New jacket patterns – soft and shapely
I started reviewing the new season’s patterns while talking about capsules for the season.
And one of the suggested jackets is a blazer –
see my previous post on new patterns for them.
I’m not a blazer wearer. I was amused by Angie of YouLookFab’s recent post on her personal shopping list for fall 2013. As the colours, shapes, styles she wants are all wrong for me. Big city style for people who look their best in strong cool colours and sharply edged clothes. A good reminder to enjoy styling advice for the ideas, but not to follow it blindly !
That doesn’t mean my fashion future is hopeless and I’m doomed to drabness, just that I have a different personal style. I could dress happily out of several trendy catalogues. I’ll mention Mint Velvet here, as their mini-catalogue doesn’t include a single blazer 😀 I love the styles, though it’s all a bit black for me. And I could wear nearly everything in the Poetry catalogue if they were the right colours and lengths.
In fact, mis-firing advice from stylists I usually admire has been a feature of this summer. Both Judith Rasband (Conselle newsletter of 31 May) and Imogen Lamport (Inside-Out post of 7 August) have told everyone to wear black. Oh dear, oh dear, have they got so famous they don’t bother to look at real people any more.
Anyway, back to topic – when I was talking about blazers, I was following YouLookFab’s advice in her post on a capsule for this season.
But there are many other possible jacket styles. YouLookFab’s review of jacket high-styles for the coming season doesn’t include any soft or feminine styles, but that doesn’t mean they’re not fashionable. And this post is about the new patterns for them. These patterns may have notched or shawl collars, but most are neither straight nor structured and many don’t have strongly defined shoulders.
I’ve divided these patterns into :
– more drape in the styling, a softer non-tailored look.
– cascade collars.
– emphasised waist (often with a peplum), for people who have an indented waist, or want to look more shapely.
– – –
Skim Fitting and Drapey
Vogue 8845 by Claire Shaeffer no doubt has instructions for beautiful couture.
Vogue 1364 by Sandra Betzina
That back centre panel can be cut on the bias or have added texture interest.
–
No shaping, and Cascade collar
Even more drapey, cascade collars have been around for a while, but there are plenty still in this season’s trendy catalogues. Drape down to no lower than waist level. Many small cup people look better with drape to bust level, while if you have a large cup size you may prefer the drape to waist level or lower.
No new patterns, but several already available.
McCall’s 6444 has both higher and lower drape options.
–
Close fitted and Shapely
Butterick 5962 by Gertie
New Look 6231 wardrobe with a choice of necklines and peplum styles. (Despite the slimness of those pants, this pattern doesn’t insist you use knits or stretch fabrics.)
With a shoulder princess pattern, it’s relatively easy to change the neckline style by changing the central front section, so this jacket has many styling possibilities.
Vogue 8931 is shapely and structured, not soft in effect.
With a choice of collars, and colour blocking suggestions.
– – –
Would any of these new patterns flatter your body shape and enhance your personal style ?
And of course they can all be made in the new fabrications too, see my previous post on blazer patterns.
Some of the patterns here already include ideas for colour blocking or texture blocking.
–
But perhaps you don’t wear either blazers or shapely soft styles. Perhaps you prefer more edgy or fashion extremes, or the sort of creativity which is outside fashion.
YouLookFab mentioned these in her review of jacket trends for the season.
And I’m hoping to write posts on
patterns for bomber/ biker/ military jackets
and on the new curved shoulder look.
YouLookFab also picks ‘avant garde’ as an important style for the season. And I have posts planned on some of the many options for those.
So, many many exciting jacket possibilities.
Choose the ones you love 😀
– – –
Patterns and links available September 2013
= = =
Explore posts in the same categories: current fashion, personal style
Sewingplums 
September 17, 2013 at 3:08 am
Thanks for the encouragement that fashion advice is not without personal bias. I have just made a cascade collar jacket in a teal cotton interlock and am looking forward to wearing it this fall 🙂
September 23, 2013 at 2:13 am
Oh now, real people do wear black. In droves. And if you’re not a blazer person (I’m not either) any black jacket will go a long way towards making you look like you are somewhat in touch with what’s current. Not to mention it hides dirt well :-).
September 23, 2013 at 8:10 am
Yes people do wear black because it’s fashionable. That doesn’t guarantee it’s a good idea.
The two stylists I named claim to help people to look their best. Many people look ill and ugly in black. If those stylists are telling everyone to wear black, they’ve both forgotten their main principles and don’t look at people any more. If they were being responsible they would be pointing out the flattering alternatives to black.
And black is not a practical colour, in my experience it attracts every bit of lint from miles around.