Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Easy business wear


Strictly entre nous I love my new dress.  It is part of a six piece business wardrobe I'm working on.  The key elements are trans-seasonal wearability, easy wear/easy care and colour.  I've blogged before about my loathing of grey and black business wear.  My six pieces are the dress Burda Sept 2012 121; a Patrones 298 jacket in Teal ponte (pictured below); a black Palmer Pletsch mock wrap t-shirt McCalls 6513 view C; a pencil skirt in the same graphic print as the dress and teal jersey rouched cardigan both from Burda March 2013.  These fabrics are still available from Tessutis.
 
When I look at Burda's batwoman interpretation of this dress I can see why it hasn't been a popular choice with sewers.  A few tips - cut the side panels as a detached piece and dispense with the extra layer in the Burda design.  If using ponte or a reasonable weight fabric you don't need to line it.  Use piping to highlight the centre panel and sleeve edge.
 
I'm not sure if I have the discipline to sew all six pieces in sequence - I need a party dress for an occasion in September, but I'm mad keen to start on the jacket.  I love the style and will wear it with pants, skirts and the dress.
 
Off to make a muslin.  Meanwhile happy sewing!
 
 





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21 comments:

  1. UnknownJuly 24, 2013 at 5:17 AM

    I love the print you used on the dress! I need some wardrobe staples myself, your picks looks wonderful!

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  2. AliceJuly 24, 2013 at 6:45 AM

    That dress is gorgeous! I like the style and the fabric. It suits you so well.

    I can't make sewing plans, as I tend to rebel against everything, even myself! Good luck with yours.

    I love your colour block dress, by the way. I've only just seen it. How totally fabulous! You look knockout"!

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  3. IreneJuly 24, 2013 at 8:42 AM

    What a wonderful dress! The fabric is perfect. Looks so lovely on you.
    And ... I wish you success in your sewing plans. I never seem to be able to stick to "wardrobe capsule" plan. Something much more interesting pops into my head or something is much more necessary.

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  4. BeaJayJuly 24, 2013 at 4:21 PM

    Great dress. Love the colour and the centre panel really sets it off nicely. Looks great on you. Looking forward to seeing the wardrobe evolve.

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  5. SharonJuly 24, 2013 at 5:30 PM

    Gorgeous dress and love the centre panel and your wardrobe plans sound very impressive.

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  6. CarolynJuly 24, 2013 at 7:21 PM

    Hehe, "strictly entres nous" on the internet!!
    Your new work wardrobe is beautifully smart, and looks very professional

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  7. poppykettleJuly 24, 2013 at 8:13 PM

    I'm absolutely with you on the whole black and grey business suit thing. Nothing leaves me colder! The teal and print dress is gorgeous :) I'm not sure I could sew 6 practical things in a row like that... so I'll be super impressed if you mange it! hehe

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  8. velosewsJuly 24, 2013 at 8:18 PM

    These are great colour Gail!

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  9. katherine hJuly 24, 2013 at 10:14 PM

    Great dress! I love substantial knit dresses for work, for those days when I am running late and need to grab and go and still look ok...only you will looker better than ok in this dress...you will look fab!

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  10. Marie-NoëlleJuly 25, 2013 at 12:49 AM

    Great interpretation of the pattern. It looks so much better than the original. The colours are perfect for you.

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  11. DianaJuly 25, 2013 at 4:38 AM

    Love, love the dress. Gorgeous print,gorgeous colour and it looks wonderful on you Gail. Your sewing plan sounds lovely. And don't you love it when you need a party dress?

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  12. SewingelleJuly 25, 2013 at 5:37 AM

    This is great. I've been eying that pattern off. Love your version of it with colour and a print!
    -Sewingelle (sorry about the "Unknown". I only seem to have a google profile option available for me to comment with)

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  13. Sewing With a PlanJuly 25, 2013 at 10:19 PM

    Gail I really love your dress! Your plan for your work wardrobe sounds great. For years I thought that ponte was a little daggy but I recently made a black skirt in it and I love it now. I will definitely look at making a dress up in it too now I have seen how lovely yours is.

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  14. kbencoJuly 26, 2013 at 5:01 PM

    Your dress is a wonderful use of fabric mixing, I love the centre panel and how you have adapted the batwoman dress ;). Your 6 piece business wear plan sounds great.

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  15. meli88aJuly 26, 2013 at 7:33 PM

    That is sharp! I love the center panel, you look sleek.

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  16. UnknownJuly 28, 2013 at 12:50 AM

    Great dress - and the colour is fabulous. I also try to steer clear of too much black at work, it is so safe but so boring. They always remember the girl who stands out!

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  17. AllisonCJuly 30, 2013 at 3:27 AM

    The dress looks great, sometimes you really have to work hard to see beyond the styling in the magazine, love the print & fabric combo you used here.

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  18. WendyAugust 1, 2013 at 7:46 AM

    Gail
    So great to meet you today - it was wonderful to recognise you as one of my fav bloggers :)
    I look forward to seeing you again - maybe at an event organised by Kirstie
    Wendy

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  19. UnknownAugust 1, 2013 at 9:51 AM

    Hi
    love yr design and fabric choice, nice panel work
    http://evansville.metrolistings.org/sale-buy/clothes

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  20. ClioAugust 5, 2013 at 8:49 AM

    Beautiful! I liked this pattern when it came out - I think the weird little shrug turned people off, too.

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  21. StellaAugust 28, 2013 at 7:26 AM

    I love that outfit - and you're so right. We have far too much grey and black in our dresses for Work.

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