I didn’t go through my posts to develop this list – wrote down the ones that I remembered and are easy to access on my shelves – the best test !

There are many other excellent books available. I just mention ones I’ve seen myself, and which stay in my mind and get referred to again rather than forgotten.
I have of course also seen many books which range from uninspiring through inadequate to terrible – but I’m not going to use space explaining why I don’t like them. And once I’ve found a book that satisfies my needs in that area, I tend to stop looking at more. So, sorry, you won’t be able to tell, if I don’t mention something, whether I think it’s bad, or I like something else better, or I simply haven’t seen it.

Even though this is only s small selection of what’s available, I’m a book person so this spread to great length.
This is about books on personal style and wardrobing.
Then couple of posts for books on pattern making and fit.
Final post with books about sewing.

Books I not only enjoyed reading a first time, but also look at again.
And of course I haven’t been able to resist making lengthy comments.

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Personal Style

There are many books on up-grading your style. They often have vertiginous heels on the cover and advise wearing black, so I keep well clear. I became less interested in style books once I got clearer about my own style – and was able to tell that most books aren’t relevant to me. . . So if you love your LBD and platform heels there are many style books you will enjoy, but I’m not the person to give advice

Style books always say they want to help you look your best. But they don’t all mean flattering your personal special features. They often mean trying to make you look more like a model. Those I try to avoid – I get upset about both their values and their advice.

Most of the books I like have very out-of date illustrations, but the advice is still relevant. Most important – they cover a wide range of personal colourings, body shapes, and style preferences, not just fashion mag big city chic.

Nancy Nix-Rice Looking Good
A good short introduction on getting your best clothes (one chapter on sewing).

Mathis & Connor The Triumph of Individual Style
Beautiful, fascinating, detailed. Artists love every body shape.

Mary Spillane Color Me Beautiful’s Looking Your Best
The European off-shoot of Color Me Beautiful, with more colour types and personal styles. I prefer this to more recent books by UK CMB.

Judith Rasband Wardrobe Strategies for women
College textbook with assignments. Ignore the awful cover photo. Every page is bursting with good ideas. (Her company Conselle sells modernised versions of the chapters – very expensive.)

out-of-print
David Kibbe Metamorphosis
Rich with interesting comments on personal style. Though his specific suggestions show he’s not so good at helping people who like to dress quietly !

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Fashion Design

For some sewers, the ultimate expression of personal style is to design our own clothes.
If you’d like explore the design process, here are some possible starters.

Grandon et al 200 projects to get you into fashion design
A sequence of guided exercises. You may need other books for guidance on the techniques used, but working through this is like doing a fashion design foundation course.

Stephanie Corfee Fashion Design Workshop
Introductory fashion drawing advice.

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Wardrobe planning

Re-thinking your style, and need to know you have a basic wardrobe so you always have ‘something to wear’ ?

Juudith Rasband Wardrobe strategies for women
I mentioned this before, on personal style.

out-of-print :

Janet Wallach Working Wardrobe
The original wardrobe planning book and still interesting. She does assume you wear a skirt to work, but it’s easy to swap pants for skirts.

Kate Mathews Sewing a Travel Wardrobe
Minimal sewing instructions, but many ideas for travel capsules. Nothing on personal colouring or style.

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Fashion entertainment

Robert Pante Dressing to Win (oop)
Just one personal style – assumes you want to dress for the top. Prestige wardrobing, I enjoy this for a good laugh.

His One-Star Wardrobe (6-garment capsule plus accessories) cost about US$1900 when the book was published nearly 30 years ago (1984).
The UK Retail Price Index has gone up more than 2.5 times since then.
That means investing about $5000/ £3300 on a basic RTW designer starter capsule at today’s prices.
Looking at Net-a-Porter for current designer prices, that is actually in the low price range for top designers.

From that Pante works up to a Five-Star Plan which includes furs, big diamonds, and red-carpet dresses (he doesn’t cost out that one ).

In contrast, Imogen Lamport manages to come up with a RTW starter wardrobe of 12 items for aus$196, not including accessories. Yes impressive if you’re starting from a modest point. But people in the know will recognise the low quality fabrics and make. So work up from there if you want to impress

Making your own clothes could work out at a fraction of the designer RTW price (see my post comparing hobby sewing and designer RTW clothes prices). But do choose quality fabrics and accessories if you want to look like you buy from designers.
Say $700+ for materials for clothes (pant suit, blazer, 2 blouses, dress), and $1300 for accessories (2 pairs shoes, bag, belt).
Gets it down to about $2000 for your starter capsule.

For more amazed laughs about the real-life fashion business, I enjoy :

Bringing home the Birkin by Michael Tonello – on the world supported by luxury fashionistas.

Fashion Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones – fictional life of a designer.

The September Issue movie about the editor of US Vogue – on the making of a fashion magazine. (Do you want to be told what to wear by these people. . .)

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Happy hobby sewers – we can admire inspired design and technique without getting enmeshed in all the ‘keeping up’ with fashion.

Hope you know your own best styles, colours, shapes, and your sewing gives you what you love

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Links available May 2013

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There used to be a designer loungewear section at Net-a-Porter which simply had sweatshirts and jogging pants in pretty colours. I’ve already posted on sweatshirt patterns. Silhouette 3400 is a quick yoga pants pattern with associated webcast.

Looking instead at sleepwear rather than exercise wear for guidance on comfort :
Most pyjama patterns are actually camp shirt/ sweat shirt/ tee with elastic waist pants, made in soft cosy fabrics.
And with bigger ease levels (more on that later).
Hence the vagueness of the dividing line between sleepwear and loungewear.

