Made by Me File: Vogue Couturier 2439. It's a Valentino!

You can pretty much guarantee that if I am silent here AND on Instagram, I probably have been delving deep in sewing, and that was for sure the case this past week and weekend.  (I haven't even used Instagram from Saturday forward, and I blame the oversaturation of sewing for that, as Instagram couldn't be any easier to use.)

Anyhow, there is a Vintage Pattern contest running over at Pattern Review, and though I really (honestly!) don't care about winning, I like to have an excuse to make something, and this contest seemed the perfect kick in the behind to get my sewing mojo on and get a dress done in time for school to start (and with the perfect retro flair, the way I really like it).

I have in my stash of patterns this beautiful Vogue Couturier pattern from Valentino from 1970.  I have a real sickness for these older patterns.  There's also the Vogue Paris Original patterns that are lovely, too (I made this LaRoche pattern a few years back).  If I see that one or a few are for sale and they will suit me and fit me, I'll put in a bid on ebay or purchase them outright from Ebay. 

There is a lot of history on Vogue designer patterns, and this very recent (as in yesterday) article from the New York Times explores it a bit.  They even mention Valentino in the article. 

I knew most of what was in the article, but it always bears repeating, the garment on the cover of these patterns ARE the garment as designed and shown by the original designer, and the pattern makers from Vogue use that as their base for their patterns.  So I was basically recreating the original garment that Valentino crafted even before I was born.  This is still true today, and the Anne Klein dress that I copied was from an original from the Anne Klein line.

Obviously I really dig the style and silhouette of the dress and if a current designer or clothing company made a dress like this, I would want to buy it.  The pockets are integrated into the front dress design, and those belt carriers are part of the dress design, and are NOT added as a waistband feature from a waistband pattern piece.  Instead they are part of the dress front and pocket and dart pattern piece.  (All in one.  When you see the instructions below, you will agree with my hesitation in cutting my dress fabric in the convoluted design they wanted me to...of course it worked out, clearly, but I couldn't believe that design would lead to what you see above.)

The dress, as made up, is very pretty, but practical.  I made it from a double knit, so it is very comfortable and stretchy, but the pockets and belt add a level "I didn't know I needed these features until I had them here."  I now want all my dresses to have these details.  Especially the pockets, which are not your typical inseam pockets, hiding from the world.  These are integrated on the front and help showcase the unique seaming. 

Nearly all my belts fit in these carriers, and the fancier, jeweled belts helped create a more formal look, while this patent leather one suited a more casual outing, like teaching school, or going to church.

The mockneck is very comfortable, and though it could read frumpy, the sleeveless and fitted bodice help keep it from looking too dated.

Though I have few plans to wear the cloche with the dress, I did like the look, and would possibly pair the two for the right occasion.  :-)

The back was far less complicated than the front, but I will say the dart that extended from the back yoke to the hip was one of the longest I have ever encountered.  It also integrated the belt carriers into it, so there was a bit of finagling there, too.  There was also an additional back carrier that had to be created by making a welt insertion for the facing piece, and that terrified me that I would place the welt in the wrong place and ruin all my work.

Because my hips are larger than the pattern called for, I had to bring my seam allowances from waist down from 5/8" to 1/2".  If this had not been an a-line skirt, I would have likely had to add allowances to the pattern itself as no straight skirt from this era would ever fit me in a size 12 (the hips on a size 12 are a 34, I am that plus 5!).

The mockneck called for hook/eye closures that are hidden, but I wanted to use a loop/button closure.  I wish the loop was a bit tighter, but I don't think it totally ruins the look of the dress, either.

I love this fabric.  It was exactly right for the job.  The weight of the double knit means I can wear it in non-summer months, but it also meant I didn't have to try a designer pattern from 1970 in a non-stretch woven.  Plus, it even looks a bit like the original Valentino dress fabric (though I know that was likely a brocade of some sort).

Here's a good closeup of the fabric, the carriers, and the pocket detail.  So glad this all worked out.  :-)

Yeah, those are the (dang) clear directions.  But look at the illustration for #2, that was the shape I had to cut.  I mean, it makes sense how that becomes what you see on me, but it does require a bit of a leap of faith that it will all work out.

