Erica Bunker | DIY Style! The Art of Cultivating a Stylish Wardrobe: culottes

Review: New Look 6446 | Stripe Tie Waist Culotte Jumpsuit!

12:00 AM

I've been so drawn to nautical stripes this season. It seems like all of the fabric I touch has navy blue in it. I was cruising around my local Hancock Fabrics' going out of business sale. I declared I wouldn't buy a single cut of fabric until it was at least 50% off. For all of the years I've shopped there that I can remember, I've ALWAYS used their 40% off coupon. So it would make no sense for me to buy fabric with any less reduction. Especially when I have a Joann Fabrics in the same shopping center with their normal 50% off coupon. And while I was browsing, I ran across this great vertical stripe shirting fabric. That's how it was listed. It's really just a poly crepe-like fabric with an amazing drape. And it's opaque enough that the bottom didn't require a lining. So, I snagged several yards.

And while I was in Joann on the same shopping excursion, I happened upon New Look 6446. It was a marriage in sewing heaven!

The jumpsuit has a bib style front, I love that it has front slanted pockets and a sleek style belt for waist cinching. I cut the size 14 in the bodice and the size 16 in the pants. I've noticed throughout the years that New Look patterns run around a size smaller than the Big 4 patterns. So I knew I had to measure carefully so that I wouldn't end up with hurt feelings and major fabric waste disappointment.

I made sure the prominent stripe print was front and center. And I cut the front band on the cross grain, to give interest to the design. And I also made sure the prominent stripes were centered on the shoulder straps.

The jumpsuit has an invisible zipper and the bodice is lined. I used a stretch lining leftover from this skirt.

The alterations I made were adding 1" to the bodice and 3" to the pants length.

Styling tip: Even in this nautical print, this jumpsuit is a great way to stay chic in the city in this on trend style. I paired mine with white sunglasses, a classic white pump, a silver choker, the of-the-moment must have straw bag. And I tossed on my navy blue Vogue 1439 jacket, for those chilly air conditioners. I also plan to wear this with a denim jacket and flat sandals for a casual style.

Bold Colors

Review: McCall's 7167 | The Criss Cross Back Culotte Jumpsuit!

12:00 AM

McCall's 7167 | The Criss Cross Back Culotte Jumpsuit! Erica B's DIY Style!

For those of you non-believers who doubted the staying power of the jumpsuit YEARS ago? Well, clutch your pearls. The jumpsuit isn't going anywhere, anytime soon. Be mad! LOL And to really wash your face with it, different iterations just keep on coming forth. Like the culotte jumpsuit. This is my second variation on this trend. As much as I loved the first version, and even though I made it sleeveless, the fully-lined garment in the fabric that I chose is way too hot for this time of year. So, she's packed away until fall.

Whereas, some versions of the the jumpsuit have slim tapered legs, by definition the culotte jumpsuit is wide leg. My personal rule of thumb is if I have volume on the bottom, the top should be fitted. And as far as the hemline on culottes go -- think of it as a midi skirt. If you can wear a midi skirt, you can wear culottes and that's where your hem should fall.

I picked McCall's 7167, because I loved the details. The criss cross open-back is perfect for summertime. I love halters and this fits right into my wardrobe perfectly. This pattern comes in cup sizes. I cut the size 12, with a C cup and graded out to the 14 at the waist. I always make a one inch bodice alteration. I don't know if it's because this pattern came already adjusted for cup sizes, but I had to go back and remove that one inch because I had fabric pooling around the waist.

This waistband piece sits at the natural waist. So if these were pants, they'd be high-waist pants. Keep that in mind. And being that this is a jumpsuit, I added an inch to the rise length. The main thing you MUST avoid with a jumpsuit is a wedgie. And as a tall girl, it's a rare find to discover a RTW jumpsuit that doesn't give me one. And the last alteration was an additional two inches to the length.

After creating my daughter's bodice for her graduation outfit, I should've known better. But I didn't. My fabric is green Baby Silk Ultra Polyester from Hancock. I love the idea of a 4-ply silk crepe jumpsuit, but I enjoy even more the ability to just toss it into the washer. And I love the way this fabric feels. But back to the bodice... I decided to self-line the bodice so I wouldn't have to bother with trying to find a coordinating lining fabric. It just made sense. BUT, I feel that it should've been completely interfaced. If not the front, then definitely the criss cross straps. If I make this again, I'm going to do that. I feel they would lie better and feel sturdier. And even though crepe de chine is a recommended fabric, for a bodice like that and one that if you're like me a bra might NOT be an option, interfacing would be beneficial. And about that bra... I have a serious underpinning collection... like I have some real trick bras in my collection and nothing was working with this jumpsuit. So if that's going to be an issue for you, then I just using the full coverage bra-friendly back.

Overall, even after working through the fitting issues I had -- not saying that everyone will have these -- I love this jumpsuit. Especially the side zipper. I'm still trying to decide if I want my zipper on the right side or the left. This one is on the left and I'm right-handed. It feels a little awkward zipping it. So next time, I may move it.

