So I spent my Sunday morning perusing the huge September issues.  I love fall!  This is MY season.  I'm a Virgo... my birthday is approaching... I love layering... wool, tweeds and boots!  I love seeing the foliage and feeling the crisp breeze.  I love all things fall!  I get overwhelmingly excited while planning my fall wardrobe.  I want to make everything!  My list is always a pages!  So here are some things that I've currently added.

I imediately spotted a major trend: The Bow Blouse.  They were coming at me from every direction.  I've toyed with the idea of making one for a couple of years.  

Vogue 8772

But being that I'm currently loving all things 1970's, I'm defintely making one this year.

And for added inspiration, notice the pants in this ad?

Vogue 1464 will be going on my list.

A fall maxi dress.  It's always so hot here, that I can't stand being swathed in yards of fabric in the summertime.  I like my maxis when it's a cooler.  And this beautiful interpretation from Chloe in a fall floral print is boho chic perfection!

McCall's 7242 is a great version.

A fringed skirt, which can be made by modifying a basic pencil skirt.

I live on Instagram.  It's a great source of inspiration.  I consider it the "quick and dirty" side of blogging.  If it weren't for the fact that I sew and I have more than a few lines to say about a project,  and I like to include links, I'd consider using my IG account full-time.  And because I'm very visual, I rarely read blog posts unless I'm truly interested in what the person made or is wearing and I need to know the details.  Or perhaps there's some sort of interesting story going.  And I know plenty of others do the same.  I can tell based on the questions that are asked in comments.

Today's inspiration is taken from New York Times Fashion.  They're a great source for highlights of runway shows and fabulous street style, hence the above photo.  By the way, that's blogger Talisa Sutton, who was heading to Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney.  

What instantly grabbed my attention about her look was her top.  I made my similar top back in September and paired it with a black guipure lace skirt.  I had always intended to wear it in a casual way.  I'd been waiting for Spring weather, because with the full, flared sleeves, I didn't want to fight with coat sleeves.  I'd almost forgotten about it until I saw that fabulous reminder in my feed a couple of days ago.  Her top is by Australian designer Ellery.

And for the flared jeans, I pulled out my Jalie 2908 jeans.  I made these jeans six years ago and they've held up remarkably well with washing and wearing.  I'm even impressed.  They've since undergone alterations.  I'm a couple of sizes smaller than I was at the time.  But since I put in so much work into the construction, and I was quite proud to say that I made a pair of jeans, I couldn't bare parting with them.

Do you use Instagram?  Do you find inspiration for fashion and sewing there?

Sometimes when your sewing mojo has taken a hike, the easiest way to motivate one's sewing self is through pure magazine inspiration.  In the age of all things digital, it's good to fall back on the satisfaction of simply flipping through the glossy editorial pages of a fashion magazine.  

At one point, I thought Issuu.com and Pinterest had almost ruined the experience for me.  But it's just something about daylight savings time and the turn of the new season that inspires me to grab an actual magazine.  No matter how many Pinterest boards I create, I still love to rip out those pages and push pin them to my inspiration corkboard.  I must know what they think is hot!

My inspiration for this dress was pulled from the pages of the April 2015 issue of Marie Claire.  The dress is Alexander Wang Pre-Fall 2015.

I had recently purchased this fabulous striped ponte knit from Mood Fabrics.com.  The weight and quality of this ponte knit is unlike any I've ever felt outside of a ready-to-wear garment.  If you're looking to make a fitted body-con dress, then I suggest you seek a ponte knit swatch from Mood.  

I used McCall's 6886, once again.  This is such a great basic pattern that is perfect for when you have a spectacular fabric that you want to be the star.

I used the same cut pieces as before, which was the size 14.  But I needed to shave down the sides by 1.5" each.  The stripes run horizontal... selvage to selvage.  But I cut it the other way for my look.  And instead of hemming the neckline, I wanted my dress to be a little closer to my inspiration piece.  So I used the black stripe in the fabric, that was serendipitously 1.25" wide.  Which was perfect for a 5/8" neck binding.  I just cut into the white part so that I would have a seam allowance.  How I did this was to trim down the neckline on the front and the back by 5/8".  And stitch the binding on as if it was meant to be like that.

 I'm thinking that this pattern is officially a "TNT" that I'll be making over and over.