If you would like to see my pattern review, it is here.

In other news...before I even started my pretty Valentino dress, I had to complete this ridiculous Piranha costume.  I used Simplicity 2853 for the pattern, and yeah, I recognize it doesn't look a thing like the pattern shows.  That was because I took a lot of liberties with the design.  It all worked out and the swim team LOVED it (or was scared, rightly so).  What a monstrosity.  LOL.  :-)

Okay, that's all for now.  I hope all of you are doing well, and I'll be back soon. 

Boden: Fall 2016 Preview! And a Couple of Picks!

Textured Knit Skirt (here) and Textured Knit Top (here)

Before I start in on the Fall (Autumn) 2016 Boden Preview, I wanted to let you all know what I have been up to in my life.  :-)  As you may remember from last year, I made a full suit for my son for his First Holy Communion.

Well this year was CW's turn, and I made her a very fancy pants lace dress for her First Holy Communion.  Hers, though, is mine cloaked in lace.  I knew I wanted her to wear my original 1980s dress (which was also handmade for me), but it was needing an update.  At some point, I will write up a post on it since it took nearly as long as it took me to make Rex's suit, but it will be a bit.  Still working a lot, still sewing a lot, and still running around a lot.  I make amends with the blog every couple of weeks, but it definitely doesn't feel like enough.

Okay, so onto the Boden Preview.  When CC first mentioned it in the comments in this post, I went immediately to the site and nearly sobbed over the boring.  I was all, "that's it, they have officially determined they want nothing to do with the Boden they used to be, and I may just have to sit in a corner and sew up some happy dresses in Swedish folk prints instead."  (Which I probably still will do, lol.)

Today I realized I hadn't gone back, and they definitely updated from that first visit.  There are some really cute items, and I actually have a basket full of items.  I haven't done that in years!  That doesn't mean I will pull the trigger (don't love the way they charge cards for preview orders), but I know that I will likely want a few things this fall from them.

There is a code for 20% and it is 5D9T.  I don't get affiliate commissions on preview sales, so I know I can legitimately give the code.  :-)  (I can only give current season codes that the affiliate program gives me, I have one right now, it's in the sidebar and the bottom of this post.)

My picks list is short, but mainly out of necessity of time, which I only have spare bits of in each day.  I hope that you all will add your favorites to the list in the comments!

I obviously love the Textured Knit Top and Skirt at the top of this post, but I hesitate trying it myself with my pear shape.  I may give it a go, but I will probably hold off for the time being.

High Neck Top (here)

It's kind of weird, but so is my style.  I love the severe cut, and would definitely pair it with sleek pants (think cigarette shape) or a cute knit a-line skirt (tucked in, of course).  It also has pockets (!!!).

Mia Top (here)

This is a pretty little mid-century inspired silhouette with a fun print that isn't too wild.  It has a design in the back that reminds me of the back of my Martha dress (review here), and so maybe this is this year's name for the Martha of the past two years?

Fab Fit Tweed Blazer (here)

I love the Moon collaborations with Boden.  I own a few items from this partnership, and I adore them.  They wear well, come in beautiful shades, and are well priced for the craftsmanship and fabric.  This year's blazer is very modern-looking with its especially pointed lapels (they thinned them out, too).

Floral Ponte Dress (here)

I am always such a sucker for a border print, and in a ponte, well yum.  Body forgiving fabric, in a green ponte, with a border print?  Well, I am sold.

Hannah Seam Detail Dress (here)

I don't about this shape for me personally, but the pockets and the print are awesome.  The print is wee little birdies (that from far away read as an abstract).  Swoon.

High Neck Dress (here)

Sister to the High Neck top (above), this is just as beautiful, and because this color combo is more sedate, it is also more appealing to more people.  I am almost 110% sure my body shape wouldn't work with this style, but if it ends up coming up in the reviews it fits pear shapes well, I will definitely bite.