- – -

Classic pyjama styles

There are many pyjama patterns which could make good general casuals (or casual top and bottom patterns that would make good pjs. . .)

Simplicity 2317 is one of many pj patterns with camp shirt, tank, tee and pants.

I look better in a collar which closes up to the neck.
And a style which can close up to the neck has the potential to look more formal, if you want a pattern which can be used for both sleepwear and daywear.
I’ve only found one pj pattern like this, Simplicity 2280.

In hospital last summer I had a good opportunity to survey pj styles. Most people wore a tee with shorts or capris. And most of those could equally well be worn pool-side or at the beach.

Or a sweatshirt and elastic waist pants. Such as Simplicity 3577.

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Added style interest

I prefer clothes with inherent style interest, rather than adding interest with accessories.

There are several non-traditional sleep/ loungewear patterns which could be casual ‘Key 3′ outfits.

Here’s McCall’s 6658 loungewear wardrobe pattern. Pullover layer, pants and shorts, knit top with 3 necklines, 3 sleeves.

Shorten the robe of McCall’s 6659 and you have basic shirt with darts, pants, and cardigan jacket.

New Look 6161 is a similar Project Runway pattern for jacket, more interesting sleeveless top, and pants.

Butterick 4406 has a mandarin jacket and tunic top.

And there’s a pretty yoked hoodie, McCall’s 6472.

Scrubs, like sleepwear, are designed for maximum ease of movement. There are some scrubs patterns which are worth considering for casual top and pants, such as Kwik Sew 3979.

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Onesie

Jumpsuits are fashionable this season, so how about an adult onesie, such as Kwik Sew 2175.

I picked a style with waist casing, so it’s like a bomber jacket and slouch pants combined There are several patterns without waist casing, such as McCall’s 7586, if that’s more comfortable for you.

There are several companies here which sell RTW adult onesies, mainly in jokey style
Very cosy to wear, but sadly cold for going to the bathroom.

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Fabrics

So pyjamas are basically camp shirts and elastic waist pants.
The difference between more formal day wear and lounge or sleep wear lies in the comfortable looseness of the fit and the soft non-abrasive fabrics, rather than the style elements.

Make the same patterns in fun soft princess/ jokey/ wild/ sports fan fabrics for lounging, and plainer stiffer fabrics for work.
Pink flannel covered in frosted fairies – for slumping and sleeping.
Taupe silk noil – for being taken seriously.
It’s the style of the prints that identify sleepwear and beach holiday camp shirts so clearly, not the style of the garments.

Don’t go to the supermarket in purple frogs.
Well actually, why not, if that’s what you like, so long as they’re quality fabrics in good condition

My favourite comfort fabrics are brushed cotton, flannels, cords, cuddle fleece. They do have to be good quality or they can look scruffy quite quickly. Neutral solid colours aren’t much fun, but they don’t attract attention in public ! I don’t like wearing stretch fabrics, but they can be ideal for comfort. And I don’t wear knit fabrics as they cling lovingly to my too small lumps above the waist and too large lumps below. But many people love knits for their ease of movement.

How about loungewear in this season (summer 2013) fabrics :
Monochrome/ graphic : top with white body, black collar and sleeves, pants in black with white polka dots. Or strong stripes. Or checkerboard.
Minimalism : beige, or pale greyed pastels.
Metallic.
Sports Luxe : performance fabrics, primary colours.
World Travel : mixed prints, especially ethnic (South American this season).
Lace, cut-outs.
Make your pjs in these and wear them to the supermarket with pride

Last summer, pj styles in satin or men’s stripey flannel were a high fashion item. . .

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Ease levels

The other crucial factor for comfort – being able to move easily in the clothes, without any binding. If you use non-stretch fabrics you need :
- a neckline that isn’t tight to the neck.
- a deep armhole, or raglan or dropped shoulder.
- a deep wide crotch curve (fashion jeans have no ease to the crotch seam, not a route to comfort).
- generous extra fabric around bust and hips.
Very loose fitting – more than 10 in./ 25 cm larger than body measurement for lounging.
Compare with close fitting – 2 in./ 5 cm ease for formal daywear.

The ease level you find comfortable is also a matter of personal style. And many of us who are difficult to fit wear very loose fitting clothes to be comfortable, though we can wear more closely fitted styles if they fit properly.

- – -

This approach to loungewear wouldn’t work for everyone of course. Depends on your personal style. Some people feel very uncomfortable/ unlike themselves in casual/ loose fitting clothes rather than tailored clothes, or pants rather than skirts and dresses, or soft rather than crisp fabrics. And if you like frilly/ lacey/ bias cut nightdresses, you probably don’t wear them in public !

YouLookFab has mixed feelings about ultra-casual high comfort trends. She doesn’t want to lose polish, luxury, style, flair. I don’t think that’s unavoidable, it just needs care. If you’re being casual about shape, you can’t be casual about quality – in fabric, finish, fit, cut. (Though this may just be my personal style. I have to be physically comfortable. But for me to be comfortable in spirit, I also have to be ‘stylish’.)

Does the idea of ignoring the dividing line between night and day styles horrify you – or would you find it worth exploring

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Patterns and links available May 2013

= = =

This post suggests some other routes to learning at intermediate level, with notes on learning beyond that. The possibilities are near infinite, if you enjoy learning and using high levels of skill.

At this level, many of us get more interested in fit, or making our own patterns. This post is just about sewing skills. See Index page 2 for posts on fit, and Index page 3 for posts on pattern making.

