SPRING COLLECTION: DESIGN #4

Here is the fourth look in my collection! The inspiration for this look came from the way that waves look when they break off at shores. I usually start with one element that I want to focus on and then build the rest of the look around it. I knew I wanted a pair of pants in my collection for the sake of variety and what better shape than bell bottoms? After finalizing my design for the pants, I then worked to keep this look within the aquatic mood by dying the basic top with a turquoise ombre effect. The jacket was originally part of a different look but due to lack of time in completing that look to my satisfaction, I decided to feature it with this outfit, rather than not feature it at all after all the time I spent on it. Luckily, the bell bottom sleeves in this jacket still cohere well with the pants! I do plan on remaking this jacket in my next collection; I don't want to say much to keep it a surprise but I'll be using a lot of lace and intricate trim that I have been hoarding ;)

To make the pants, I used a pair of stretchy bell-bottoms I already owned because I needed to make sure that the pants would fit tight and would billow out at the right places. Patterns tend to be cut on the wider side while also compensating for more curves, so for me, using a commercial pattern would still require more extensive altering afterwards. At Jo-Anns, I bought this cream-colored, wrinkly cotton/polyester fabric which was $6 a yard and I bought 2 yards of it. What I pretty much did was lay out the bell bottoms on top of the fabric and cut around the shape I needed for the leg piece. I now had a pattern piece for the legs that I knew would be sure to fit!

After finishing the seams and zipper for the pants,  came the detail work with the ruffle tulle trim I had purchased for only 50 cents a yard! I bought 5 yards of it. I wanted to use various lengths of strips of the trim on the sides of the bell bottoms so that when you walked, the movement of the pants would exaggerate the flutter of the trim and help echo that foamy look of breaking waves. I pinned the trim on and sewed them directly on. I wish I could show you all a video of how they look in movement but I hope you understand the concept I was going for!

Last, came the top and jacket. The top was made with the same bodice pattern I had been using for the previous looks. However, for the jacket, I made the pattern entirely on my own with no help from any store bought patterns so I am especially proud of this piece even though I plan on redoing it later! The jacket actually has a sharp V shape down the center front but is cut horizontally across in the back. To construct the bodice of the jacket, I started by using muslin and pinning it to the dress form (adjusted to my measurements) the way I wanted it to look and removing and redrawing with chalk where the cutting and seam lines would be. For the sleeves, I had a little help from a regular long sleeve top I owned so I could see what shape that sleeve patterns had, particularly at the underarm area. Using that general shape, I altered the pattern to have bell bottom sleeves. I sewed the sleeves to the bodice and basically cut out a rectangular shape with added interfacing, to attach onto the top of the bodice in the neck area, to make a collar. I might also mention that this jacket was lined too! :)

In summary, I went though once again, less than $30 for all the materials for this complete look! The only fabrics used were thin muslin, thick muslin, and the cotton/poly wrinkled fabric; the only additional materials were 2 zippers, some hooks and eyes, scraps of interfacing, and dye of course. I hope the inspiration for this look translated well to you all from what I had envisioned in my mind! Nonetheless, I still ended up with a pair of pants that I personally think are lovely regardless! :)