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The power of the boring

February 19, 2011

Here’s the power of simple items to add flexibility to your wardrobe. By instantly adding many more different outfits. Of course this is classic wardrobing advice. But I find it helpful to be reminded.

People who like ‘statement pieces’ won’t be happy with this idea 😀 Nor is it much use to people who live in such warm climates you never wear added layers.

Following on from my post about some basic wardrobe capsules with trendy styling for the coming summer, here’s another group of quiet soft casuals. This is my favourite capsule from the new Vogue January 2011 patterns :

”janwrdrb”

shirt Vogue 8716.
top Vogue 8710.
vest Vogue 8713.
jacket Vogue 8714.
pants Vogue 8715.

From these I could make 3 outfits of 2 pieces :
top with pants
shirt with pants
jacket with pants.
(If you use a vest style with front closure so you can wear it without a top under, that would add another look.)

A choice of pieces to layer over the top – big shirt, vest, or jacket, which give very different looks. So that adds 3 more outfits. 6 different ones in all. Layer vest over shirt, 2 more outfits.

”4outfits15”

I’ve only shown the basic looks which include the top and no third layer vest, or the drawings get a bit big !

In an ideal layering wardrobe (see my take on the Sewing Workshop version) the jacket layers over the vest layers over the shirt layers over the top. To give the maximum number of different combinations and levels of warmth. But that isn’t possible with this particular pattern group.

If you made a second version of any of these layering pieces, their style elements are so distinctive it might be obvious you were wearing something similar, even though the colour or fabric had changed.

But if you add another tee and pants, the number of different outfits increases dramatically.

This shows the power of the boring.

Add a second top in a clearly different colour/ print/ texture. That adds 5 more looks, so the number of outfits goes up from 8 to 13. The diagram only shows the 8 outfits which use the tops. There are also the 2 made from the shirt or jacket with the pants. And the ones with vest over shirt.

”8wredtops”

Add another pair of pants. The 16 basic combinations are in the diagram, plus 4 from the shirt or jacket worn with a choice of pants, and more from vest layered over shirt.

”16redbrown”

(The added top and bottom can of course both be the same colour/ print/ texture.)

You’ve added 2 simple garments, making 7 items in all. And the number of combinations has gone up from 5 items making 8 outfits to 7 items making at least 25. A powerful example of the effectiveness of supplying yourself with basic co-ordinates.

(P.S. As an extreme example of this, see Janice of The Vivienne Files make 208 outfits from 33 garments.
And another post from 2015 at Vivienne Files on getting 45 outfits from 9 garments which shows photos of all the outfits (good for travel).
3 second layers (which can all also be worn alone)
3 tops
3 bottoms
gives
18 2 item outfits
27 3 item outfits.)

– – –

Even for very simple items with almost no added style elements, you choose your own best colours, and the silhouette/ neckline/ sleeve and body lengths, etc. that are right for you.

And this approach to increasing the effectiveness of your wardrobe needn’t fill you with gloomy despair at its lack of creativity. Have a look at Marcy Tilton’s gallery of what she has done with her Vogue tee patterns (many pages of them). And her CD on fitting, making and decorating tees.

Or Shirley Adams’ Alternatives 500 pattern with multiple different version of a shell.

There’s an almost infinite number of ways you can embellish and add interest to a simple top 😀

– – –

Patterns and links available February 2011

Categories: specific capsules, wardrobe planning

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Sew a Wardrobe in a Weekend : layers and capsules

June 19, 2010

At last, the super quick layers needed to complete a speedy wardrobe.

I’ve already posted about time-limited patterns for wardrobes, dresses, tops, and bottoms. Here’s the next step, some time-limited patterns for vests, jackets, and coats. A good range of styles from casual to classic. There are also some jackets in the speedy wardrobe patterns posted earlier.

Interesting, these jackets suit a wide range of body shapes. Not just for rectangles, there are shaped waists for people who have them, and flared styles for the pear shaped.

