Erica Bunker | DIY Style! The Art of Cultivating a Stylish Wardrobe: September 2015

Fall 2015

Patterns That I'm Wanting!

1:00 PM

I can't even tell y'all how happy I am to see new eveningwear options from Vogue Patterns. I love this jumpsuit. The holiday season is rapidly approaching. And when it's chilly and possibly rainy, sometimes the idea of putting on a dress can be my biggest deterrent for leaving the house. Vogue 9160 is a must have for my jumpsuit-obsessed self.

I'm not necessarily the biggest full skirt fan. But this neckline which would be super flattering on me has me sold. Vogue 1471 from new Vogue Patterns designer Nicola Finetti is also a great eveningwear/holiday wear option. I had to google this new designer because I was unfamiliar with the brand. I like what I see. I hate they only have two pattern options because I see a lot more that I would love to make.

I love a great tunic, especially made in silk crepe de chine. And I know that Vogue 9151 would be worn until it's threadbare.

I don't know if I'm mentally done with the asymmetrical skirt focus I've had lately. But I really love the shape of this one. I could see Vogue 9154 made in leather or suede.

And I also took the time to sit down in the store and flip through all of the catalogs. I haven't done that in a while.

See... that asymmetrical skirt be calling me! This one is Simplicity 1500.

Ponchos, ponchos, ponchos and MORE ponchos! Not only are they all over the stores this season, I'm currently drawn to the patterns. The one thing about a poncho is that it's a GOOD trend! It's cyclical. Even when they go out of style, just pack it away. It'll be back in a few years!

McCall's 7255

McCall's 6209

Butterick 6252

And what I plan to wear under my ponchos? Skinny pants in a ponte knit or a stretch faux leather!

I didn't know that I wanted a stirrup pant until I saw Burda 6745. What I don't like is the stirrup showing. I'd actually wear mine in boots.

I never think about Kwik Sew Patterns. These are basic often-overlooked jewels! Another awesome looking skinny pant pattern is Kwik Sew 3807. I love the zippers at the ankle. These would be so cute with flat shoe or ankle boot.

I always need pretty professional dresses in my wardrobe. And even though I would save this one until Spring/Summer, Kwik Sew 4111 is currently on my radar.

I love this skirt. I love skirts with "interest". And the Simplicity 1322 version of the wrap pencil skirt fits that bill.

I've said for a while that I wanted to make a denim skirt. And lo and behold, Burda 6769 was right under my nose.

And what would I wear with MY denim skirt? Well, a Burda 6849 denim shirt of course!

I have several pussy bow blouse patterns, but hey what's one more? I think Burda 6840 should be added to my collection.

And I simply think that Burda 6981's high-waist pants are adorable.

And one more draped jacket from Burda 7184!

I'm admittedly a Vogue Patterns sewer. I'm sure I sew more Vogue Patterns than any other line. So it was good for me to take the opportunity and sit down and see what the others had to offer.

Fall 2015

Review: Vogue 1465 Scuba Knit Top and Another Vogue 8956 Skirt!

12:00 AM

Fall is most definitely in the air. I can't even express how much I love this seaon. So maybe this outfit can successfully portray Alabama in Autumn.

As you all can see, I'm completely in love Vogue 8956. When I made my first version, I bought the black and the brown leather buckle tabs. So I knew I'd be making a brown version. I don't know what it is about this style that has captured me, but it most definitely has for now. This skirt is very Ralph Lauren. I've been a fan of the designer and his equestrian style for many, many years. And the houndstooth fabric and leather buckle tab details is pretty much a signature of his.

I found this brown houndstooth suiting fabric at Hancock and I knew that it would be perfect for the skirt I'd envisioned. I made it exactly the same way as the black one. But this time, I wondered how it would look wrapped in the opposite direction? Well, voila! It looks fine to me! I quickly researched a few RTW versions of this kind of skirt just to make sure I wasn't on some brand of crazy.

Here's a closeup of the fabric and the buckles. I tried to find the fabric on Hancock's website, but I had no luck. I can't say whether or not I'm done with this style. But time will tell!

I love basics. Basics are the foundation of any great wardrobe. If you don't have good basics, well... you may need to focus on that for a while.

Back when Vogue 1465 was released, a few people that reviewed the new batch of patterns "assumed" that the armholes were low. So what. Even if they are, that's no reason (for me) to write off a pattern. All you have to do is measure and raise the armscye if necessary. It wasn't necessary on this one at all. And I'm so glad I made this pattern. It's another soon-to-be favorite. I want it a basic black, white/ivory, and I even think I'll lengthen it into a dress. I like it just that much.

I cut the size 12 straight from the envelope. I didn't have to make a single adjustment. My fabric is a great scuba knit or neoprene -- I guess it depends on who you ask. It didn't require any finishing. I treat my scuba/neoprene that same way it's done in high-end RTW. Other than the beautiful topstitching, this pattern can almost be completed within an hour's time.

I wore it Saturday for the talk I did on "Fall Fashion's Do's and Don'ts".

It was a great turn out. Everytime I do one of these, I feel like I get more and more comfortable being at the podium discussing something I'm so passionate about. My friend Shundra Davis aka Mrs Crafty Chick Periscoped for me. Unfortunately a Periscope broadcast only last 24 hours and this was my first time doing one and I'm just not familiar at all with how to make it link with Katch.me (the site that saves the the broadcast). But now, I really love the idea of Periscope, so I'll be playing with it a lot more. I'll probably being doing quick sewing technique videos and maybe some shopping stuff.

