Here is what Sew Over It patterns in London think are the 5 current key items (City Break e-book with download patterns, bust 33-45″).
There’s a long (22 min.) and chatty video introducing the styles.
I think these are ‘current smart’ style, rather than classic / casual / pretty / dramatic. . . which is interesting, as most patterns from this company are vintage-style dresses.
Intermediate – skinny jeans, coat.
Sew Over It claim to write teaching patterns.
If you like video sewing support, Tilly and the Buttons have video classes on making an easier skirt and tee, and a more difficult shirt.
Sew Over It have video classes on slim pants (said to be a good intro to making these jeans), more advanced pants, a knit dress and top, two shirts more difficult than this, and a lined coat.
Add a moto/biker jacket, such as Hot Patterns 1207.
Goes up a level of sewing skill, though you could leave out the exposed zips and use in-seam pockets.
For my own wardrobe needs I would want a pullover top and some non-stretch pants, such as Vogue 9063.
And a slouchy top such as the Tessuti Mandy Boat Tee.
Those added 4 garments shift things up from the original capsule to a 10-item wardrobe.
A commonly suggested 12 item wardrobe would add 2 more jackets or other layers, for people in a climate with that need.
If you don’t wear many jackets, you could add 2 more tops – tees in your favourite colours, or Sew Over It have several pretty blouse patterns.
Explore the world of jacket riches !
Starting from (tee + jeans / pencil skirt) or (shirt + jeans / pencil skirt), jackets have huge potential for completely changing the style of an outfit.
As well as waterfall and moto jackets, there are many other current jacket types which would go well with the slim fit of the original SOI capsule.
The first three can look more current at thigh-tunic or calf-duster length.
Kimono, such as New Look 6438. Sew Over It has a kimono pattern.
Classic knit cardigan, such as New Look 6735.
Make longer and at least 2 sizes larger for a ‘boyfriend’ look. Longer ones may be called a ‘coatigan’.
Casual shawl collar/neckband, such as McCall’s 6084.
Bomber / blouson, such as McCall’s 7100.
McCall’s had a sew-along for this pattern.
Trench / safari / utility jacket, such as this from Lisette, Butterick 6361. Or this example from Allie Olson at Indie Sew can have a hood.
Claire Shaeffer couture, Vogue 8804.
Claire Shaeffer couture, Vogue 9099.
Sleeveless coat / long vest, such as this from Sandra Betzina, Vogue 1528. Or Simplicity 8177 from Mimi G with video tutorials.
There’s an interesting selection of vests in the new patterns for this season at Butterick Fall 2016.
Sew Over It has a video class about a lined coat which could be made sleeveless.
Modern poncho, such as Butterick 6392. Or the group from Marfy Patterns (no instructions or seam allowances).
Oversized hoodie, such as Hot Patterns 1179.
Cocoon, such as Marilla Walker’s Fremantle raglan shape, or the Cocoon coat by Wardrobe By Me. This one from BurdaStyle 10/2013 has a sew-along video (not free).
Slouchy, such as Cali Faye Brenna.
Or step aside from fashion.
might not go so well with the crisp basics in this Sew Over It capsule.
and quilting with Mary Ray’s Craftsy class or the Grainline Studio Tamarack with sew-along.
Well that has got us rather a long way from the practical realities of a compact wardrobe starting with the Sew Over It capsule.
If you had to choose a maximum of four jacket / layer styles which are most true to you, that make you feel at home and at your best, which would they be ?
Your choices may be very different from mine – have you got a favourite pattern company that I haven’t mentioned ?
Hmm, I managed to get my needs down to five. . .
Tee, shirt, jeans, pencil skirt, waterfall jacket – the capsule styles are ‘modern classics’. So the Sew Over It patterns aren’t unique, though it’s good to have such basics grouped together. StyleARC and Burda Style are also good sources of modern classic patterns.
BurdaStyle have download groups of patterns which are in the same style, for about $25. Good for wardrobes, and good value if you want to make more than 4 of the patterns. Their knits kit is a bit like the Sew Over It group, with patterns for fitted and loose tees, leggings, and woven shirt and skirt, also drafting and sewing webinars.
StyleARC patterns have pattern bundles which copy celebrity outfits.
The disadvantage of both those companies is the minimal instructions. They tell you what to do but not how to do it. So you do need to know what you’re doing to use these patterns.
Sew Over It by contrast gives detailed instructions with clear photos. Many of their patterns have been tested in face-to-face classes before being issued generally.
For maximum wardrobe versatility, use your best neutral colours for the first of each item. I like to use texture and tonal variations.
Add accent colours and prints when you make more of the items.
Change fabric types, change hem and sleeve lengths, omit collars, and the alternatives are almost endless. . .
Sew Over It now have a second e-book – Work to Weekend.
The first ‘avant garde’ post was about architectural shapes.
This post is about adding interesting and unique design elements using all the possibilities of textile surface art – combining fabrics and adding texture and embellishment.
– patterns with basic shapes for fabric combining and embellishment.