- – -

Additional intermediate sewing skills

The ‘Dressmaking’ book just has patterns and techniques for classic styles and standard woven fabrics.
Here’s my pdf listing the skills covered in the projects :
31 projects.A4.pdf
31 projects.USletter.pdf
Might be of interest as a general guide to developing skills at intermediate level.

Here are some possibilities for learning about other skills and fabrics.

For an easy guide to patterns and sewing techniques for knits and fleeces, see Meg McElwee’s Craftsy video class.

Look at Sandra Betzina’s book More Fabric Savvy for guidance on sewing many fabric types.

More on interfacings, and other classic garment techniques, in DVDs from Palmer-Pletsch on band collar shirt, notch-collar jacket, jeans.

There are brief comments on learning to use a serger in my post on sources of advice for advanced beginners.

I think many ‘Very Easy’ patterns from Butterick-Vogue are at this level. Plus ‘Easy’ patterns from the Big 4, and ‘two dot’ patterns from European companies.

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Making your own way in learning at intermediate level

Most people develop their skills at this level simply by making clothes. Which is why people get upset when pattern instructions are poor.
Pattern Reviews are well worth looking at, as they have a section on the quality of the instructions.

To support this learning, we need a good general sewing reference book.
Many people like the Readers Digest Guide. Full of illustrations – drawings.

My favourite technique book is Cole & Czachor Professional Sewing Techniques.
Aimed at the quality in high-end RTW boutiques. Many more techniques than in the ‘Dressmaking‘ book by Alison Smith. Not for everyone, and not for beginners, as it has detailed written instructions with few illustrations.

I also refer to one of the old Vogue Sewing Books. First issued in 1970, I have the Vogue Sewing Book 1982 edition. I can remember the awe with which I bought it when I got a better job, as it seemed hugely expensive at the time it came out !

It can be worth finding the old Singer Sewing Reference Library series, books full of photos.

There are notes in my post on learning help for advanced beginners about video series which go from introductory to more advanced.

If you like the style, Cutting Line patterns by Louise Cutting are noted for their quality instructions. She also has DVDs with Threads magazine (download or view on-line versions from the Threads magazine site).
And Sewing Workshop patterns by Linda Lee have a Sew Confident course of written tutorials. She also has video classes at Craftsy on sewing knits and silks.

Many other interesting video classes at Craftsy.
And pdf classes with support videos at Pattern Review.

Threads magazine has their technique content on-line at their magazine site.

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More advanced skills

Many of those books and links help you develop skills well beyond intermediate level.

I don’t aspire to make beautifully tailored jackets or couture, though I greatly admire and enjoy looking at the work of people who do. I prefer learning more about pattern altering to make my own styles. I used to think I ‘ought’ to learn tailoring, but now realise it isn’t my style for sewing or wearing.

You can be very well clothed without going beyond intermediate skills. You’ll need to move on to more advanced sewing skills if you like something structured – tailored classics or edgy jackets. Bound buttonholes, welt pockets, sleeve headers.

For tailoring guidance, see my post on sources of blazer sewing advice.
Here’s a link to Kathryn’s jacket making journey.
The Great Coat Sewalong organised by Marji.
Kenneth King’s Craftsy video class on a Carefree fly-front coat.

I am interested in other more advanced skills. Complex draping. Slippery, lacey, heavily napped or sequinned, loosely woven, ‘performance’ protective fabrics. Appliqué, quilting, machine embroidery, heirloom and other surface embellishments. I learned most of what I know from Quilt University, but sadly that is closing down at the end of this year. Sorry but I haven’t got simple suggestions or recommendations. I search around an Amazon and online, but haven’t kept notes. There are dozens of craft sites and embellishment books.

Butterick-Vogue ‘Average’ patterns are at this level. And ‘three dot’ patterns from European companies.

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Couture

Once you move into learning couture skills the sky’s the limit. Hand-worked support for tailoring and special occasion wear. Rich hand-made embellishment. Exotic fabrics. Multiple pattern pieces.

Look at the couture collections at Style.com for eye-popping awe.
Some companies, like Chanel Savoir Faire, have videos on the techniques used by artisans with a life-time of experience. The most recent is a dazzling one on hand sewn embellishment. Notice how slowly every move is made – the intention here is supreme quality, not maximum speed and minimum cost.

Many sources of advice. Some easy to find starting points are :
Susan Khalje’s Craftsy video course on a dress.
Claire Shaeffer’s Vogue patterns for jackets and pants, which include 2 levels of technique – high end RTW and couture.
Marcy Tilton’s embellishment DVDs (scroll down left side).

Search ‘couture’ and ‘tailoring’ at Amazon for books on how to achieve these effects.

This is the level for people who love the challenge of Vogue ‘Advanced’ patterns or Burda ‘four dots’. And the articles on technique in Threads magazine.

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Most sewing skills are ‘craft’ skills, best learned by demonstration and guidance from an expert. Now sewing is rarely taught in school, it’s good to see the development of on-line and DVD video resources.
There are many links to on-line sources of advice and DVDs in the right hand menu here. (Click on red header if the menu isn’t showing.)
I like to learn from videos supported by books. Some people are good at remembering demos. Unless the video segments are short, I need a good reference book to help with remembering the details.

I’m happy with sewing at intermediate level.
I do prefer sewing slowly and I like quality, but these attitudes can be applied at every level of difficulty.

The higher levels of attainment are not for me to work towards for myself. But I do enjoy looking at and being awed by the marvellous achievements of people with these high levels of skill.

