-coloured lining of pockets and yokes as the show-through is minimal.  Yay for me!

Things have been a little topsy-turvy here this year, so not much sewing has been done.  I did whip up this little top though.  I was trying to decide between a drapy, trendy-but-unflattering tank or an old stand-by Simplicity sleeveless top.  I was holding the fabric in front of the mirror, trying to decide, when I had an epiphany and decided on a cowl top. 
 

 I sat on the floor and started cutting straight away, using my tank pattern to guide me.  To work out how wide and deep to make the cowl, I just held the fabric against my shoulders in the mirror until I was happy with the shape.  This is not a highly accurate method, so I had to take it up at the shoulders and it is still a little low, but oh well.  The weight of the necklace holds it in place and I actually own a blue bra, bought in the days when I was a 14A, which is even harder to find than a 12A, and I bought whatever I could find.

What I forgot to do was lower the centre front hem and true the hem curve so that it interesected the fold at a right angle.  If you copy my bodgy method, shown in the photographs above, please remember to do this.

This fabric is a gorgeous rayon from EmmaOneSock.  So gorgeous that I knew what I wanted to do with the scraps before I even cut out my top.  A singlet and knicker set for my daughter.  The singlet is an Ottobre pattern and the knickers are a Jalie pattern.  The knickers stretch a lot, so the picture is a little deceiving...the singlet is quite fitted, not A-line.
I finally photographed them this afternoon, which she is very happy about, because now she is wearing them snuggled up in bed.  She informs me that they fit perfectly.  This makes me happy.  I was embarrased to wear knickers my Mum made when I was a child (sorry Mum), but she seems to wear the ones I make her in preference to the shop-bought ones.

16 comments:

Mae said...

I love your cowl top and I can't wait to copy it. Thanks! I live in Cairns, so I'm having the same weather as you. A week ago I suddenly didn't feel like wearing tropical print sundresses any more, so I went to Spotlight and bought some stone colored stretch twill. I told the lady at the counter I needed a winter dress. She said "But we don't have winter!", to which I replied that winter is a mood, not a season.

Audrey said...

Wonderful flattering outfit. I like the casual chic look of white linen pants, but they would be hopelessly spotted with something the first time I wore them. And I love the outfit you made for your daughter from the scraps. So cute!

kbenco said...

A beautiful outfit.
:) why are other peoples confessions of bodgy sewing bits so reassuring.(Have never seen any here, how sad)
I find seasonal dressing so hard too. Technically, we are sub-tropical, but truly our main seasons are Wet/hot and dry/hot in the day, cold at night.This must be why my stash is full of gorgeous wools and silks and quite empty of cottons and linens.

Marie said...

Love the outfit. Thanks for the directions for the cowl top - I may have to try it one time.

Sew-4-Fun said...

Fab outfit! I can see why you get so many compliments. I love pants with details and yours fit very nicely. And the top. I bought this same fabric but I wasn't sure what to use it for. You now have me thinking. :) Interestingly it looks different viewed from a distance than it does close up. I wasn't sure I liked it when it arrived but seeing it on you I now love it again.

Mary Nanna said...

You'll be pleased at some computer karma here because as I was trying to blow up the picture to see the details on the front pants, the computer crashed causing me to reboot not once, but twice.

Great outfit and excellent use of scraps.

I have a terrible case of stitching schadenfreude - I love bodgy sewing on others, hate it on myself, unless I can make a feature of it, in which case I love it again.

Mae said...

I just received some swatches of Tessuti linens for "winter" sewing. Yum yum. Check out the combo "zin food" (which is amazing) "heavy enzyme washed slate" and "rice zin". I find Tessuti's fabrics and service always lovely, but the photos on their website are not very helpful.

Sue said...

The outfit looks great and it will be interesting to see how much wear you do get out of the linen pants, now that they are finished. I like the idea of white linen but live in a red soil area with pets so you know what the result will be :(
Cute use of the remnants!

EmilyKate said...

I love the pants!!! What a beautiful job you did. There are so many design elements, you must get some tuck-in tops so that you can show off your cleverness!
I want to make a top like yours now- thanks for showing how!

Myra said...

Beautiful, beautiful outfit! Loads of details on the slacks and I absolute love your Cowl front top! I would really love to copy YOUR idea but not sure I understand your last statement about "lowering the center front hem". Can you show this in your next blog if you have time? Thank you!

Gail said...

My favourite summer look is white pants and a coloured top. I really love the detailing in these pants, but couldn't see any reference to your pattern. Did you self draft?

Bernice said...

Very column-y! The whole ensemble looks fabulous. I think the drapey cowl does good things for your arms and shoulders - most flattering. Lucy is lucky to have scored so wonderfully from the scraps. The singlet & pants are also a great ensemble.

Jacquie said...

I love that outfit and the necklace - it looks so fresh. The top and pants are both terrific styles, particularly the pant detailing. Yes, applying 4 seasons to Australia doesn't really work does it.

Carolyn said...

Those marfy pants turned out just beautiful! I've been wondering when they would show up!
Yes to the 4 seasons. I think over here in Perth, summer (hot and very dry) takes up 6 months of the year. Winter (cool and hopefully a bit wet) is one to two months, and then the in- between bits are glorious. You couldn't really call now a traditional autumn, as we don't get any leaf-colourage or -falling.

SEWN said...

Love your drape neck top. You are so brave to suss out the pattern.

Amber said...

Wow, I love your cowl neck--I'm going to have to try it right away!