Lucinda Knit Dress (here)

It is the updated version of the Amelie Dress (see it here on me) that I know many of us loved.  This is super cute, but the colors are pretty blah, and I already own more than enough grey knit dresses for ten women, so I will say no.

Mia Knit Jersey Tunic Dress (here)

This is the second appearance of a Mia in this picks post.  :-)  I don't think this especially looks like my style or what I expect from Boden, but I dig it and want it.

So there were no accessories or shoes on show for us, and with the expiration of the 20% off code happening in a few days time (the 13th is the last date you can use it), I don't think they will have any on show for us this time around.

For those of you interested in current season styles/discounts for it, below is the link to the current sale.  You have to use code 3K9M to receive the 15% off, though.

OOTDs: Spain!

Last Day, Barcelona, at Playa de Sant Sebastia

Hi, all!  Hola! 

I am glad to be back from Spain, I did have a lovely time, and I really do want to get back (especially to see the finished Sagrada Familia in 2026), but I was beat by the time we got home.  :-)  I have more travel type photos to share later, but since this is more an "ootd" kind of blog, I know those can wait.  (I know, I know, I haven't really been all that great at the ootd lately.  Ha.  But I am trying to get back! Hand on heart!)

Okay, so though I started with the above image (one of my favorites from the trip), I am going in order from the first day traveling on the plane (from Philadelphia to Madrid), followed by Madrid, then Barcelona (and day trips), and finally the trip from Barcelona to Philadelphia.

I knew I would have to wear super comfortable clothing, but I also didn't want to wear clothing that was shlumpy, so I tried hard to meet my needs for cute and comfy right in the middle.  I did choose to use three main colors, a deep teal/aqua, grey, and black.  I only brought two pairs of shoes, and that turned out to be more than enough.  In fact I brought just enough, and we had room left over to bring back souvenirs (including the "top" from the top photo up there).  I bring more than this to my trips to Mississippi and Louisiana.  I think I am going to try this capsule kind of thing again. It was great!

Day: Monday-Tuesday, March 28-29, 2016.

Where:  Travel to Philadelphia from Alexandria, then the flight from Philadelphia to Madrid, and finally Madrid (with a nap for me at the hotel).

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Made the tunic so I could wear it with the Madewell leggings without showing off my bum.  I did this so I could basically wear pjs in public.  LOL.  I barely slept on the plane, but still felt danged good because I wasn't pinched at all in the outfit.

Outfit Details: Coat, Anthropologie; Tunic, handmade (used New Look 6240); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, J. Crew (here); Leggings, Madewell.

Anecdote of the Day: I had a sinus infection before leaving town (yep, that's my third illness of 2016, after the Pink Eye of January and the Strep Throat of February), so I had antibiotics and strong cough medicine to take with me on the plane.  I was very tempted to just go when we arrived in Madrid, but I heard the doctor in the back of my head reminding me to not overdo it, since that was likely what landed me with a third illness this year.  (She called it having a suppressed immune system, sigh.)  So while the rest of them went sightseeing, I slept for four hours instead.  I felt much better after waking up.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, March 29, 2016.

Where:  Madrid.  Mainly the Museo del Prado.  This was after I had my nap. 

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Again, super comfortable.  Very few of these outfits, btw, are anything but comfortable.  One or two might be described as a bit less comfy, but nothing dramatically uncomfortable.

Outfit Details: Coat, Anthropologie; Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Necklace, Stella and Dot, Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com).

Anecdote of the Day: The Museo del Prado had free hours between 5 and 7, if I am remembering correctly, and though I would have preferred to spend more time there, we got quite a bit more of the "must-sees" done in that time, so yay for small things.  I would have thought it would have been more crowded, and though there were a lot of people there, it didn't feel overwhelming. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Wednesday, March 30, 2016.

Where: Continued Madrid sightseeing, including the castle and the Museo Reina Sofia.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I made this dress a while back and I think I forgot to give you all the blog post I wrote on it for Fabric Mart.  Anyhow, the dress is wonderful and fits so well, plus the knit fabric (from Halston Heritage!) moves and drapes beautifully.  It also has pockets.  :-)

Outfit Details:  Dress, handmade (used Ottobre Magazine 05-2015, read more about it here); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Tights, probably Spanx, but I can't remember; Necklace, Stella and Dot.