Pick a jacket, top, and bottom from these super quick patterns to make a ‘capsule’. For most of us that would be a considerable achievement in one weekend. Can we leave aside for the moment the aim of making a whole wardrobe in a weekend 😀

– – –

Vests

McCall’s 2260 has several unlined classic vests which take 1 hour of sewing time.

”m.vests”

Butterick 5888 is for similar vests in 2 hours. In the extra hour you can make a faced notched collar or an edge-to-edge lining.

”b.vests”

What about my favourite layer – tunics ? I haven’t found any timed patterns specifically for tunics. But several of the super quick dress patterns include a tunic length version, or could easily be cut to that length. Check if you need to make a larger size so it will layer comfortably over tops (see ease post).

– – –

Soft Jackets

Butterick 5394 is for 2 hour knit cardigans.

”b.5394”

Butterick 5224 has more 2 hour knit styles.

”b.5224”

McCall’s 5241 1 hour knit cascade style jacket has 3 front lengths all with the same back (the only 1-hour jacket pattern I found).

”m.5241”

Butterick 4989 has an interesting choice of 2 hour cascade/ waterfall jackets – this time for wovens.

”b.4989”

– – –

Blazers

The pattern companies also think it’s possible for us to make more formal styles in a short time.

Butterick 4138 even has a classic unlined blazer pattern they say can be made in 2 hours ! There’s a choice of pocket styles and long or short sleeves.

”b.4138”

You could also round the corners of collar and hem. Or leave off the collar and use your favourite neckline (see neckline post).

At the ultimate, on their website Palmer-Pletsch claim their tailored lined blazer McCall’s 4598 takes only 8 hours to make. (This will be replaced by McCall’s 6172, available July 1.)

”m.4598”

These two patterns show you can add some shaping even if you’re sewing quickly.

– – –

Outerwear

oop Butterick 5089 is a 2 hour pattern for an unlined cropped jacket with cut-on sleeves. Lengthen it for a bit more warmth, and to be more flattering for some of us. Waist length jackets (or just above it) are ‘in’ for the coming winter season.

”b.5089”

McCall’s 9576 is a ‘relaxed classic’ 2 hour reversible shawl collar jacket.

”m9576”

McCall’s 5988 is a 2 hour reversible coat in 2 lengths.

”m5988”

McCall’s 3448, the easiest, is for 1 hour ponchos.

”m3448”

– – –

Some Speedy Capsules

Evidently you can include making your winter coat in your speed sewing weekend 😀

And you could make a blazer along with your winter coat, right. . .

If you prefer more formal styles, make the Palmer-Pletsch McCall’s 4598 8-hour blazer, one of their 3-hour shirts (McCall’s 4079), and a pair of their oop McCall’s 4459 3-hour pants. All in one weekend of course 😀

”pp.capsule”

I think Sue Neall, the expert whose wardrobe-in-a-weekend inspired these posts, could manage to sew those in a weekend, if it was her style. She chose a softer pattern which would not be quick and easy for many of us (Adri oop Vogue 2910). She was making a wardrobe for a week when she needed to look competent but friendly rather than authoritative and powerful.

We slower sewers might pick three 1-hour patterns so we could cut and sew a capsule in a day. . . er. . .

A ‘classic’ capsule from the super quick patterns could include the Butterick 4138 2 hour blazer, one of the Butterick 5948 2 hour tops, and a pair of Butterick 5044 1 hour straight legged pants. Oh dear, that gets it up to 5 hours of sewing time 😀

”classic.capsule”

There’s a good choice of jackets for a softer look. Perhaps a Butterick 4989 2 hour jacket, a camisole from the same pattern, and a pair of McCall’s 5889 1 hour pants.

”soft.capsule”

Or the timed wardrobe patterns are supposed to take less than 6 hours to sew a basic capsule.

It would certainly be pressurised to sew one of these capsules in a day. Me, I prefer to stay calm. . . but it’s interesting and fun to think about the possibilities !