BFW2015

Birmingham Fashion Week 2015 - What I Wore Night 3

10:45 AM

Erica B.'s - D.I.Y. Style!: Butterick 6183 - Tribal Print Culottes

I've been a sewing fool this week. I haven't sewn so many things for me in such a close period of time in only God knows when! But I call this "Stress Free Sewing". It's always fun being overwhelmed doing something YOU love. So for the last day of Birmingham Fashion Week, I wanted something else new to wear. I'd bought this great Tribal Diamond Black and White Stretch Satin Suiting Cotton Fabric -- to satiate my love of black and white and I wanted a printed pair of culottes.

I had previously added Butterick 6183 to my collection when the pattern came out because I thought it was really cute. And plus, I'm going through a culotte phase. This is my first time sewing a Lisette pattern. Even though they're cute, they've never really appealed to my aesthetic until this latest collaboration with Butterick. I googled, but to no avail I didn't find a review of the pants/culottes. It seems there is great fondness over the top though. So, I was literally sewing this unknown, new pattern a couple of hours before I was to put these pants on and go. I like to live life on the edge.

This pattern runs small based on my experience with other McCall Pattern Company pants patterns. And I've sewn PLENTY to make that judgement call. Based on the flat pattern measurements I cut the 16, when I would normally cut a 14 with possible waist and center back adjustments. It's cut very narrowly, so I'm extremely happy that my fabric had stretch because this pattern has no ease -- whatsoever. I personally think it would work better for a ponte knit instead of a woven. And yes, as you see, they sit pretty high at the waist.

I sewed these straight from the envelope. I didn't add any length, however I didn't cuff mine so that was an extra couple. This pattern in general doesn't hold a candle to my beloved Vogue 9032. And I unfortunately regret not using my fabric for that culotte version. But I wanted something quick and V9032 has a LOT of pieces. Will I sew this one again? Definitely not. Do I recommend it? Meh... going into it, just be aware that you WILL need to size up. And if your waist isn't significantly smaller than your hip measurement, you're going to have an issue there as well. A year ago, this pattern would've been an EPIC failure -- I wouldn't have even gotten the zipper up. The outcome was pretty mediocre, but I really loved the tribal print of the fabric. And I added a simple Norma Kamali off-the-shoulder knit top and my beautiful Maasai necklace.

culottes

Review: Vogue 9075 | Cream Crepe Culotte Jumpsuit!

12:00 AM

Vogue 9075 | Cream Crepe Culotte Jumpsuit! - Erica B's DIY Style!

It's spring sewing time y'all! And we had the perfect weather this weekend to actually be outside sleeveless without looking like a fool!

So, out of all of the newly released patterns, Vogue 9075 is the first one I made. It's pretty ironic because it wasn't love at first sight. I really crinkled up my nose and kept right on scrolling when I first saw it. It had to grow on me. So by the time they went on sale at Hancock, I looked at it in the big book and I was sold. Do you ever have to do that? Go in the store and sit down and flip through the catalog? It's something about the big glossy pages that allow me to study the lines and see them in a different way that I don't necessarily get when looking at them online.

I knew from the jump that I didn't want the sleeves. Even if I make that cute little full-skirt dress, I'm still going to make it sleeveless. Something about those little sleeves that just make me not a fan. Maybe it's the odd length. I can do a cap sleeve, but that short sleeve? Just no... But I do reserve the right to change my mind! I'm a woman and it's my prerogative -- if I see something that's fabulous that compels me to sew it. So don't hold me to that.

So for this pattern, I cut the 14. I lengthened the bodice by an inch. This bodice is cut to be very fitted. Just wanted to give you the heads up on that. Since I've lost some inches off the bust and reduced a couple of cup sizes, I didn't need to make a FBA. That's one alteration that I'm not going to miss doing. When making jumpsuits, my number one concern is always crotch depth. Camel toe action is NOT cute, no matter who sews it! LOL When I measured the rise, it measured fine so I didn't have to make an alteration there. And when I measured the inseam, I liked the length. I would normally add 2-3 inches to the length. But I decided that since this jumpsuit pretty much looks like a dress, I would let the hem fall exactly as I would if this were actually a midi dress or skirt. Any longer, I just don't think it would've come across as chic as I would've wanted it to. So, if you're shorter than me (I'm 5'9"), you may want to consider the length and where you'd like for the hem to fall.

I made this in this gorgeous cream wool-like poly blend crepe. It's absolutely stunning fabric. It looks and feels like a very lightweight wool crepe. But it's a poly/viscose/lycra blend. The fabric drapes beautifully as you can see. I decided to omit the pockets for obvious reasons. And I fully-lined the jumpsuit in a nylon tricot.

The great thing about poly is that it's not quick to wrinkle. I sat down to put on my shoes and rode in the the car with only minimal wrinkling. As much as I want to be a "fabric purist", I love arriving to my destination without looking as if I slept in my clothes. So in this instance, hip hop hurray for polyester!