Anecdote of the Day: This was day one of MANY many miles walked in Spain.  Most days we walked 10-12 miles.  Angus was in his buggy or on my back for the most part, but the older two were forced into walking the whole amount.  That said, we ate and drank very well, so though I didn't lose any weight, I definitely didn't gain any (and I ate a lot of very high calorie foods and all my beverages were of the vino category).

Madrid, btw, is where my mom was born.  She is Spanish only by birth (she is German/American), but I know that your birthplace is still important, and it was nice to see the city she knew as a little girl.  I was quite taken with Madrid.  It is apparently a very big city, but it felt small, and that was appealing to me.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, March 31, 2016.

Where:  Madrid to Barcelona, and then a lot of sightseeing in Barcelona (including a frightening funicular trip--my first of two terrifying rides up mountains while in Spain). 

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) These pants were made by me to fit extremely well and do well on travel, so it was a no-brainer I was going to bring them.  I wrote more about the process of making them here at this Fabric Mart post.

Outfit Details: Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, handmade (used McCall's 6901); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com).

CW, by the way, is wearing one of my favorite mini Boden dresses ever, the Sweatshirt dress.  It is still available, but it is out of stock in most sizes in this color.

Anecdote of the Day: We walked so much that day, and I LOVE walking, but by 6:30 pm, I was done.  This is the first time in my life where I can remember actually wanting to stop.  We had to keep going, but at least we didn't head to another museum.  I think the kids and I would have revolted had we continued.

We ate dinner at a hole in the wall, and this British couple was sitting near us, and very quickly identified that we were from Virginia, based on our accent.  I was stunned.  People in Wisconsin think I am from the deep deep South, but people in Mississippi think I might as well be from the Bronx.  Turns out they had lived in Harrisonburg, VA, and knew the accent of "us" very well.  Yeah.  Good for them.  They may be the only people who can do it outside of Virginians.  :-) 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, April 1, 2016.

Where: Figueres, Spain, which is a small city outside of Barcelona fairly close to the French border.

Ease of Wear: (4 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  The pants are the same ones from the day before, and so still comfy, but stupid me only brought the rain jacket (not pictured, well except I am holding it in my hand in the courtyard at the Dali museum) and not the Anthropologie knit coat, so I was a touch cold all day.  I drank wine to make up for it.  Ha.

Outfit Details: Top, J. Crew; Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Pants, handmade (used McCall's 6901); Glasses, Bebe eyewear; Scarf, MoMA (yep, it's Jackson Pollock inspired; apparently you can buy anything on amazon.com, including this).

CW's rainjacket is the Pack-Away Rain Mac from Boden.  It's wonderful, and does truly and easily pack away and was exactly the right layer for her that day and others.

Anecdote of the Day:  To get to Figueres, we ended up on the fast train to Paris.  I was very very tempted to see Paris, so I threatened to stay on the train with CW.  But I did want to see the Dali museum, and it was worth it.  There were hordes of French teenagers everywhere, too, so it kind of felt like I was in Paris, anyhow. 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Saturday, April 2, 2016.

Where:  Barcelona (mainly Gaudi sites besides the Sagrada Familia) and La Rambla. 

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The tunics CW and I are wearing are made by me, and they were super soft rayon knit from Joann's, so they felt wonderful, but mine kept riding up a bit on the jean leggings.  Ding down for that. 

Outfit Details: Tunic, handmade (used Kwik Sew 3463 for mine and Kwik Sew 3958 for hers; I wrote more on my original make of this pattern here); Shoes, New Balance for J. Crew (they have this cute pair in gold and ivory right now); Leggings, the grocery store...seriously; Bag; Travelon (buy the same one from amazon.com); Necklace, Stella and Dot.

Anecdote of the Day: I loved this day.  I was stoked to take it all in, and though the trip to get to the Park Guell was a bit of a bear, once we got there, it was very lovely, and I dug the mosaics everywhere.  The view was great, too.  We decided to walk (of course!) to the next Gaudi site, and it took us through these darling streets with cute shops and restaurants.  It was hard not to fall in love with Barcelona that day.