You could use 2 days of a holiday weekend to make two capsules. And spend the third day making a coat, dress, and skirt. In 3 speedy days, you’d have a proper ‘wardrobe’ of 9 items to cover most eventualities 😀

Kate Mathews in ‘Sewing a Travel Wardrobe’ suggests you make jacket, pants, dress and skirt from the same fabric, for easy co-ordination. She calls this a ‘Six yard wardrobe”. That would speed up cutting and sewing a bit more.

Goodness, you might even have enough time to make one of the oop Butterick 5055 2 hour bags. . .

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Patterns and links available June 2010

Categories: specific capsules, speedy sewing, wardrobe planning

Comments: 7 Comments

Copy the Season’s Capsule

February 13, 2010

Perhaps it’s an infringement of copyright to show how to knock off designer clothes ! Well, in the spirit that copying is a compliment :

Here’s the link to Eileen Fisher’s ‘system’ for the spring/ summer 2010 season. Later I give some links to J Crew. I’m not in the US so don’t know these companies. But their style looks the relaxed side of ‘current’.

The Eileen Fisher ‘system’ is based around a ‘Core Four’ capsule wardrobe of skirt, pants, top, and jacket.

– – –

Basic straight skirt :

Skirt as in this McCall’s 3830 version, a good candidate for a TNT pattern, which can be made any length. The ‘system’ has a short skirt, but I think longer versions would work equally well with the top and jacket.

”classicskirt”

– – –

Basic slim pants :

There’s a very slim pant in this McCall’s 6043 suit. Though the jacket pattern I’ve picked includes much wider legged pants if you prefer them.

”slimpant”

– – –

Tucked top :

Make this Butterick 5439 dress in the sleeveless version and at top length. With shorter tucks to mimic the ‘system’ look. Or as in the pattern to avoid looking pregnant. In the pattern there are different numbers of tucks and sleeve options too.

”tucktop”

J Crew tops styles opt more for ruffles this season. A stand-up ruffle (not a floppy flounce) round a favourite V-neck would go well with the cascade jacket. And look at McCall’s tops for patterns like the other J Crew ruffled styles.

– – –

Soft cardigan jacket :

Not the popular Simplicity 2603 version, which is long enough to wrap in many different ways.

”swaterfall”

The cascade jacket in the Eileen Fisher ‘system’ has a shorter drape front, like the jacket from this Butterick 5472 wardrobe. So it could be made in fabric with a bit more body than the Simplicity. Make it single layer, unlined and without facings, for a softer effect.

”drapecardi”

J Crew mainly uses a classic convertible collar jean/ safari jacket (jackets page). Good with ruffled or flounced tops for this season’s ‘combining-opposites’ look. This pairing makes another possible capsule of the season (feature picture on the J Crew jackets page).

When J Crew design a cascade jacket they round off the corners, and make it in suede.

– – –

All the garments in the original Eileen Fisher ‘system’ are in knits. But I’ve chosen mostly patterns for wovens, as they work better for me.

The styles are quite simple, and easy to make. The designer look comes from quality of fabric and quality of construction (as well as good fit of course).

A cascade jacket over tucked top and pants is an attractive capsule I’d be happy to wear for a wide variety of occasions. (A outift of jean or safari jacket over a flouncy top would not be so much my style.) And if I made the capsule myself I wouldn’t have to wear those drab colours 😀

– – –

Patterns and links available February 2010

Categories: current fashion, Eileen Fisher, specific capsules, wardrobe planning

Comments: 4 Comments

Sewing Workshop layering wardrobe

January 9, 2010

We’ve had more snow here (southern UK) than we’ve had in over 30 years. Wardrobe plans with only a couple of layering pieces don’t warm my heart at present. Do any fashionistas mention double force thermal long johns or flannel lined pants. 😀

So I was interested to read about Linda Lee’s wardrobe for multiple layers. It was posted by Vicky in the Sewing Workshop thread at Stitchers Guild in April 2009 (page 15), and is based on her notes from a class given by Linda Lee in 2005.

Here is the ‘Capsule Wardrobe’ (edited from Vicky’s notes – thanks to her for posting). I don’t know what Linda’s current views are and hope this doesn’t misrepresent her !

