I know, I know,
is she seriously talking about fall already?! Yes, dear reader, yes! And as it is my favorite season, I'm not even going to apologize! As a seamstress, I need to start thinking about and planning my fall projects now, so I can get going on them and wear them when fall does arrive. We have been having an unusually cool week here, a welcome break after the 90 degree heat, and it is making me even more excited for cooler weather and the return of fall fashion!
I have collected some images that are inspiring me for the upcoming fall. Some are vintage, others are more modern editorials that have always stuck in my mind. I am dreaming of all things tweed, of hand knit sweaters, and cascades of plaid. Wishing for garments in rusty orange, acidic greens, warm golden yellows, and rich chocolate browns. I've got the fall bug already, and I have no complaints.
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| McQ Alexander McQueen, the absolute dream fall coat |
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| I am determined to make at least one plaid circle skirt like this one, if not more... |
I already have a huge wishlist of things to sew for fall, and I have most of the fabric in my stash already too! The major projects I have planned that I will need to buy fabric for will be a black wool 50's suit, black brocade for a circle skirt, and plaid flannel for another circle skirt. I'll show you guys some of the fabrics from my stash and talk about my fall sewing plans soon. I am also desperately trying to learn how to knit so I can try and make a cute 40's sweater for this fall/winter. Hopefully I can learn the skills required in time to start something soon. I will be on the hunt for some vintage style sweaters to buy too, if I can find any seeing as everything in the stores seems to be over-sized this season.
Are any of you thinking about your fall wardrobe already? I think it's best to identify holes in your wardrobe that you can fill to give you more options than you had before. Then you can start adding more of the for fun stuff. I happen to be a bit (*ahem*) of a maximalist when it comes to these things, but I digress...
A big, glistening jewel toned yes to absolutely everything here. Fall is my favourite season in just about every front, fashion and colour palettes both very much included. I've already started shifting into those darker shades a bit lately, despite the fact that we still have roasty-toasty summer weather here.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs,
♥ Jessica
Agreed! As far as I am concerned, fall starts September 1st, so I am in full preparation mode :)
DeleteI need some fall appropriate blouses and skirts in my wardrobe, and i'm dying to draft my own pair of jodhpurs! I recently traced out McCall 4184 (Its a 40's suit pattern which I can't find any photos online??- save for the skirt, ran out of tracing paper), and I'd love to make up that suit set.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sure you'll have a hang of knitting soon once you get the basics down! You'll be pumping out awesome sweaters in no time!
Carla, TinyAngryCrafts
Jodhpurs are surprisingly easy to make if you already have a pants pattern you like/know fits you. They definitely feel funny at first, adding width to the thigh is not a natural thing to be doing! I have just officially started my first go at a scarf and so far it's going well, I can't wait to be making sweaters!
DeleteOoh, you've inspired me incredibly! All those images are gorgeous! Thanks for passing on the Autumnal bug, Bianca. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about what I want to wear for fall, but I know I'll be hard pressed for time as I'm starting college very soon. For colours, I'm dreaming of deep purple, burgundy, browns, greys, neutrals, and black - but not all together, as that would be a bit of a disaster, haha. I love horse riding outfits too, so I'll have to look into making some jodhpurs.
Have you seen the Downton Abbey fan-magazine with all the inspired patterns in? I picked one up when I visited America last summer, and the designs are fantastic for vintage. There are some horsey garments as well as the usual flapper items, and a gorgeous tweed cloche! They'd be great for making some fall clothes. :)
Also, on a completely unrelated note, I was wondering if I could please ask you a question about stays. I want to make a Georgian sack-back gown at some point, and I'm thinking of starting with the undergarments first, to get the correct fit. I'm a complete newbie to costuming. :) Is there a specific type or design era of stays that would be easier for a beginner, and also be appropriate for most of the 18th century dresses? For example, would stays from the earlier 1700s be best, or from 1780s, etc, onward?
Sorry for the pestering, but I thought somebody who has made a lot of historical garments would be best to ask! Thanks!
You would be surprised how well all of those colors would look together! I haven't seen the magazine you mentioned, but perhaps we don't get such awesome Downton merch here in the US. I definitely want to make a wool cloche this fall!
DeleteAs for stays, the silhouette you are after will determine which style of stays you should make. Earlier in the 18th century stays created a stiffer completely conical shape but in the 1780's this changed to the front having a curve. Instead of being straight up and down over the front, the stays curve pushing the bust upwards more. I would say look at which decade of gown you want to make and then decide on your stays based on which style you need for the correct silhouette. Something with a subtle front curve may serve you for the 1770's-through the 1790's. I would say both styles of stays are the same level of difficulty to construct. The main thing is to make a mock up first so you know they will fit before you invest a ton of time. I usually use a thick fabric and tape the boning onto it to use as a mock up for fitting. I think strapless stays are easier to fit than ones with straps, and this > (http://www.elizabethancostume.net/custompat/) basic stays pattern generator has always worked as a great starting point pattern for me in the past. They key thing for making them comfortable in the end is making sure the waist (where the tabs begin) is in the right spot (at your own natural waist) otherwise the stays can be rather uncomfortable when they shouldn't be. There are tons of super awesome resources for stay making online from various costume bloggers so I recommend checking those out so you can get a good idea of the process and avoid mistakes others may have already worked out. Perhaps I should write an entire post about this :) Good luck!
Thank you very much for the advice! I'll definitely make a strapless stay instead of a full set of stays. They look more comfy, too. :)
DeleteOooh, I needed this inspiration! I am more likely to dream spring and summer looks. Can't wait to see what you make!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how we can be naturally drawn to different seasons, I rarely feel inspired for spring/summer. This year that was different for once and I had a lot of summery (Safari-inspired) ideas. I am always dreaming of fall clothes, it has always been my favorite season for dressing! Perhaps because I love scarves so much and it is prime scarf season :)
DeleteThis resonated well with my own fall-wants-and-needs :D Sadly, fall is already here in Norway so I missed my chance to have a wardrobe upgrade ready. Oh well, there's always next fall :)
ReplyDeleteI second that stay-post, too. I'm in the planning stage now, and really would like some pointers.
Wow! Fall starts early up there! I am definitely adding a post on stays to my calendar now :)
DeleteI love all these wonderful autumn outfits and many of the things you have mentioned are on my autumn wish list. It is my favourite season too, I love all the colours and fabrics and of course, the fact that you can wear all your lovely knitted goodies!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate, me too! I can't wait for it to cool off just a little bit so I can break out my fall wardrobe!
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