No one develops all these skills overnight. But they can be very rewarding to learn and use, if that’s what you’re interested in.
Have an exciting time if you enjoy learning

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Links available April 2013

= = =

Here’s the basic capsule of classics she thinks we should be choosing instead of high fashion.

image from Conselle blog

Oddly, Judith Rasband doesn’t mention making new clothes from old ones.
Much done by all the people who love turning pre-owned clothes into something else.

The goddess of this is Marisa of New dress a day, and her book with the same name. Or see Cloth magazine.

As I was a small child in WWII, when children’s clothes were made out of the not-too-badly-worn sections of adult clothes, this is the first thing that comes to mind for me when re-cycling clothes is mentioned.

As Judith Rasband’s choices are classics, there are dozens of possible patterns. Here are some easy makes for beginners, and supremely elegant designer versions needing advanced skills.

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Safari jacket

Go for high quality and use Claire Shaeffer Vogue 8732.

For a much simpler make, there’s Kwik Sew 3534.

Also see my post on jackets with many pockets.

A safari jacket is the casual jacket Judith Rasband tends to go for. If you like something a bit softer, I think a drape front jacket is now a casual classic. See my post on choices for the jacket in a basic casual capsule.

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Camp shirt and straight leg pants

Let’s go simple rather than designer, for ease of making, and choose Kwik Sew Kwik Start beginner patterns.

Kwik Sew Kwik Start 3475 is a basic camp shirt.

Kwik Sew Kwik Start 3314 straight leg pants have an elastic waist.

If you’d prefer elegant designer versions, how about a couple of patterns by Chado Ralph Rucci.
Vogue 1215

and Vogue 1054.

Change the length a bit to layer under Claire Shaeffer’s safari jacket.

Or use Chado Ralph Rucci’s Vogue 1347 shirt jacket.

(Sadly the Chado Ralph Rucci Vogue 1144 safari jacket pattern is out of print.)

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Straight and flared skirts

Kwik Sew Kwik Start patterns for speed and simplicity again.

Kwik Sew Kwik Start 3765 is a straight skirt with elastic waist.

Kwik Sew Kwik Start 2806 is a flared skirt with elastic waist.

If you prefer a fitted waist, Kwik Sew Kwik Start 3877 is an a-line skirt with darts, zip, waistband.

The basic classic patterns for these styles are
McCall’s 3830 for a straight skirt,

and McCall’s 3341 for an a-line skirt.

The flared skirt illustrated by Judith Rasband is a designer skirt with horizontal pin tuck detail round the hem.
No need to go for the detailing, but if you’d like some designer elegance for your skirts, there are plenty of straight skirts among the designer co-ordinates at Vogue patterns.

Currently only one flared skirt designer pattern – lengthen the skirt from Rachel Comey in Vogue 1247.

From Chado Ralph Rucci there’s a bias cut straight skirt, Vogue 1310. And some dresses it’s possible to take a flared skirt pattern from – Chado Ralph Rucci at Vogue.

- – -

A simple 5-item capsule which can be business/ casual/ dressy, depending on colour, fabric, accessories. Though I would want more than one top. I’d make several shirts, other people might want tees !

Judith Rasband says – for a wardrobe that only needs to be replaced when it wears out, not because it’s gone out of fashion : “make classic pieces the bulk of your wardrobe, with a few trendy items to update and add some fun.”

Well, I’m not sure we would all be at our happiest when wearing ultra-classic styles.
And I don’t agree that it’s only ultra-classic styles that are wearable for many seasons. Fortunately, we haven’t got to choose either ultra-classics or new-each-week ultra-fashion. There are many other styles which last for more than one season.
Even ultra-classics can’t always be worn for many decades, as proportions and details change.

If you prefer modern classics, there are versions of all these styles from styleARC patterns (though what they call a safari jacket doesn’t have the 4-pocket style). Many other companies have basic camp shirt, skirt and pants patterns. They don’t all have a safari jacket style, but if they go for basic classics they usually have a shirt jacket pattern.

I’ve chosen patterns needing easy and difficult sewing skills. Of course there are many other ways of picking the styles for a basic group of jacket/ top/ pants/ straight and full skirts. If you’d like intermediate steps between making the Kwik Sew version and the Chado Ralph Rucci patterns, how about the wardrobe pattern book ‘Dressmaking’ by Alison Smith for intermediate sewing skills. Then the wardrobe pattern Vogue 6701 has a jacket a bit more advanced than Alison Smith’s (separate the dress into peplum top and flared skirt).

Make several versions of this capsule on your way from an easy starter-wardrobe to a big challenge !

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Patterns and links available April 2013

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Last weekend someone took the 450,000th view of my posts.

Thank you for your interest.

In celebration, here’s a new idea – combining small groups of posts that go well together, and putting them in e-book form so they’re easy to access.

Here’s the first, on Wardrobe Planning.

e-book on wardrobe planning.pdf

A pdf in US letter size, which prints okay on A4 too.
Formatted for reading in print.
Of course the links only work when you read it on-line, but they do work from Adobe Reader.

It includes the posts on :
Your personal wardrobe plan.
Building a wardrobe in small groups.
The power of the boring.

Thanks to you for your interest.

= = =

Do you know your body shape, colouring, personal style?
What flatters your special combination of qualities ?
What do you enjoy wearing ?
Have you got an effective wardrobe ?
Or do you just enjoy reading about it all

- – -

Follow Imogen Lamport’s April Style Challenge at Inside-Out Style.
Get some ideas for re-thinking how you wear your clothes. (Sorry, a bit late now – do it in May instead !)

More inspiration for using your existing clothes to best advantage, from Jill Chivers of My Year Without Clothes Shopping.

Imogen Lamport also has good groups of posts on
body shape.
colour personality. (Posts on individual colour types in the Archive for early April 2010 – scroll down.)
capsule wardrobes.

