Sewingplums

Sadly it’s time for me to upgrade my computer, which is going to be a major enterprise. My current one still does everything I want for my own computing, but it is excruciatingly slow or doesn’t work at all for much of the web (have been going to the public library to upload my images for the last few months. . .)

This computer is such an elderly Mac, it’s from before all the big technical changes at Apple – the previous chip, the previous operating system. . . Which means none of the software is unchanged.

I’ve put this off too long. I’m really not looking forward to learning everything anew, though I suppose I should celebrate all the new facilities there will be.

So I’m taking a few weeks off, to sort it all out. Not shutting down altogether. I’ve done some short paragraphs which are ready at WordPress. There should be a little something to post each week for the next few weeks, whatever disasters strike here behind the scenes . . . 😀

Here’s the first of them, a longer blast off about a recent fashion magazine. Sorry it’s rather grumpy 😀

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UK Elle’s September 2011 issue is bringing out the worst in me. Seems to be one of those magazine issues deliberately designed to put people off having anything to do with fashion. . .

Advertisements : Beautiful clothes, but worn by bored dissolute looking models. I suppose bored rich kids are the target customer for the prestige brands. But there’s no pleasure or attraction in looking at them for the rest of us.

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Elle editorial : their favourites among the styles to choose between next season.

Androgyny

You no longer need bother to make your ‘boyfriend’ style clothes look womanly.

Karl Lagerfield at Chanel appears to have completely lost the plot, and shows a sort of androgynous goth grunge. And everyone is saying what a marvellous collection it is. Reminds me of the story of the Emperor’s new clothes.

Definitely more edgey than classic.

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Combining opposites

Many designers enjoy combining apparent opposite style elements. But we seem to have moved on from leather and lace.

Lagerfeld does have one interesting new idea. A short classic soft tweed and curved edge Chanel jacket with braid trim worn layered over a longer classic crisp tailored jacket.

from Chanel ad

Not clear if they’re two separate jackets. Might be sleeves of both fabrics. Perhaps they’re joined at the neckline.

Lagerfeld does have the gift of making such an odd combination of opposites look elegant. Though no doubt I’m being closed minded, I have difficulty imagining whose personal style this will appeal to, apart from the extreme fashionista.

Perhaps I’m completely out of touch, and this ‘combined’ (incongruous ?) style will be the season’s big new idea that is most copied in the high street ? Soft short layered over crisp long. There’s another photo in this Elle issue of a young designer wearing a curved fur vest over a square-cornered herringbone tweed coat. Well it does look warm for winter.

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Prints

The dominant print this season is polka dots. Another androgynous idea. Lovely for straight edged people who like geometric prints. (Buck the trend and go for random dots if you can’t bear all that regimentation :D)

And “We’re not talking florals or fluoros here. That’s, like, so s/s 2011”. Oh dear. Well, there are so many fashion options these days. I’m sure you can find a designer who celebrates big florals this season, who you can use as your inspiration.

Another main prints theme this season is ‘patchwork’. Not mixing fabrics in small pieces as in quilting. But each section of a garment made in a different style of print. (Combine your florals and your polka dots, which patchworkers have always done.) An exciting and interesting idea, I love it as I enjoy making multi-fabric quilts. But difficult to pull off successfully in a garment I suspect.

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Aggressive sexuality

Ah, here is the leather and lace. The alternative style to extreme masculinity is in-your-face sado-masochistic sex. Hmm, not something I’m competent to comment on.

No doubt if you like them you will already be making up corset patterns (with no disrespect intended to that useful site).

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Advanced eccentric boho – called individualism

The extreme version of combining incongruous elements.

In the supermarket yesterday there was someone wearing :
– grey running shoes
– dark ankle socks
– a chiffon handkerchief hem skirt with drapey ruffles in a bright warm clear watercolour print.
– a droopy black blazer
– a big plastic tote in a different colour group.

She was tall and thin, so if her clothes had been of high quality, she might have been photographed for this issue of Elle.
It really does require a very high level of styling gift to do this look successfully.

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For some more wearable ideas see the Style.com – US Vogue Trend Report, or their Shopping Guide for the coming season.

