Friday, September 25, 2015

A Flock of Skirts


One of my favorite chilly-weather outfits is a skirt over leggings, especially with boots. I'm so glad that fall is back!

I actually made these skirts over a long while and I finally took photos. Because I was feeling Very Lazy, I wanted to quickly take pics of all three skirts, with the same top, leggings, boots and jewelry. This detail factors into the section where I discuss sartorial choices—and show myself in an unflattering light. :)

I present the skirts in the order that I made them.

TOC:

Guy Laroche Rayon Skirt

I actually started this skirt probably 6 or 7 months ago but it was being difficult, so it was sent to timeout. The pattern calls for a lot of fabric, for two reasons. First, the skirt has a (shaped) circle flounce, and second, the entire skirt is self lined. I was dubious about self lining the large flounce, but I did it anyway. I think, with this beefy rayon challis from Emma One Sock, that it wasn't really necessary and, in fact, caused problems. I did not line the yoke. I didn't have enough fabric and it really doesn't need it.

I did not want a zipper, so I eliminated it when increasing the waist at the paper pattern stage.

After the skirt spent several months in timeout, I decided to finish it. It's fine, but if I were to make it again, I would not self line it if the fabric had a nice drape as a single thickness. Of course, it would then require a loooong hem.

Vogue 1450


Animal Print Skirt with Binding

One day I was riding home from work on the subway, and I was mesmerized, staring at a stranger wearing a skirt—it ultimately inspired this skirt. Hers had a very different feel: It was longer, solid colored (khaki? I forget) with black binding, the slit was on both sides, and it looked more like a suit skirt.

I love me some binding.

I didn't use a pattern—it's basically a rectangle. On my skirt, the binding starts at the top of the slit, heads down and goes all the way around the hem, coming up again at the slit, and ending at the waist. The slit is designed to land towards the front of the leg—it's not positioned directly over the side seam. The fabric, a lovely stretch woven, comes from Hart's Fabric and has been in my stash for awhile. I only had a yard of it, and I wanted to make a skirt from it, so I'm glad I finally got around to it. For the binding I used a black wool jersey.

Of all three skirts, I will probably wear this one the most. A short skirt over leggings is one of my favorite grab-it-and-go looks.


Swishy Rayon Skirt

This skirt, #2913 from Silhouette Patterns, is based on a popular Nic & Zoe skirt. I've had this pattern for probably 2 years, and have finally gotten around to it. It is an 8-gore skirt and each gore is pieced, though all of that piecing is rather hidden in this busy polka dot fabric. Somewhere I have a tencel denim that I want to use to make this skirt (tercel denim has wonderful drape), but it's hiding. Instead I used a wonderfully drapy rayon faille, perfect for a swishy gored skirt.

Once again, I eliminated the zipper. If you have a big difference between your waist and hip measurements, you won't want to do that, but since my waist and hips are almost the same, I can make an elastic waist skirt that has almost no bulk at all. "Lucky" me. ;)

I shortened the skirt by about 3". I didn't want it to hit below the knee, which can look frumpy fast.

I will definitely make this skirt again in a fabric where I can topstitch the seams to show them off better. Gored skirts are wonderful to wear! I would never have bought a pattern for a simple 8-gore skirt, but the piecing on this one elevates it and I highly recommend it!


Sartorial Choices

When I was in a rush to take all of these skirt photos with the same outfit, I first threw on a black turtleneck, which is quite form fitting. Over that, I threw on one of my loose black sweaters with holes and an asymmetric hem. I thought it was fine. It looked fine in the mirror.

I went out, three times, carrying my tripod to the alley around the corner, to take these pics.

I uploaded the pics to my camera all at once.

It was Not Good.

Not.Good.At.All.

Rats.

I was still feeling lazy, so I quickly changed to one of my favorite jackets and went out three more times.

Still maybe not perfect, but So Much Better. It was as much effort as I wanted to spend on these pics, especially on a morning before work.

I decided to share the before-and-after looks, so you can see the difference.

Frumptastic (on the left)—the worst of the worst.

Reminder to self: you look best in tops that skim the form. And, if you must wear those sweaters, knowing that they aren't your best look, maybe stick to sleek pants. ;)


Artistry in Fashion!

One of my favorite days of the year, Artistry in Fashion, is tomorrow! If you are in the area of Redwood City, CA, please come! The guest speaker is Linda Lee of Sewing Workshop, and Margy is coming up for the event. If you see us, say hi!

Besides AIF this weekend, I'm also going on a staircase walk, and meeting up with some friends to have dinner at mem's house. So not much sewing this weekend, though I did recently finish another Britex garment, which I plan to wear to AIF.

I hope you have a good one!

The sun, trying to peek through at 7am when I took these pics

35 comments:

  1. You definitely rock short flippy skirts...oh for your legs! Love them all, but the polka dot one is my favorite (Surprise!).

    See you tomorrow!

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    1. LOL. Thanks, Margy! I can't wait to see you!

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  2. What's interesting is how the camera sees things the mirror doesn't. Great post, as always!

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    1. Yes, Glenda, so interesting. I have often wondered about this. Sometimes Margy will ask me how I like a garment I've finished and I tell her that I won't know until I see the pics. :)

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  3. Margy is so right. You definitely wear skirts beautifully. And you have an eye for the needed proportion to keep them out of the frumpy category. I usually feel frumpy in skirts. Maybe I need to play with proportion as you have done so expertly.