We ended up having to go to Zara to get the kids some shoes (they complained theirs were too small), so we found some there in the sale section, and because it is Spain, and it is Zara, of course I had to peek in the women's section, too.  I ended up with dos vestidos (two dresses--more like tunics on me, of course).  They were both on sale, and when I checked the American price, I realized the price I paid in Spain was much better.  Woo hoo!  The cashier was super handsome, too.  (Not that this matters, wink wink.) 

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE. 

THIRD INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Monday, April 4, 2016.

(There is something and an ootd for Sunday, but the dress is under wraps until late April as it is my April make for the Fabric Mart blog.  You can take a peek at it here at this instagram.)

Where: Barcelona, mainly the harbor/beach, and a very very long walk to the Sagrada Familia.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) This is one of the two dresses I bought from Zara.  I decided to wear it under the skirt as a top, but if I hadn't gone to Sagrada Familia that day, I would have been tempted to wear it on its own.  Sure it was short, but I *think* I can get away with it. 

Outfit Details:  Dress, Zara (here, I did buy it for about $23, btw, but it sold out here at the higher price, it is worth it, though the back button is a bit flimsy); Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Sunglasses, Ray-Ban (I think these are the same from amazon.com); Tights, Boden; Necklace, National Trust UK.

Anecdote of the Day: So that beach there that I am posing at?  It has a nudist beach there in the summer (though unofficially).  No nudists there while we were there, but that would have made for an interesting discussion with the kids had we ended up there by accident in the summer.  :-)  Angus is really vocal when he sees bare chests, declaring that those people are "naked, Momma," so I imagine he would have been very loudly exclaiming over the nakedness surrounding him had this been the case.  Instead we ended up nearly getting killed by an errant skateboarder who acted like we were the problem (yeah, no, you were skateboarding DOWN the stairs).  I would much rather see naked people.

The Sagrada Familia is certainly interesting from the exterior, but the interior was so beautiful, I nearly started crying upon entering.  I rarely have moments like those, but I felt the love and passion all the artisans had poured into its creation, and the fact that it was made for Catholics to worship in made it even more special and spiritual.  I just wish we could have gone to mass there.  (We went to Monserrat on Sunday instead, also a very spiritual place.)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

SECOND INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

Where: Barcelona to Philadelphia, and then the car drive to Alexandria.

Ease of Wear: (5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) The shorter length of the Gaudi top (purchased on the day we visited all the site) didn't ride up with the leggings the way the tunic did, so it was super comfortable.  And considering I was on a plane with three children for eight hours along with a very surly flight attendant crew (not surly to us, just surly/complainy in general), I was very relaxed and at ease in it.

Outfit Details:  Top, Gaudi inspired, made for the museums that showcase his work; Shoes, Clarks (find them here at amazon.com); Leggings, Harris Teeter.

Anecdote of the Day: I could have stayed a few extra days, but my body thanked me for returning to normal by insisting I sleep non-stop for days upon return.  I was going to bed at 8 every night for a week.  I am still very much hitting the hay as soon as I can.  I do want to try and get more walking in, even more than I already do, since I love the benefit of eating and drinking well in return.  :-)

Okay, that's it for now.  Thanks for reading.  :-)

BTW, Boden has both rolled out a collection for April and the Icons.  The Icons are nearly sold out, but the new stuff for April is still around and I have a code for 15% off below and in my sidebar.  I want to talk more about it, but I really wanted to get this post up instead.  I am sure Boden doesn't care which I do.  LOL.

Shop New Spring Arrivals Now With 15% Off Plus Free Shipping! Valid through 4/25 with code 8W5Q

Hola From Espana!

At the Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain.

At Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain.

(Done in the accent of my eldest with just a bit of a slight twang) "Hola, everybody!"