. . . different main pattern pieces in different fabrics.
. . . fabric combining in patchwork and other shapes.
– high fashion in ‘artistic’ colours and prints.
There’s many exciting and inspiring ‘art to wear’ sites and blogs, this is just a short guide to a few starting points.
There are several patterns with simple shapes specifically for adding your own fabric combination or embellishment.
Yvonne Porcella Jacket from The Sewing Workshop (simplest shape, terrible instructions) (gallery here).
There’s also a pdf guide to embellishment for it (not free).
Kayla Kennington has patterns built from rectangles. Her site is not active at present, but her patterns are available from sewingpatterns.com.
Or decorate the simple shapes of peasant workwear such as from Folkwear patterns.
If you just like doing the embellishment without doing the garment construction, use basic existing garments (such as from BlankApparel.com). Though that isn’t a way of getting interesting garment shapes.
– fabric painting, dying, stencilling, stamping, foiling. . .
– hand and machine embroidery, appliqué, texturising, couching, beading, heirloom stitching . . .
– plus sources for delicious ribbons, motifs, trims. . .
And dozens of books too.
Sorry I’m not going to attempt to pick out the good ones !
Well, here’s one of them : Creating Couture Embellishmentby Ellen Miller.
Perhaps work through a CD by Marcy Tilton on Surface Design, or her many on-line tutorials.
Several McCall’s patterns for making fabric flowers.
Here’s a pdf from Shirley Adams of Alternatives for making multiple different shells using different decorative techniques.
This is the current ‘multi-media’ approach to clothes.
See the Style.com Fall 2013 trend reports Crazy Fur section (click on right centre photo) for designer inspiration on using fur, some in combinations.
and Style.com Spring 2013 trend reports Collage Degree section (click on left centre photo) for designer inspiration on combining patterned fabrics.
I love combining fabrics in a quilt, but find it much more difficult in clothes.
Easiest to use fabrics from quilt fabric designers, which are issued in groups of prints specifically designed to co-ordinate.
The most seen ‘high-street fashion’ multi-fabric look is to have whole pattern pieces in different fabrics, especially in princess seam styles. Many Big4 and Burda patterns in which this is done quite simply, with solids in ‘colour blocking’. ‘Texture blocking’ or ‘multi-media’ print combining are the newest idea.
If you love piecing and quilting, there’s plenty of fashion inspiration for using smaller areas of each fabric too.
And there are many independent pattern designers who provide patterns for ‘wearable art’ pieced and quilted garments. These are just some of them.
Silhouette 4013 dress for knits.
McCall’s 6712 top and circular skirt.
The king of print combination is Koos van den Akker at Vogue.
Here’s a slide show of his styles to click through.
And here’s a post by Rae Cumbie about ideas for fabric piecing, at Threads.
There’s another route, for people who aren’t so interested in architectural shapes and embellishment.
And that is to wear high fashion shapes in strong prints and strong colours.
YouLookFab gives an example here, from one of those style bloggers who appears to have an unlimited clothing budget.
As in the combining of contrasting prints and textures (see my post with an example), this requires a gifted artistic eye.
Note there’s no combining of colours or prints within one garment. They’re dramatically combined from separate garments.
Lots of attractive and dramatic prints around. But take care if you have low contrast colouring or a quieter personality – perhaps these fabrics will swamp your own looks. It is possible to choose prints, textures, colours which ensure people look at you, not the fabric !
I grinned while pulling this list together. I delight in all clothes. But the styles I actually wear myself are a bit like this – though very quiet versions !
I’m definitely a follower not an innovator in this area, but I’m fascinated by all the possibilities.
I’m particularly entranced by an old embellishment set I have from Lois Ericson, which has stencils and machine embroidery software for the same shapes. Almost infinite potential.
There’s so much rich creativity available for clothes making. If this is your style I’m sure you have your own sources of delight and inspiration.
Or do you prefer simple shapes but delight in the bold or subtle combination of colour, print, texture, embellishment ? There’s a huge range – from overwhelming, challenging, sublime through to modest in scope.
I seem to have been going through a phase where I disagree with everything said by stylists.
Ah well, perhaps it’s a test that I’m clear about my own style.
A style book I looked at recently (Wardrobe Secrets by Emily Neill) said there are no rules about what to wear, except you must never wear a turtle (polo) neck, and it’s good to wear a V-neck.
Oh dear, I feel the cold and with my long neck and long head, I think I look much better in a turtle neck. And I haven’t worn a classic V-neck since school uniform – with my face shape and flat chest they don’t look anywhere near the best I can be.
And Imogen Lamport of Inside-Out Style has a couple of recent posts in which she appears to be anti-fleece and anti-hoodie.
– and that it’s impossible to look stylish and trendy when wearing protective winter outerwear.
Well of course that set me off on a whole lot of trains of thought. Happily there are many recent patterns for ‘Easy Luxe’ elegant fleeces and hoodies.
Well, this is obviously a topic close to my heart, as I keep returning to it.
and on the vague borderline between ultra-casual and loungewear styles.