Sewingplums

There is a blazer detail that’s emphasised this season – many versions with turned up collar.
(I first mentioned it in a post on workwear suggestions from UK In Style magazine a couple of years ago.)

Gucci at Saks

Philosophy at Saks

This one has a lovely change of texture by using a mesh overlay except in the collar and ‘lapel’ area.

Including Eileen Fisher’s featured jacket this season.

Oddly there’s no photo on the Eileen Fisher site which shows the collar clearly.

(For a softer look, Eileen Fisher also has several jackets with a cascade/ waterfall front. Though in leather I think they look assertively edgy rather than soft. See my post on new patterns for soft and shapely jackets.).

A turned up collar is a possible style for both business and a more casual look.
Could work well in a setting which needs a more professional look but with a bit of fashion forward edge.

Easy to mimic using McCall’s 6711, which has a collar that can be made and worn either up or down.

(Simplicity Sew Stylish 1542 View A is a softer style with a notched neckline, not like the RTW examples I’ve given photos of.)

On the McCall’s pattern, the princess seams give easy opportunities for this season’s colour blocking or texture blocking.
Or use leather just for the collar or for added trims, round the edges or in the princess seams.
The Eileen Fisher jacket has leather piping in a waist seam.

The McCall’s jacket is part of a wardrobe pattern, with a good variety for combining crisp and soft lines. Though as usual you have to check if the jacket will layer over other sleeves.

– – –

Collar details

Choose which way to make the jacket. If you press the collar and lapels to roll down and back, then turn up the collar, you may look just look as if you’re sheltering from a draft ! Make a version with collar pressed flat if you want to look sleek and in control with this turned up collar.
Though of course the conventional blazer collar turned up and worn with a scarf is a classic casual look.

Look closely and you’ll see this turned up collar may be made with a slightly wider neckline so the collar upper edge lies lower on the neck.

Also the notch in the McCall’s pattern is wider than the notches in the RTW versions. The pattern uses a collar which is easy to sew.

The RTW jackets have a collar inset into an angled corner, a much more advanced sewing technique. Not mentioned in my old Vogue Sewing Book which I thought was comprehensive. Surprisingly difficult to find guidance. These tutorials from the RTW tailoring sewalong at Paper, Scissors, Cloth show the method needed. They show the crucial techniques, which need accurate stitching :
– when attaching the under-collar to jacket and upper-collar to facings, sew only to the ‘match point’, not into the seam allowance beyond it (tutorial here – after first 2 steps).
– when joining body-under collar and upper collar-facing units, sew away from that match-point corner in both directions (tutorial here).

Not many patterns with an inset collar. Here’s a few (these are just examples which have that collar in a corner, they’re not patterns for turned up collars) : Vogue 8845 by Claire Shaeffer, Vogue Wardrobe 8887, Burda 03/2010 # 116.

– – –

Personally I wouldn’t look at all friendly with all those angles close to my face ! (though it would look better in light colours).

Is this a style element that would look good on you, or is the crispness and this collar shape not best for your personal lines and the attitude you like to convey ?

– – –

Pattern and links available September 2013

= = =

This entry was posted on October 5, 2013 at 9:46 am and is filed under current fashion, Eileen Fisher. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.