We've been out of the country for a week now, and I didn't even bother to tell anyone on the internet because I have been just that bad with keeping up with the blog writing.  To be fair, I did make a few of the pieces I brought with me to wear to Spain (including the two blue floral tunics CW and I are wearing above), so that took a bit of time.  I do teach, too, but really it's getting kind of ridiculous, this whole "where is Dina?"

I have kept up on Instagram, so check that out if you are interested in some daily shots I compiled from my phone.  

Literally at the same time we were leaving for Spain, Boden announced that they were adding 20% off to the mid-season sale, which I hadn't even had a chance to announce here, much less the 20% off.  I did add the links for the mid-season sale, but the 20% off, feh, yeah, right.  I hope that you all were able to enjoy either the mid-season sale or the 20% off mid-season sale.  I did get the Janie dress before the 20% off happened, and I am glad I did as the size I wanted was all gone by the time the extra % occurred.  Did any of you enjoy either sale?  Honestly, this was the only way I was going to buy anything from them this season (other than the beautiful Martha dress, of course).  The "meh" factor was high at the full price for most of this season's pieces, the "meh" goes down significantly when the prices go down.  ;-)

Anyhow, we've been having a great time here in this beautiful country.  We started in Madrid, took the fast train to Barcelona, and have had day trips to Figuerres and Montserrat.  There has been a ton of walking, so I actually can eat all the amazing food and drink without fearing weight gain.  When I say a lot of walking I mean between ten and twelve miles a day.  So, yeah, a lot.

We'll be back in Virginia in a couple of days.  More than likely if the mid-season happened right now that means Boden is going to drop some rollout or another soon, so be on the lookout.  I hope that the meh factor is gone, I am really missing the Boden of yore now.  (I love some of the Spanish retailers, btw, color/pattern/texture is very high on their list, and boring is out.  It's awesome!)

Talk with you all soon! Hope you all are having a great start to your April!

Below is the link for the sale at Boden, with the additional 20% off.  It lasts for another seven hours or so.  Use the code 8V9T.
Shop an extra 20% off sale AND get 20% off new full price styles with code 8V9T, valid 3/31-4/3

Made by Me File: The Joy of the Red Coat.

Before I start talking about the joy of making the red coat, I encourage you to visit the post I wrote up at Fabric Mart first, especially if you are a sewer.  I am sure it would be fine to replicate, word for word, and photo for photo, that post here, but since this blog is more focused on style, fashion, and garment reviews, I am choosing to leave the bulk of heavy sewing info there.

I am choosing to focus here instead on the journey I took to getting to a place where I made up a fully lined, fully tailored red coat in a month's time.  :-)

The back story here is important.  I wrote to Fabric Mart and told them I would love to make a coat for my January make.  I always enjoy picking out my projects with them, but most of the time the projects are not so involved.  Usually I'll make up a dress, or a top and pants, but I tend to not sew up intense projects as they don't really fit in with my hectic school and life schedule.  But dang it, I really wanted to challenge myself, so I said to myself I could figure it out and make it happen.

I asked what coating they had in stock and they mentioned that they were getting in a red wool, and if I was interested they would send it my way.  After looking at, I leaped, even though I wasn't fully convinced that the red would be "classic" red enough.  It definitely didn't look like a yellow-based red (which I usually wear, it suits my warmer complexion), but it didn't look like a blue-red, either, which I know would look horrible on me.

It ended up coming and I fell in love since it was indeed a true red, with no additional tones of blue or yellow.  The color is one of the four universal colors all people can wear, regardless of skin tone.  Looking at that universal color chart, it's true.  I normally can't wear purple, but the one purple on the list is the only shade of purple that doesn't make me look ill.

Deciding on a coat shape and design took me FAR longer than you would think it would.  Especially considering that once I had figured it out, I knew immediately what to do.  I hemmed and hawed over which design I wanted for a week or so.  Did I want a double-breasted trench, did I want a full a-line skirt on the coat, did I want a more modern shape like a cocoon?

It wasn't until I put on my Alabaster Tweed coat from J. Crew that I realized my design was under my nose.  Even though I didn't use a shape or coating like the Alabaster Tweed one, I decided I was being silly not looking through my coat closet for inspiration.  After all, you all here (especially if you have been reading for years), know how much I love my coats.  We may not wear them all the time here, but I adore them all, and wear them every chance I get.