And a recent series on which neutrals are flattering to wear with your hair colour (allowing for warm-cool differences) :
blonde,
red,
brunette,
grey.

Another Australian site for getting to know what you like to wear describes 6 steps to a personal makeover.
There’s much good advice here, without making any purchases.

The Joy of Clothes has a fun style quiz – even if I don’t recognise myself in much of it !

Lot’s of advice to explore from The Chic Fashionista. Another style quiz (look under Fashion 101 > your personal style) – this one does include me except I’ve never owned a pair of black pumps. Interesting advice on wardrobe essentials – ignore that the examples are all white, grey, black.

Or simply search your body shape, for innumerable suggestions. Example for me : “pear body shape”.

If you’re interested in exploring your personal colouring, there are free videos on the 6 basic colour types used by UK Colour Me Beautiful.
The videos are oriented to selling handbags, but you can always move on once you get to that section !

The videos show people who are clearly dominant on one of the UK ColourMB 6 colour types :
Light . . . . . . . . . . . Deep
Warm (yellow) . . Cool (blue)
Clear . . . . . . . . . . . Soft (muted, added grey)
Many of us are a mixture. I need to wear Light clothes in Warm colours with a touch of Soft.

Not the same as the US Color Me Beautiful company, which uses the 4 seasonal colourings based on 2 dimensions :
light-warm . . . . Spring
light-cool . . . . . . Summer
deep-warm . . . . Autumn
deep-cool . . . . . . Winter

Sadly I don’t look good in all the colours suggested by either of these colour schemes. I find it best to use colours directly based on the colours in my hair, eyes, and skin.

US ColorMB’s seasons are similar to the colour system used by Dressing Your Truth. Who go so far as to relate colour of clothes directly to face shape and clothing personality.
DYT . . . . colour . . . . style . . . . . MBTI temperament
Type 1 . . Spring . . . . . Casual . . . . . . SP
Type 2 . . Summer . . . Romantic . . . .NF
Type 3 . . Autumn . . . . Classic . . . . . SJ
Type 4 . . Winter . . . . . Dramatic . . . NT
(DYT claim their system is unique – this way of relating it to well known categories of colour, style, personality is mine !)

Of course this is an extreme over-simplification of all our subtle individual differences. Psychologists long ago gave up on the idea that there’s any link between face or body shape and personality.
Indeed, DYT have to colour people’s hair so they look good in the colour of clothes suggested for their personality. Which to me doesn’t seem a way of respecting the Truth of our own bodies and personalities.

But anyway DYT have a free course on identifying your Type.
And many entertaining free videos about their system. See if you like the ideas and presentation style. Skip the first 10 minutes to avoid the pep talk and get to the content.
Despite all the limitations I enjoy watching this material. At the low price I think I got value. But it’s probably most helpful for people who don’t know there are innumerable sources of personal style advice – consultants, sites, books – out there !
Follow this link to get the course currently at 1/3 price.
(Don’t buy the book ‘Dressing your truth’ – expensive and says little about clothes.)

UK Colour Me Beautiful expands the usual 4 categories of personal style to 6 :
City Chic – elegant quality basics with an emphasis on accessories, or minimalism. See Janice of The Vivienne Files for inspiring outfits in this style.
Classic – traditional classic, modern classic, tweeds.
Natural – casual, relaxed, rugged, sporting.
Romantic – feminine, vintage.
Dramatic – edgy, sexy, fashionista.
Creative – a wide range of possibilities, from the Tilton and Sewing Workshop patterns through crafter’s embellishment, Goth/ Lolita/ steam punk, to grunge or the wildest of unexpected shape/ colour/ print/ texture combinations. Or ‘eclectic’ – any style depending on how you feel at the time !

UK CMB have nothing free on-line about these styles, but they have got an on-line course for training professional personal stylists !

The 7 personal styles in the Australian 6-step wardrobe revamp include 6 similar styles and also ‘Alluring’.
Elegant
Classic
Natural
Feminine
Alluring/ Sexy
Dramatic
Creative.
Choose a main style, then a secondary one to add special character to it.

My main style is relaxed, but having a ‘chic’ category helps me include the quality aspect that’s important to me. With touches of creative and feminine. I’m not at all into being highly visible, either dramatic, alluring, or aggressively creative !

‘Alluring’ in one way is like ‘casual’, ‘feminine’, ‘creative’ – there are many situations, such as at work, where it’s either inappropriate or unhelpful. It’s good to know your tendency and preference, so you can think how to get round it. Sometimes your secondary style is helpful. I’m a ‘natural’ and unhappy in classics (as I keep saying ) When I was working I focussed on my ‘chic’ side to look successful and competent.

Does any combination of these categories describe your personal style ? Where do you feel you fit in ?

- – -

I’ve looked at many systems describing body shapes, colouring, and personal styles. None of them fit me exactly. Some of them I can fit myself into quite easily, others only with great difficulty. But I’ve learned something or got inspiration from nearly all of them, so it’s worthwhile as well as entertaining.

Have a look at some of this for a bit of enjoyable relaxation.
If it gives you any ideas for your own style, that’s a bonus

- – -

Links available April 2013

= = =

The SWAP requirement this year is to make a couple of different capsules of :
5 items : 3 tops, 2 bottoms, or
4 items : 2 tops, 1 bottom, 1 dress
plus a linking item which can be worn with both groups.
Giving a total 9, 10, or 11 items.

There’s a very wide variety of patterns available which the pattern companies claim can be sewn in less than 2 hours.
As there are dozens of them, I’m giving more information here about the few that I haven’t covered before, and just giving links to the ones I’ve shown drawings of previously.

