Trying New Shapes and Styles for an Edgy Spring and Summer Wardrobe

I tend toward fitted garments. When you’re curvy, you gotta really work your assets, amirite?

But I see all these breezy, loose looks for summer and I think, “Why not me?” Here’s a try at this look:

This top is from Vogue 9246, a “Five Easy Pieces” wardrobe pattern package that also includes two jacket options and two pants options.

(Aside: Every time I see the “Five Easy Pieces” Vogue brand I think of that Jack Nicholson movie of the same name. As if you’d wear any of these clothes to work as an oil rig roustabout. Except for a jumpsuit. Maybe.)

Vogue 1617… ready for oil roustabout work?

No….

This top hits “edgy” looks for me for a few reason:

• Deep color and high contrast with the piping
• Exaggerated shape with cut-on sleeves

It’s not super edgy. I mean, my mom would probably wear this top, but not in this blood-red color. The pattern collection also has wrap pants and a duster, which I like, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Back to the top…

The yoke seam detail is the only thing that holds any interest for me. I got this in a pattern swap, and it’s normally not my jam, truth be told. I thought that some detail in that yoke seam was essential to make the top work for me. When you’re curvy as I am, you need a detail at the shoulder to balance out a look that would go all boxy otherwise.

I played around with piping that seam. I had some faux leather piping, but it looked a bit much with the red. Same with some black satin piping. But white piping made the top look a bit preppy, which is a whole ‘nother look I am trying to avoid.

Then I found some white twill tape in my stash, and I thought, “Why not?”

OK, here’s why not: twill tape is pretty thick, has no stretch or give at all, and just isn’t the sort of thing meant for such a treatment.

So of course I had to use it!

I basted the twill tape onto the yoke pieces, lining up the tape so that the seam would hit at exactly the middle of the tape, where the chevron of the weave breaks.

I then sewed the seam and topstitched 2 mm above the seam so that the twill tape would lie properly. I like that the tape has this texture and isn’t flat but rather has a bit of movement in the seam.

Let’s talk about fit issues, howevs.

I did a 5/8-inch hollow chest adjustment and a 1-inch high round back adjustment to make this top lie correctly. It sits nicely against my back, but I should have done something to correct for my uneven shoulders. Also, a forward shoulder adjustment could have helped even out the hem line – you can see how it dips up slightly in front.

Pieced in the back – who cares?

Side view

Overall, though, I like this more than I thought I would. This was a “wearable muslin” top meant to try the fit out. I am planning to make another in a striped white shirting.

Author: shoes15

I live in Connecticut, USA with my husband and my dog, in an old house outfitted with a sewing room, a garden, an orchard, and a big liquor cabinet. View all posts by shoes15