If you have been reading the blog for long enough, you'll know exactly where I went to find my design inspiration, my Sybil coats, and my Bella jackets.  Ever since I started sewing, I knew that one day I would want to try and make my own version of these and get them in my wardrobe, but with my personal measurements and aesthetics leading the way, not one of J. Crew's designers making those choices for me.

And I do fully realize I am being derivative here, but at least my version is a bit different, especially in the lower half of the coat (the Sybil is a more straight up-and-down shape).
 

So I stopped my constant searching through my coat patterns and ebay for the "perfect" coat choice, and decided on the two coat patterns that would come together best to suit me and to realize my vision of the red coat I had in mind.

Vogue 8626 is a pattern I had seen over at Sewing Pattern Review a couple of years ago, and when I saw it, I swooned.  It was so pretty, feminine, and yet regal, at the same time.  And it was out of print.  It took me a few months, but eventually one in my size came up on ebay, and I bought it without hesitation.  The only issue I had with the coat was the design of the collar.  I don't know if you can tell, but when the collar is buttoned, it makes a weird pointy collar jut in one direction, and the asymmetry is too much for my eye, and I knew it would bug me if I made it up that way.

McCall's 7024 is a pattern I had seen when it came out and bought it as soon as possible.  I loved the collar because of how much it reminded me of the Sybil and the Bella.  Really the rest of the jacket is fine, but the collar was what I most wanted.  Though it is designed with a drawstring, I knew I could probably (and eventually) figure out what to do to omit the drawstring and have it properly stand up.

I had to make a muslin to ensure I was using the correct measurements, and thankfully, they were pretty close to right.  I did note that I needed to change up the way the side pleats on the back laid (they favored opening up to the center pleat and it didn't look right on me, so I chose to turn them into box pleats).

I am pleased that Vogue 8626 has cup sizes.  I have a very small bustline, 32B if I am lucky, and I have noticed that any pattern that doesn't have specific cup measurements built in will often manifest themselves in a bit of wrinkling above my chest below my collarbone.  The same thing happens when I wear a bra that is too big (which is a lot of the time, it is really hard to find a 32B bra that doesn't have underwire).  This coat has an A cup bodice, and it is a dream fit up there.  Seriously, hands thrown in the air, waving around, kind of fit.  I know fuller-bust ladies get a lot of attention for having to make FBAs on their clothes, but for those of us who are wee-er up there than average, have to do the same thing if we want a good fit.  People notice it less when things don't fit me properly since it doesn't mean gaping plackets or straining streams, but I get really bothered by those darn wrinkles.

This doesn't mean I am going to take on the challenge of the small bust adjustment every time I sew anything for my top half, but for tailored garments I darn well will.  It is worth the effort!

BTW, the belt above is called a Martingale belt.  I always just called it a "half-belt at the back," but now that I know what they are called, I am gonna throw that term around like it's hot.  LOL.

So the collar, the most important portion of my coat in realizing my vision...turns out the McCall's 7024 is a great dupe for the Sybil coat.  It is nearly the same.  The Bella is a bit off, as the Bella collar sits on a faux collar stand.  The way I made it stand just so was to interface the non-pleated side with fusible hair canvas on the bias (wanted it on the bias so it would be more easily molded when I was steaming it, on the straight grain I would have had a few more struggles to shape it since the straight grain prevents any stretching).

The buttons.  Well, it turns out that even though I had chosen a near match for the Sybil coat (they seriously are the same buttons as the ones on my other coats, but red), I wanted to use a flatter, variegated reddish button instead.  Now it fully is a coat that is "inspired by" but not a samesy copy.

Now that I have published this post I can actually start wearing the coat out and incorporating it into my ootd postings here and at Instagram.  Yes!  (I have to wait until the post publishes over there before I publish here.)

I know that some of you might have questions, so if you do, I encourage them.  Maybe some of you can even make your own versions of the Sybil/Bella?  I would love to see some more of these out there in the world of sewing.  :-)

OOTDs: School Style September and Early October.