Including patterns that are oop but still available from US BMV.

- – -

Wardrobes and outfits

Simplicity 5314 – sleepwear robe and pants. Shorten the robe for casual jacket-pants.

Simplicity 8589 – quick maternity wardrobe, for wovens.

Previously mentioned patterns :
New Look 6816 – knit top, skirt and pants.
Butterick 5225 – Life Style Wardrobe coded Easy rather than Very Easy. Butterick say it (presumably each garment) needs 2 hours of sewing time.

- – -

Outerwear

Nancy Cornwell’s 90 minute fleece book has patterns for capes, ponchos, vests, scarves.

Previously mentioned patterns :
McCall’s 6209 – ponchos with a variety of shapes and necklines.
McCall’s 3448 – even easier, 1 hour ponchos.

And see the capes below.

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Costumes

Make on the day needed. (Though, having once supervised the making of an entire Shakespeare play costumes in style like the nativity ones, in 2 days, I wouldn’t recommend this for peace of mind !)

McCall’s 2339 – nativity.

McCall’s 6142 – clowns.

McCall’s 4139 – vampire capes.

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Dresses

Simplicity 1609 is a vintage 60s dress pattern for wovens, which they call a ‘Jiffy’ dress. In the 60s it was a quick make in comparison to what had gone before. But as it has a back zip and many darts, it’s not quick by today’s standards.

Many quick dress patterns have been shown in previous posts.

Knits

McCall’s 6074 – gathered front, sleeveless.
McCall’s 5893 – empire bodice, short sleeve option.

Wovens

Butterick 5211 – shift, short sleeves.
McCall’s 6551 – shift with 2 necklines, 2 sleeves, 3 hems.

McCall’s 6465 – slightly a-line, 4 sleeves, 4 hems.
McCall’s 6102 – a-line, cup sizes to C and D, sleeveless or short sleeve.
McCall’s 9172 – a-line, sleeveless or short sleeves.

New Look 6804 – sleeveless.
New Look 6889 – sleeveless or cap sleeve.

New Look 6890 – gathered neckline, 5 raglan sleeve options, 3 lengths.
McCall’s 6558 – peasant style, 3 bodices, elastic waist, 4 hems.

This post – Quick patterns update 2012 – tops, dresses
includes quick dress patterns from independent designers.

Or find some of the fabric that is shirred along one side. Simply cut a length to go round you comfortably. Sew one seam to make a tube with the shirring at one end, and there’s a sun-dress. Well, you might like to take the time to add some straps.

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Jackets

I haven’t found anything new, but there are many existing possibilities.

Knits

Butterick 5224 – many empire waist options.
McCall’s 5241 – cascade style cardigan, 3 front lengths all with the same back.

Wovens

Butterick 4989 – various cascade/ waterfall front options.
McCall’s 6084 – cascade shawl collar with 4 sleeve lengths.

Butterick 4138 – unlined blazer they say can be made in 2 hours ! Choice of pocket styles and long or short sleeves.
Not so quick, the Palmer-Pletsch 8 hour jacket, McCall’s 6172.

These posts – Quick patterns update 2012 – skirts, pants, jackets, and Fast jackets – both include quick jacket patterns from independent designers.

Least-effort jacket ? Shirley Adams shows how to make a fleece jacket in a few minutes – in her Bog coat video.

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Vests

McCall’s 2260 – unlined vests

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Tops

Several tops which I have given pictures of before, and which are still available :

New Look 6807 – 4 raglan sleeve options, knits.
New Look 6892 – raglan ‘peasant’ style, many sleeve options, wovens.

McCalls 5855 – 1-hour kaftan.

Butterick 5948 – dartless pullovers with various necklines, body and sleeve lengths. Site used to say they could be sewn in 2 hours, but no longer does. Borderline perhaps!

Also the Palmer-Pletsch shirts ;
McCall’s 4518 – 2 hour shirt with convertible collar.
McCall’s 4079 – 3 hour shirt with band collar.

And many of the dress patterns can easily be shortened to make a top.

This post – Quick patterns update 2012 – tops, dresses
includes quick top patterns from independent designers, mainly for knits. Peggy Sagers demonstrates sewing Silhouette patterns 600 Classic Blouse for wovens in 1 hour in her associated webcast.

Many people have tee/ knit patterns they can make in a whiz on a serger/ overlocker. But if the pattern company doesn’t claim that, I haven’t mentioned it.

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Skirts

Previously mentioned patterns :

McCall’s 5430 – wrap flared skirt.
Silhouette 2050 – straight wrap skirt with darts, button closure, no vertical seams.
McCall’s 6567 – elastic waist skirt with various lengths and hems, also a mock wrap version.
Simplicity 2368 – dirndl, mock wrap and 4 gore styles, 3 lengths.

Or make a dirndl skirt by cutting 2 fabric rectangles and sewing a casing for elastic around the top.

Skirt and pants
Simplicity 2414 – tiered skirt + elastic waist pants.

Pants
Butterick 5153 – one-seam pants, for women, men, children, various lengths.
McCall’s 6568 – elastic waist pants, 3 lengths, 2 leg shapes.
McCall’s 5889 – 1 hour tapered leg pants include several lengths.

This post – Quick patterns update 2012 – skirts, pants, jackets – includes quick skirt and pant patterns from independent designers.

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Dozens more quick sewing patterns at AllFreeSewing. Though of course there’s no guarantee of the quality of the patterns or instructions.

What a rich selection, so many styles to choose from – pretty, casual, elegant, business-like. Which do you like ?