Bottoms :

1. slim line pant.
2. soft pant in a silhouette and length that flatters your figure.
3. skirt in a shape and length that works with all of the tops.

Base layer :

4. basic tee or shell (knit or bias) that has your best neckline, shape and sleeve length.
5. surplice wrap tee or top.

More and more layers :

6. thin, sleek cardigan that goes over the tee shirts and under the vest or jacket.
7. vest/ sleeveless jacket that fits under jacket and coat.
8. shirt jacket, jean jacket, Miyake-esque shirt, or your version of a classic shirt that dresses down everything, works with the tee shirts and tops – ideal if the vest slips under or over this piece.
9. distinctive jacket that layers over cardigan and vest, under the coat.

Outerwear :

10. jacket/ coat or rain coat that goes with everything.

– – –

Vicky said Linda matched this plan up to Sewing Workshop patterns and showed how to alter the patterns for more variety. I (sadly) don’t know what Linda said, so here are my choices :

P.S. The Sewing Workshop site has changed since this post was written, so these individual links no longer work. Start here for Sewing Workshop patterns.

1. Slim line pant
Slim pants are good on me. The Zigzag and Kinenbi patterns are different styles. I would start with the Zigzag, as a contoured waist suits me and those vertical lines look slimming. I would leave out the ankle zip.

”zigzagpant”

2. Soft pant in a silhouette and length that flatters your figure.
There are two groups of fuller leg SW pant styles, ones with straight legs, and ones with a shaped leg, like the Hudson or Trio.

”triopant”

Only a tapered leg pant is flattering on me. Even straight leg pants give me ‘elephant legs’. So this is one part of this plan that I personally would leave out. I might try the Tahoe culottes, though they don’t look as if they would be good on a bike.

”tahoeculottes”

3. Skirt in a shape and length that works with all of the tops.
There are several interesting SW skirt patterns, but they are all ‘statement’ pieces. I think a more background style is needed to fit in to a wardrobe of co-ordinates. So I would pick the Oasis skirt.

”oasis”

4. Basic tee or shell (knit or bias) that has your best neckline, shape and sleeve length
Again there are several T patterns which make a statement in themselves, such as the Teegarden, Trio, and Urban patterns. But I think a simple design is needed to layer under other pieces. So I would pick the MixIt top for wovens,

”mixittop”

and the Milano T for knits.

”milanot”

5. Surplice wrap tee or top.
An easy choice as I love the look of the Salsa pattern.

”salsa”

5a. To fit my own wardrobe style, I would need to add a basic fitted blouse to layer between tee and cardigan, as I wear them all the time.
My favourite Sewing Workshop pattern for this would be the Tribeca.

”tribeca”

6. Thin, sleek cardigan that goes over the tee shirts and under the vest or jacket.
For me this would be a bought knit.

7. Vest/ sleeveless jacket that fits under jacket and coat.
As usual, Sewing Workshop doesn’t provide your average vest pattern. I like the idea of a soft drapey vest like the Poppy or Mimosa. But if it has to be layerable, I would choose the Peony vest.

”peonyvest”

8. Shirt jacket, jean jacket, Miyake-esque shirt, or your version of a classic shirt that dresses down everything, works with the tee shirts and tops – ideal if the vest slips under or over this piece.
This is the basis of Sewing Workshop style : many possibilities. If I had to pick only one it would probably be the Zona (with a bit of added flare for my hips), as those dart and seam lines are so interesting.

”zona”

9. Distinctive jacket that layers over cardigan and vest, under the coat.
Again this is a signature Sewing Workshop style, with lots of possibilities. For this purpose there are two groups :
One is jackets which would not layer over the shirt-jacket. My favourite is the San Diego.

”sandiego”

The other group is those big ‘arty’ rectangular jackets, which might layer over anything. Typical versions are the Ikina and Plaza. The Valencia is my favourite.

”valencia”

10. Jacket/ coat or rain coat that goes with everything.
As the final piece, an outerwear coat. I pick the Soho pattern, as outerwear with a hood fits so much better into my life-style needs.

”soho”