YouLookFab’s ideas on Fall Fashion week are here.

Meanwhile, obviously I’m not a true fashionista ! Well, perhaps high fashion magazines do present extreme versions of the looks in the first magazine of the new season. But if these are the ‘runway’ styles on offer for the winter ahead, I think I’ll stick to ‘street’ style and clothes I feel comfortable in 😀

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Links available August 2011

UK Elle magazine August Runway Edit and Style.com/ US Vogue both pick out the parka as a key item for the winter 2011 season. A good example of ‘street’ influencing ‘runway’ style.

The iconic parka is from Altuzarra.

If that’s a bit much for you, there are many high hip and hip length casual jackets with big fur collars. This one also from Altuzarra.

Last year I had difficulty finding a parka pattern, but there are a whole lot tucked away in corners of the pattern world.

For the most basic style, the pattern is quite simple :
Basic block : the casual-dartless block (see previous post). Enlarge to outerwear size. Thigh length.
Added style elements : front zip or buttons/snaps; hood or deep collar; big patch pockets; casings at waist, hem, wrist, collar/hood.

As usual it’s surprising how many different versions designers can come up with. By varying the style elements and adding seam detail or gathered sections.

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Paper patterns in English

The closest to style is Hot Patterns 1030 Weekender Shine-On-You-Crazy Parka.

Add square cargo/ poachers pockets if you prefer.

Or for a less gathered version with detachable hood : styleARC’s Safari Jane jacket.

(Shams has a blog entry on making this jacket in beautiful fabrics :D)

If you like raglan sleeves, there’s Vogue 1097 by Sandra Betzina.

If you prefer : Make thigh length. Omit in-seam pockets and add patch pockets. Add waist/ hem/ cuff casings.

You may like to add a hood to Simplicity 2153, and lengthen to thigh or knee level.

Or if you prefer something a little different, there’s Marcy Tilton’s new pattern, Vogue 8752.

MacPhee Workshop has several parka patterns. The pictures are too tiny to be worth reproducing, try styles 289 and 450.

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Paper patterns in other languages

Au Bonheur des Petites Mains Imperméable long (French) (P.S. this company is now closed.)

Stof & Stil 24006 (Danish, ship only to Scandinavia and Germany).

Burda are marvellous for parkas, many in their pattern magazine. But for some reason none in their main paper pattern line. Here are a couple from their Fashion Line.

Burda 501D (left), in German, or in French.

Burda 506E (right) in German, or in French.

You can also download patterns for these in German direct from BurdaStyle.de : Burda 501D, or Burda 506E.

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Download patterns in English

The rest of the parka patterns I’m mentioning are all downloads from Burda.

US BurdaStyle has Style 101, with hood and back waist casing.

Another two available through SewingPatterns.com
Go to Downloads > Burda downloads > Coats
for Burda 7711 (left) and . . . . . . . . . . Burda 7750 (right)

Beware that Click2Sew patterns aren’t pdfs. The software is for Windows.

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Wear your parka with a dress to be high style (see the first photo). If you prefer, wear easy fit or skinny pants, and comfortable brogues or loafers. Flat shoes are fashionable, hurrah !

And a felt hat – fedora or trilby.
Sadly, I don’t look good in a felt hat 😀

Which one do you like best ? What do you look at first ? Does the styling draw the eye up to your face ? With many of them, my eyes go straight to the hips – oh dear 😀 Now imagine them without the pockets. . . On the runway styles, it’s the big hood/ collar with fur trim that draws attention away from the pockets. Could you add a fake fur collar, hood strip, or hood lining ?

Obviously a parka fits in easily with a casual personal style. But if you look, some of them are crisper and some softer. If you’re a pure Classic, think of this as a classic casual style. Avoid any sewn gathers, and wear it with tailored trousers and a crisp shirt.

And how about flattering your body shape ? Much though I love big pockets, I know they aren’t good emblazoned on my big hips. But several of the pattern shapes are larger below waist than above, so wouldn’t look strained on me. Which would work for you ?

Look forward to being relaxed and practical and high fashion in the coming winter 😀

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Patterns and links available July 2011
Photos from Style.com