24 days left to the end of the SWAP contest.

So you need no more than 5 minutes of sewing time a day to make one of these patterns in the time available.

Or – whew – starting from scratch ? There are so many of these patterns to choose from – you could make one item a day starting from now, make a whole SWAP wardrobe, and finish with two weeks to relax and recover before the end of the contest !

Enjoy your sewing, make what you love.
So only do speedy sewing if you find it fun

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Patterns and links available (some patterns oop and only from US BMV) April 2013

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Enough for two weeks of this – first on fashion and sewing. Later on personal style.

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Fashion

Here’s a list which claims to be the top 99 most influential fashion blogs.

It’s a good season for remembering the difference between style and fashion. Have been looking at a UK magazine issue for this month. Which says this summer we must wear black and white, or bright colours in big florals or blocking. Emerald, sunflower, red, bright blue, fuchsia.
Well, those will only flatter people with ‘Winter’ or ‘Spring’ type colouring.
And within those colour groupings, only people with some colour personalities and some personal styles would be happy wearing them.
Also apparently neutrals (grey, navy, dark brown) are a no-no this season.

Actually that leaves out a big colour story this summer, the pale beiges and pastels (see Cos) – good for some ‘Summers’.
‘Autumns’ ? – how about some gold or bronze metallic, or tangerine, greyed jade, chartreuse.
Here’s the Pantone spring 2013 colour report.
And there’s the grey/ silver metallics and sheers.

Happily other sources have a wider range of ideas about this season’s possibilities.
Here’s the Style.com US Vogue spring 2013 trends.

YouLookFab lists must-haves for spring/summer 2013.

And have a look at what M&S thinks we should be wearing this summer. Set the occasion on the left, the current ‘look’ at the top, and see what they suggest !
Fashion of course, no allowance for personal style. Plus lots of videos of models wearing the outfits. I don’t find them at all tempting (they might not mind this – I doubt I’m their target customer ), but they are entertaining.

Yet more delight from looking at clothes ? explore the outfits at Polyvore.

While Style.com have already listed all the RTW fashion shows for winter 2013.

And Style.com’s pre-season report says the Fall 2013 trends (click on ‘The pre-fall Guide’) are :
Candy coloured coats
Leopard print
Quilting
Plaid
Turtleneck sweaters
Modest coverage evening wear
Big proportions
Oxfords and saddle shoes

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Patterns and sewing

Sewaholic patterns come out top pattern company in the Pattern Review of top patterns in 2012.
Good instructions, and some patterns have on-line sewalongs (sorry, they’re for pear shape people).

There are many easy free download patterns from Hot Patterns, if you’re looking for an ‘instant gratification’ project quick enough to make over the weekend.
(well except that assembling a download pattern isn’t instant gratification. . .)

Dozens more quick free sewing patterns at AllFreeSewing. Though no guarantee of the quality of the patterns or instructions.

Or look through the Hot Patterns videos – they are intended (and effective ) to get you to buy their main pattern line, but there’s a lot of useful information as well.
They actually have a ‘channel’ on YouTube.
Click on the words “Uploaded Videos” in the button.
(The Favorite videos are something else entirely.)

Or explore FashionSewingBlogTV if you like to watch easy videos about technique.

Get inspired by the wondrous wardrobe sewing at Stitcher’s Guild. This year’s Sewing With A Plan contest ends in April. Use your Tried ‘n True patterns and there’s still time to take part if you enjoy speedy sewing
Or do it without pressure and follow the seasonal capsule sew along – always one in progress.

And if you get to the end of the weekend and find you’ve made a wadder – make a special sewer’s frustration tool from Shirley Adams at Sewing Connection. Make it from the worst bit of your wadder

Back to serious – you can sign on free for a couple of days at The Sewing Guru (it’s easy to cancel the instructions at PayPal).
You might manage in one weekend to watch all his videos on making a tailored jacket, but would you remember it all If you get hooked you may want to stay a member so you can watch them slowly.

At the advanced end of the technical skills scale, couture companies like Chanel give more details about what underpins their collections.

Hermes have videos about the work of their expert artisans.

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Second post planned on links for exploring personal style.
Following up all this could take weeks not days !
Have leisurely relaxing fun over the holiday weekend

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Links available March 2013

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This book sparked off so many thoughts, my comments expanded to several posts. I’ve already posted about help for complete beginners and advanced beginners. This is a review of the ‘Dressmaking’ book. I’m writing another post on other routes to intermediate skills.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I like project based learning. It’s good for people who like very classic styles and want to learn intermediate sewing techniques, plus starter skills for pattern altering to make new styles. Very good on technique. But difficult to read and look things up.

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General limitations of the ‘Dressmaking’ book

In this book the typeface is small and low contrast so it’s difficult to see. The pages look lovely, but you have to peer closely to read the text. As this is an instruction book not a coffee-table book, I don’t think this is good book design.

There are pages and pages of tools which you apparently have to have before sewing a single stitch. I’ve been sewing for 70 years and I still haven’t got all of them.

There’s a good general section on altering a pattern to fit, but not much detail. As so often happens, there’s next to nothing on how you know what you need to alter on the pattern, or by how much ! You have to work out for yourself which parts of this are relevant to your project and your body shape. There’s a brief section on making a muslin to test fit, but very little on how to evaluate and alter it. So this is not a book to turn to if you need help with fit. (Index page 2 lists my posts on fit.)