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    1. I like long skirts, too, but I know that they aren't as flattering on me. Proportion can be a bee-yatch. ;) Thanks, Martha!

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  4. I'd love to make a skirt similar to the animal print for my 20-something daughter - and how cool is it, that you can rock this look. Would you have a few more details? You say it's a rectangle - is it one rectangle with one side seam? How did you determine the size? How did you sew the side seam with the binding? (can you tell, I'm not as talented as you, that's for sure).

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    1. Thanks, MW! Yes, it is a rectangle with one side seam.
      - I cut two rectangles wider than I needed, and both the same size.
      - I cut the angled slits on front and back.
      - I started attaching the binding (before sewing the plain side seam) to the back rectangle, starting from the top of the back slit. I stopped attaching the binding several inches from the side seam (because I hadn't yet decided where that would be), but I left a long binding "tail".
      - I attached binding to the front rectangle, starting from the waist. Again, I stopped several inches from the plain side seam.
      - I lapped the front rectangle over the back, by about a 1/2", and stitched them together - I stitched along the base of the binding.
      - I went back in and hand stitched the outside edge of the binding from the waist down to the top of the slit, so it wouldn't be "flopping around". (Though it doesn't really flop, but I wanted it to be secure.)
      - I now had a finished rectangle, with the binding mostly sewn.
      - I pinned the plain side seam, adjusting so the slit was towards the front.
      - I sewed the plain side seam.
      - I joined the two binding pieces together, the same way you would join the binding on a knit neckline.
      - I finished attaching the binding.

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    2. A couple more bits of info:
      - I finished the top edge with a casing for elastic.

      The finished skirt measures (when folded in half) about 19" by 14".

      Good luck!

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  5. Martha (Above) said it so well, your sense of proportion is keen - the jacket just elevates all of the skirts. Perfection! Really liking the interesting "pencil" skirt, neat twist with the binding (I also love me some binding) just makes it new and fun.

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  6. Those are definitely the legs to rock those skirts. You look good in all of them but the flippy gored skirt is especially flattering. You definitely look better in the second top. Proportion makes all the difference.

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  7. I really like your skirts and the casual flair they give off! Love how each one has it's own distinct personality. Have a great time tomorrow!

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  8. Animal print skirt with binding is the best! Such a nice detail.

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    1. LOL. I know you like your animal prints! Thanks, Ruth!

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  9. Cute skirts! Have fun at AIF and look forward to seeing what you wear :)

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  10. All of those skirts look great, and thanks for sharing your dud photos too! I sometimes find myself discreetly (I hope!) following someone until I suss out the details of one of their garments. I'm glad I'm not the only one.
    Autumn/fall is probably my favourite season too. No real expectations of warmth or sunshine so it is a joy to get it.

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    1. Oh man, ML, I sometimes discreetly snap iPhone photos on the subway but I just couldn't do that this time, so I at her skirt, willing her to move around a bit so I could see various angles. ;)

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  11. On the silhouette skirt, i want you to make it where you use your tencil denim on the bottom pieced parts but use the wrong side on one part, right side next to it, alternating to create a tone on tone thing. I 'got' a clear vision in my head when i saw the line drawing - here's hoping it esp's itself to your head.

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    1. Interesting idea, Kathy! I wonder where the heck my tencel denim is. ;)

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  12. You look so hot in short skirts! I'm envying you for that and especially for being able to go to AIF. Looking forward to the photos. - Susan

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    1. Thanks, Susan! I did post some AIF pics on Instagram, but will be doing a post later. :)

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  13. You can never have too many skirts! I think they are all great, but number 1 looks like fun to wear!

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  14. omg, so cute! I needed some inspiration on what to wear for autumn as it crept up on me very sneakily. love your skirts with leggings and boots!

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    1. Thanks, Robin! Well, that's hardly a surprise as the wedding gobbled up much of your spring and summer!

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  15. Love the skirts and the before and after shots. the little skirt with the edging is just so much fun!

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    1. Thanks, Rhonda! You could also rock that look. :)

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  16. Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I love the three skirts; I would make/wear all of them. I have a thing for swirly, and polka dots, and binding. You're rocking that look, but the necklace perplexes me. I have a similar chest, and avoid things that big draped on my girls. lol
    In the spring, I gave away all my jeans but two, and almost all my slacks, and now it's gotten chilly, I'm wearing a few shorts and a dress with leggings. It's an experiment, because I've just entered the last third of my life, and I need a new outlook and look out. Watch out! lol

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    1. An interesting comment, JaneZee! I hope you like the skirt experiment, as I love wearing skirts and leggings! As for the long, draped, necklace... I find that this necklace is more vertical, so I don't think it's unflattering. I do have to be careful, though, because sometimes it works and other times, not so much.

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  17. I love all your skirts! and I'm a skirt and tights wearer for preference in winter too. They all look gorgeous, and look absolutely fabulous with your black zip up jacket! And your boots! *drool* ultra UBER cool.

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  18. Love the skirts but especially the swirly Silhouettes one since I love those inset details. Envying you at AIF and hope to get back to it some day.

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