All in all, I had a great weekend and a great outfit was the icing on the cake!

dresses

Review: Vogue 1460 | The Perfect Ponte Knit Dress for Fall!

12:00 AM

Erica Bunker DIY Style! Vogue 1460 sewn using a Ponte Knit from Mood Fabrics.com

This is the perfect dress for the official first day of fall! It's super comfortable and a "wardrobe basic". It's essentially a sweatshirt dress. This is my Mood Sewing Network item for the month. I usually try to align my Mood project with an event that I'm attending.

The fabric is a Heather Gray Polyester Blend (poly/rayon/lycra) Ponte Knit from Mood Fabrics.com that is probably one of the softest, yet at the same time - luxurious knits I've ever used. I'm not just saying this because I'm a Mood blogger, but as far as ponte knits go, they have pretty much the best quality that I've ever encountered. This knit reminds of a cashmere blend knit that's used in high-end loungewear.

What I love most about this fabric is that it's not super stretchy, but it has enough for fabric recovery so there is no bagging after periods of sitting. And the blending of the poly/rayon gives the knit a polished look without wrinkling. And that's perfect for my lifestyle. I attend a lot of events where I'm sitting. And when I stand to mix and mingle, I don't want to be looking like a hot wrinkled mess. You could travel in this dress and still arrive crisp and fabulous!

My pattern is Vogue 1460, from Badgley Mischka. I cut the size 14, because this dress is really fitted. Make sure you check the finished pattern sizing. I added an inch to the bodice length and 2 inches to the skirt. I like for skirts and dresses to be 27" from the natural waist to the hem. That's pretty much my standard length on almost every sheath style dress I make.

The bodice is the only part of this dress that is lined. The armholes of the lining are finished with a 5/8" hem. At first, I wondered why a lining was needed? I wanted this to be sewn quickly and briefly considered if I could get away with omitting the lining. I'm glad I did what I was supposed to do. This dress has a pleated/draped bateau neckline. Notice the inside. The lining stabilizes and keeps it perfectly in place. When I wore it, it didn't feel fussy. So make sure to use your lining if you make this. It's there for a reason! My lining fabric is a black tricot from my stash. I'm not even sure where I purchased it.

Here is the lining in the back and the zipper. Since this is a knit and the tricot is very thin, I just treated both fabrics as one, like an underlining.

Another thing that I've seen before and rolled my eyes at the instructions is that they would have you use seam binding to reinforce the skirt seams at the slit. I just fuse interfacing to the slit area making sure I go a little beyond the foldline and back tack really well. The sleeves and the hem are both finished with a 1" hem.

Styling tip: When I initially put this dress on, I loved the simplicity of the design, but I thought - "basic". And considering my venue: A Fall Fashion Presentation at Saks Fifth Avenue during the evening, I wanted to be anything but! This dress needed a little zhooshing up. And that's what accessories are for! I added a cream, black and gray BCBG belt (it's old) and my newly favorite magenta suede pumps. And I grabbed my black tote because it was already packed! With this neckline, I liked my hair up. I decided to go with big dangling chandelier earrings and no necklace -- because of the statement belt. It can also be worn with anything from a pair of Converse sneakers to flat riding boots with a denim jacket.

We all need basics in our wardrobes. Everything doesn't have to be bright colored or bold printed. That's how you create wardrobe orphans that you get sick of wearing, people get sick of seeing you wear and you end up with a closet full of nothing to wear. A basic dress like this is like a clean slate every time you pull it out because of the range of possibilites as far as styling goes.

Wardrobe Stylist

Fall Fashion Do's & Don'ts Presentation!

3:00 PM

Fall 2015

Review: Vogue 8956 | The Asymmetrical Wrap Skirt!

12:00 AM

So, my head is completely wrapped up in Fall sewing! It's all I can think about. This is the latest addition to my fall closet!

I'm going to start by saying that I love this skirt - Vogue 8956 and I already forsee it being a major player in my fall wardrobe. And I have no idea how it escaped me for so long, but I'm glad it finally hit my radar.

I ran across this skirt from 3.1 Phillip Lim and I decided then that I had to have something like this. And I vaguely remembered seeing the Vogue pattern.

I cut the size 14 to make sure that it would hang right through the hips and there would be no pulling. I used view B, because I could tell that it would sew perfectly straight from the envelope and I wouldn't have to alter the length. This skirt is unlined with facings. My fabric is a poly/blend crepe suiting from Hancock Fabrics.

My seams are serged and pressed open. The waistband is cut in a single piece and instead of slipstitching it, I "ditch-stitched". And it has hook closures only.

I felt the waistband was super plain. And instead of having to worry about what belt I'm going to wear, I decided to add some interest by using these faux leather tab closures.

I love the kilt style of this skirt. Anytime I see skirts with interest that are pinstripe or plaid, I naturally think Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood.

Worn with the Closet Case Nettie Bodysuit

My fabric has really good drape. Had I made this in say a wool flannel, I would've tapered down the right side of the skirt. I'd want it to be more of a pencil skirt on that side. It's actually cut more a-line and a heavier fabric would cause it to flare more. Will I make this again? Definitely yes!

Still enjoying my gorgeous handmade Maasai necklace!

This is such a simple statement skirt with the added benefit of being easy to make. I recommend this one to anyone who loves a skirt with interest.

Styling tip: This is a great skirt that's extremely versatile. With my pinstripe fabric, this skirt could easily go into a business/professional setting by simply pairing with a conservative top and a basic single sole "lady pump". Or it will also look great with a turtleneck and boots, topped with a leather jacket. That's how I see myself also wearing this in the next few months.