Fruity Suit

Spring has sprung where I live. Flowers are blooming, leaf buds are bursting out, and weeds are popping up everywhere. All excuses to get outside, either to enjoy the color or work in the garden.

Speaking of color, fashion sources are featuring lots of pantsuits in bright colors.   Vogue Magazine UK calls the trend Fruity Suiting.

courtesy British Vogue

  The styles are often  longer “skim the body” jackets with either tapered/cropped, or wide leg pants.   Similar to the styles of the 1990’s. Being a sewist of mature age, I have many patterns from that time period.  I have wanted a reason to make Vogue 1395, a Claude Montana design, circa 1994 for like..  maybe 25 years. Lest you think Claude is long forgotten, e-commerce site Farfetch recently  partnered with vintage site Byronesque to re-create 11 of Montana's classics.

Vogue 1395 State of Claude Montana

When a  wool blend suiting in "bright plum" (LOL, a fruit color name)  popped up on sale at Fabric Mart, I knew I had found the perfect fabric.

The jacket is unlined, except for the sleeves, and all seams are finished with a Hong Kong finish.  What I really liked about this jacket is that it is all business in the front and back, but with side slits up to just  under the sleeves.  The bottom edge and side slits are bound with bias binding. I stressed and sweated over that bias binding.  Cut from the wool poly blend, I wasn’t sure how well the bias binding would shape to the wide bottom edge curves and the tight curves of the slit top, or if it could be pressed neatly.  It took many samples, careful work, and massive amounts of hand basting, but it turned out great.   I did shave 1/2 inch off the shoulder width as I have narrow shoulders to start with.  Other than that, no changes to the pattern. The jacket is paired with high waisted pants, to provide color continuity from a side view.  I made my matching pants using an old favorite for a high waisted style, Burda 12-2010 108, rather than the pattern pants. For my waist (mis) shape,  darts are better than pleats and a separate  waistband. And quicker to sew.

 And interesting video on high waisted pants and how they can elongate the legs was discussed on a  Facebook group I belong to. It is targeted towards men, but some of the principles apply to women. Should you wear high waisted pants

I mentioned in an earlier post that my mom now lives with us. She moved to Richmond from a small Delaware town. She is making up for lost time on the cultural activities.  This week we attended  both the play The  Book of Mormon, and the Richmond Latin Ballet’s dance tribute to the life and works of Edger Allen Poe (an interesting mashup,  but surprisingly entertaining). She and I like to dress up for these types of events, and this suit was the outfit of choice for me.

The suit jacket and pants can be worn separately with other garments.  While making the pants I noticed that one of the silks, received in a gift box from my aunt, coordinated beautifully.  It was a 4 yard piece of paisley printed chiffon with a jacquard stripe.  Perfect for the New Look 6303 blouse with bias cut, draped double layer (lots of fabric) front.

 Such an elegant, comfortable blouse to wear when made of silk.

New Look 6303