Quick reminder: Boden's big mid-season sale ends tonight. The details about the sale are in the original post here with updated information in the latest BWRR.

The extra 20% off Boden's spring 2015 preview ends on the 15th.  I have plans to do a picks post tomorrow or Wednesday.

Onto the latest teacher outfits.  :-)  Note, unless I have something to mention outside of the teaching arena (after school and with family and friends), there won't be any anecdotes of the day in the teaching ootd posts. 

Day: Thursday, September 3, 2015.

Where:  First Day of Teaching and a baseball game.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) I have made this skirt for myself before in a pretty blue and brown and white floral (last time I wore it and the original sewing review), so I expected this version would be a slam dunk fit-wise.  (It was!)  I love the stretch cotton sateen, it's even from Joann's, which if you are a sewer, usually indicates a fabric that may not be up to snuff.  This one is...so pretty and looks like it will last a while.

Outfit Details: Skirt, handmade (Vogue 8916); Top, J. Crew; Shoes, A2 by Aerosoles; Shorts (from last photo), Boden; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

Anecdote of the Day: I was so stinking tired after school that day that I was *this* close to skipping out on the game.  I probably should have, I actually closed my eyes a few times while watching the game, and considering I normally can't sleep anyplace other than a quiet, dark room in my bed, I nearly fell asleep in those hard chairs in the bright baseball lights.  Yow.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, September 10, 2015.

Where:  Teaching and church.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  I felt fine, but I was worn out from the day before, so the tiniest bit of irritation felt enhanced.  This time it was the dress being just a skitch too tight on the upper hip.  Since the dress is made of a cotton, it stretched out and was fine an hour after putting it on, but still.  Boo.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden; Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Anthropologie.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, September 17, 2015.

Where:  Teaching.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Well this *dress* keeps getting shorter, but I am thinking I was more daring with my skirt length before I was teaching at the Catholic school.  You really do need to have the skirts as long as the knee (or right there close to it), unless you are wearing it with leggings.  So leggings it was!  The whole outfit is wonderfully, deliciously comfortable. And it's a pretty print, so yay!

Outfit Details:  Dress, J. Crew Factory; Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, September 18, 2015.

Where:  Teaching, Church, and CW's birthday dinner.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)

Outfit Details:  Dress, Ideology (from Macy's a gazillion years ago); Shoes, Cole Haan (similar here at amazon.com); Necklace, Tiffany's; Sunglasses, Target.

Anecdote of the Day:  CW's middle name is in honor our great grandmother (many greats added to it, of course) who had an apple variety in Minnesota named after her by my great grandfather (many greats there, too).  CW's favorite color is pink.  It was also her birthday that day, so wearing a pink, apple printed dress seemed especially appropriate.  I also love that I looked like Ms. Frizzle.  (#msfrizzleforever)

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Thursday, October 8, 2015.

Where:  Teaching.

Ease of Wear: (4.25 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.) Lands' End really has something special with this ponte sheath dress. So much so that I plan on going back for another version of it soon.  I wish it was a touch longer, but Lands' End lengthens their torsos on their dresses in the longs, so I can't purchase the long without it being too long in the bodice.  Sigh.  I am fine with it where it ends but would add an inch in an ideal world.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Lands' End; Shoes, Boden; Cardigan, Anthropologie; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

Day: Friday, October 9, 2015.

Where:  Teaching and church.

Ease of Wear: (4.5 of 5 stars--5 being the most easy to wear.)  Well I caved on this year's version of the Casual Weekend Dress.  I love last year's so much, and I love this green polka dot print (I have a long dress from Boden in this exact print from 2006!), I knew I would love this dress.  I do!  It is super cute, and the pockets are fab, of course.

Outfit Details:  Dress, Boden (here on clearance); Shoes, J. Crew; Necklace, Stella and Dot; Cardigan, J. Crew; Sunglasses, Target.

INSTAGRAM HERE.

I hope you have a great night!  :-) Thanks for reading!  I am glad I am back with something other than Boden sales alerts for once.  LOL.