This is a project based book. When techniques are described within projects, you need a good index if you want to look up a technique away from a particular project. Sadly this index is in such dim type you need a strong light to read it. And it’s not good. For example there are a couple of pages on openings (plackets), but they’re not mentioned in the index.
Hmm – 5 out of the first 6 things I looked up in the index aren’t there, though they are in the text.
So once you’ve learned to sew from this book, it’s not so good as a reference afterwards.

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Quality of instructions

I do like the technique instructions in this book. Lots of close-up photos. A huge amount of thought and work must have gone into preparing such detailed and effective illustrations. They give a high level of ‘I could do this’ confidence. (Though there isn’t enough to support complete beginners.)

I’ve read the whole thing and only found :
3 techniques which I think a first-timer would like a bit more help with.
3 techniques where I do things a bit differently. (I finish the neckline treatment while the garment is flat, before sewing the side seams, if possible.)
2 small omissions.
And in 200 pages packed with sewing instructions, there were only 3 steps which I didn’t understand.
Is this a record

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Project based learning

Alison Smith’s other books describe techniques and have drawings rather than photos. This book is about projects. If you work through these projects, you’ll have a good grounding in sewing techniques up to intermediate level, though only for standard weave woven fabrics. But she doesn’t suggest a best sequence for learning. You could choose any project, with minimum guidance on how difficult it is.

If you do want to learn from a sequence of increasing difficulty, it’s probably best to work through all the projects in this book in the order given – from a skirt with darts, zip, waistband, to a lined jacket with lined patch pockets and shawl collar. Not as far as a structured notch-collar blazer. The technical descriptions for later garments are briefer and refer you back to earlier in the book.

If you work through the whole sequence, you’ll learn competent sewing of standard woven fabrics and simple pattern altering. There’s usually only a few clearly explained new skills in each project. It would be a good learning experience to work through all the projects in this book – except that making 31 ultra-classic garments is a major commitment !

I wrote a list of the pattern altering and sewing skills covered in each project in the Dressmaking book, for my own reference.
It won’t be of general interest, but some people who use the book might find it helpful. So here’s a pdf version :
31 projects.A4.pdf
31 projects.USletter.pdf
It might also act as a guide to a sequence of learning intermediate skills.

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When I first got the ‘Dressmaking’ book I wavered wildly for and against. It is difficult to read and find things in. The patterns are ultra classic. I’ve settled on being very impressed with the instructions for technique. Very easy to learn from at intermediate level.

With over 300 large pages, this book is packed with information. But it can’t be all things for all people. The techniques are unusually easy to understand, but you may want to know about other fabrics or styles, easier or more advanced techniques, more guidance about fit.

The techniques included can be used for making a wide variety of styles, not just classics. But the patterns are more limited.
I love project-based learning rather than just working through a list of techniques, but I agree it is difficult to produce projects that everyone wants to make !

This also works well for me as an instruction book as I’m happy to sew at intermediate level. I have little wish to learn more advanced sewing techniques. But for some people that’s their big love. My interests are more in the direction of learning to make my own styles.

Which level of skill are you happiest to sew at

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Links available March 2013

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I don’t think it’s the style elements that make you look slobby-sloppy-shoddy in pjs. I think it’s the state of the fabrics – unwashed, overwashed, stained, pilled, fraying. Basically pjs are classic casual styles.

Though sometimes overwashed, stained, fraying is a high fashion style statement, or even a political one – all style rules can be broken

The higher the quality of fabric and finish the better, if you want to look classy in casuals – quality always counteracts a casual effect ! My current favourite style words are “Relaxed Luxe”. Happily the days when stylists thought casual style meant you didn’t care about quality are long gone.

Love tailoring ? elegant chic ? always wear pretty dresses? Of course there are many people whose personal style means they never get near the point where casual becomes slovenly, but what about the rest of us ?

I’m inconsistent on this. I automatically hang up blue jeans. But I do like to be very comfortable and can easily slump into definitely-not-chic.

So what are these comfortable comforting but stylish clothes ? This all got a bit long, so I’ve made the section on pj patterns into a separate post.

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New casual shapes for the season

Lots of ‘bomber/ baseball/ varsity’ jackets in the high street here (summer 2013). Such as Simplicity 1940.

And ‘slouchy’ pants are loose at the hip but tapered at the ankle. Such as McCall’s 6514 view A.

Many patterns for ‘slouchy’ tops. Oversized tops in soft drapey fabrics, so they show the body shape rather than standing away from it. My favourite easy slouchy pattern is Butterick 5651, now oop – shows the idea has been around for a while !

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Cosy indoor ‘jackets’

Before Christmas I bought a ‘cardigown’ – a hip length dressing gown (US robe) made in light cuddly fleece.

Rocha John Rocha

Apart from a down vest, this has been my most worn garment this winter. A double breasted wrap hoodie. So what would be a good pattern for copying it ?

Saf-T Pockets Portlandia coat.

or Design and Planning Concepts Hooded Orknot coat.


Make thigh length in snuggly fleece for a cosy indoor version.

And for deep winter I have a Lands End robe (dressing gown) made with down. I’m planning to shorten it for next winter as I think jacket length will be more useful.

Lands End

I confess these robe/ gown ‘jackets’ are so cosy and comfy it’s had a disastrous effect on my willingness to ‘get dressed properly’. Hence I’m planning a post on pjs and similar patterns. See also my posts on designer Sweatshirts and Fleeces and hoodies.

I would like to resolve this problem of how to look good while being very lazy. This isn’t just an over-reaction to the ultra-classic styles in my last post !

Ah, it’s just a matter of all the usual themes. Make sure sleeping-slumping clothes co-ordinate and are in good condition. And in flattering favourite colours, shapes, styles

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Links and patterns available March 2013

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