Happy Friday!  I find inspiration everywhere.  But I mostly find it from reading fashion and style blogs, my favorite retail site: Net-a-Porter.com and of course, Pinterest.  My brain is constantly on spring fashion lately.  It's all I can think about.  Here are a few things that I've pinned this week and the sewing pattern doppelgänger.

Alexander McQueen

Vogue 9075

My pattern pick for the Alexander McQueen fiery red flirty mini dress is this pattern.  Since I recently made the jumpsuit from this selection, I know how the bodice fits and to me, that's the most important part of a fit and flare style.  The bodice of the pattern is different from the McQueen, but I love princess seams because you can easily adjust the fit.

Alice + Olivia

McCall's 5530 (OOP) 

When I saw the Alice + Olivia jacket, I stopped what I was doing and immediately went to my pattern cabinet and pulled this one out.  I've had this pattern since it was initially released and I never got around to making it.  I'm so glad I was reminded of this adorable jacket.  I'd love to make mine in white just like the original.  Alice + Olivia styled theirs with high-waist wide-leg pants.  I'd probably do something similar.  Or maybe something as along the lines of what Stacey Bendet would do, like a maxi skirt!

MCQ Alexander McQueen

Butterick 6169 and 6183

I wasn't immediately blown away by the styling of the new Butterick Lisette patterns.  But I looked away from the envelope and looked at the potential of each piece on its own.  Now, how cute would that moto jacket be when paired with the culottes?  I say pretty darn fabulous!

The white jumpsuit is from BrooklynBlonde.com and the black one is Michael Michael Kors.

McCall's 7099

Let's all face the facts:  jumpsuits are NOT going anywhere anytime soon.  They are the ultimate one-piece dressing.  And a long-sleeve peg-leg jumpsuit is a must have for me.  I picked this one.  Whether I make this one, or change out the bodice for a button style, I'm making one of these.

J.Crew's Endless Classic Shirt 

Butterick 5526

J.Crew has made the big shirt hot to me again.  It's like throwing on one of your boyfriend/husband's shirts with a pair of distressed jeans.  I make an awesome white shirt just about every year.  So this one is at the top of my list for this spring.  And this Butterick version is perfect.  I've already made one of the views before, so I know it's a great pattern.

Who:  Marjorie Harvey

Who is she:  Wife of Steve Harvey

Today's style crush is the fabulous at 50, yes 50 year old grandmother.  Marjorie hosts "The Lady Loves Couture" blog because well, this lady LOVES couture!  And is always front and center at Paris Fashion Weeks.

What I love about Marjorie's style is that even though she's 50, she's not afraid to flaunt it!  She's clearly a woman that has always taken good care of herself and it shows.  And she does fashion in a way that a confident woman of means does it without having it come across as "mutton dressed as lamb".

Her casual looks are just as fabulous as her couture looks.

And she also does edgy in an effortless way.  Check out this high-low skirt and the boots!

Not only is Marjorie a style crush, but she's also my "GlamMa" crush.  Grandmothers are no longer little old ladies these days!  What a fabulous inspiration to aspire to as I head closer to 50!

Who:  Shiona Turini

Who is she:  Fashion Market Director, Cosmopolitan

Some people gush over celebrity style.  Me?  Not so much.  Celebrities have glam squads that pull them together.  I love fashion editors!

No one has a wardrobe like fashion editors, especially this Bermudian beauty who is one of my favorites!  And when wearing this fabulous Ungaro coat, why wouldn't she be?

Shiona always wears striking statement pieces that are to die for! 

One of her signature looks is a crop top, and I love it here juxtaposed with a leather accent and a high-waist, lady-like full midi skirt.

Don't get me started on her accessories!  She stacks and layers jewelry like nobody's business!

The Fashion Market Director is constantly being snapped outside of Fashion Weeks all over the world and I see why.  Shiona's tip for pulling together an outfit:

This is the Tibi Spring 2013 Collection that was shown at Birmingham Fashion Week on Saturday, the finale night.  Even though I inject a lot of color in my wardrobe, I love an all black outfit and I'd naturally rather default to all black.  And for those of you that feel the same way, here's great inspiration for adding pops of white, spring pastels and prints into your warm weather ensembles.

Note:  Notice the pants on the right.  Very similar to McCall's 6707.