About eight-ish years ago, when I still thought Urban Outfitters was the bee's, I found an 80s-style skirt there that I LOVED. The shape was never quite me, flaring out and pocketed at just the right place for maximum frumpiness, but I loved the fabric which was an ikat, dynamic chap - before I knew what ikat was (not sure I've got it right even now, but I'm nearing the ballpark).
Once I started sewing, I had a hankering for more of the same fabric, and a few searches on eBay unearthed a couple more skirts at bargain price. When I bought Marilla Walker's Roberts Collection recently, having been inspired by Katy's top and dungarees from the set (and everything Marilla makes), I thought it would be a good match for my precious UO skirt refashion!
And I think it is! The top is the top half of the Roberts Collection jumpsuit. I made a couple of alterations - taking out my normal tapering wedge from the shoulders, and about 2" out of the back. It also had to be a little shorter out of necessity, fabric-wise.
I'm thrilled with this top! I think it looks nice tucked or untucked. And combined with the other, original RTW skirt it makes a good set, and takes away from the troublingly frumpy look of the skirt.
So, a dress-looking-thing and a top, from one pattern - bargain! I can't wait to have a go at the dungarees next, and then the jumpsuit!
*Also - Swedish Tracing Paper side note fun! I used it for the first time for tracing out these pattern pieces, and I'm mad about it! I was using normal tissue paper or dot and cross before - no longer! I don't know about sewing with it, and have no plans to try, but for tracing patterns, keeping them, non-wrinklingness... I just love it. I think it's worth paying a bit more for this stuff, for sure. Although actually I'm not sure it's much more than dot and cross anyway.*
Ooooo! What a jolly fake dress!
Just come across your blog and am really liking your style. Just a thought about your 'frumpy' skirt (your words not mine). Could you perhaps shorten it to pep it up a bit? Looking forward to catching up on your other makes.
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny! Thank you very much! Yes, I think that's a good idea - I'm really going back and forth on skirt length at the moment, I really like midis but then there is that danger of "frump" which I think is more likely with more gathering at the waist. But it's great trial and error-ing with sewing!
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