Thursday, November 8, 2012

1950s ZigZag Suit



So what do you do when you find several yards of a most hideous zigzag-patterned, cotton/poly, sweater knit at the thrift store?  Use as much of it as possible to swath your entire person in zigzags, of course!!


This was the sort of project that just continued to snowball.  I started by going down the obvious pencil skirt route, then decided to do a jacket, and ended up with a matching blouse as well.  I even have the last large scraps stashed away in case I should want to make a beret or matching purse!







The pencil skirt is a basic back-zip pattern, but I added the high waistband.  Because the fabric had so much give to it, it seemed that the skirt was stretching out too much and looking dumpy.  I faced the waist with cotton and, believe me, it doesn't give at all!

The contrast trim here and throughout the outfit is made with double fold bias tape.  It's a slightly plumy-berry color to off-set the deep red in the fabric.
 

The blouse is made from a contemporary pattern.  I like the loose fit and flutter sleeves, but I didn't want the ties in the front.  With such a large neckline, I didn't see how the center front, keyhole opening was necessary.  So I left that off and added a single button (just for looks though; there isn't an actual buttonhole).  It's plenty big to fit over my head and doesn't show off any cleavage. 


For the blouse, I used a pashmina shawl.  It was the perfect color but a dickens to work with!  The loose weave stretched in every direction and frayed horribly.  I used french seams and enclosed all the raw edges.  I even added the label back on to be authentic.



Now the jacket took a bit longer to design, mostly because I was crossing between several decades and styles.  I started with this 1940s smock pattern because I wanted a fuller, relaxed jacket.  I did not line the jacket and left off the patch pockets.  


The pattern worked up really well, and I even like the large pointed collar.  I originally started with the long, full sleeves, but later shortened them to 3/4 length.

The waistline was a puzzle though.  I had this fabulous Bakelite buckle that I wanted to use.  But given the bulk of the fabric, when I cinched all of it in, I looked like an overstuffed pin cushion! 


My mother convinced me that a half-belted style was the way to go.  So the front of the jacket is belted in (verifying that I am, in fact, not pregnant) while the back is left loose for ease and comfort.  The belt continues around the back, but it's inside the jacket.  This is very typical 1950s.  One day while watching Gunsmoke, I noticed Miss Kitty's bathrobe in such a style.  How can you argue against your mother and Miss Kitty?  But it is a very comfortable jacket, and I'm happy with the choice.


The brown, tan and red zigzags make this the perfect Fall outfit.  And my plum gloves, bordeaux patent heels and red jewelry really polish off the look.  I'm soo tempted to make a beret with my leftover scraps, but I really think I should stop there.  I think you can have too much of a good thing!  And by the way, how did that deer manage to photobomb all my pics?!

23 comments:

  1. This is marvelous! I love your use of the bias trim to break up and set off the zig-zag, and I also admire your attention to pattern placement. I really like how the collar comes to points in the zig-zag at the collar points. Well done! I think this is a wonderful example of you taking a sort of meh fabric and turning it into something really lovely, even using a totally unexpected pattern for the blouse. Wonderful creativity! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Just to clarify, I say "meh" fabric because it sounds like you felt that way about it at first, and I could see how it might be overwhelming in the yardage. What you have done with it is anything but!!!

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    2. Thank you! I did like the fabric the first time I saw it, but it was quirky enough that I wasn't sure what to do with it. Pencil skirts are always safe which is why I started there. :)

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  2. hammer - ist das geil!
    ehh - sorry. what a great outfit! i have to come over the pond and steal it !
    you are a wonderful seamstress. nice idea to use a pashmina for the blouse. i love woolen tops in wovens (knits ad to much volume in my case) but sometimes its difficult to find the right fabric. no more - thank you!
    again - great great work!!!!!

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  3. I saw this on Sew Retro and I had to come over to gawk. I think this might be the best thing I have ever seen!
    I have a zig zag knit top that my partner calls the "migraine shirt". With your suit, you could probably smite whole armies down with a bad headache!
    Seriously, I can not get over the creativity in design and the overall gorgeousness of the final outfit. I must page through your blog and see what I've been missing.

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    1. Thanks Katrina! My husband prefers the outfit without the jacket just so he can maintain his balance while he talks to me. lol But I say, go big or go home!

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  4. WOW!!!! LOVE IT!! you are very talented!

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  5. Just plain awesome!
    -Sandra

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  6. I'm amazed at how you made that fabric look so great. I especially loved the high waist and the blouse.

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  7. Stunning!! I love it.. the skirt and blouse together particularly.. but its beautiful as a whole too. well done!

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  8. Love the skirt and blouse together. I never would of thought you could pull off a great outfit with that fabric. You do work wonders.

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  9. Golly! That insano fabric looks great. The coat is fantastic, too. I'd like to know more about how you secure the belt inside. It is an idea definitely worth stealing...The deer mount is nice, too. Having lived with them for years, I know he was pricey. Give him a little rub with Redken Glass once in awhile, he will love you for it.

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    1. "insano fabric" Exactly why I had to have it! I didn't put any belt loops or fasteners inside the jacket. It stays well on it's own. And yes, I limited my husband to one mount in the living room. He stares at the dining room table and creeps out our company. lol

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  10. Complete AWESOME-NESS! And where did you get those shoes?

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    1. Shoes were online from Target. :) One of the other reasons I had to press on with this outfit...those shoes don't match much else in my closet.

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  11. Saw this on Sew Retro. That fabric is so ugly! Yet I love it - it's the kind of fabric that's so ugly you just HAVE to have it. And girl, what an head turner of an outfit. I love every bit of it. You'd never guess that the blouse is a modern pattern - it fits in seamlessly with the retro suit. Love it! So sharp and so well constructed. Excellent job - great eye candy!

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    1. I'm typically drawn towards really ugly plaids which is why this zigzag was a no-brainer. Look at Louis Vuitton's Fall 2012 Collection...full suits in ugly large-prints. Sooo fun!

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  12. Oh, wow. With each picture I went 'oh,' a little louder....this is all so lovely!

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  13. This is simply gorgeous and you wear it so well! Such an inspiration to your fellow vintage sewing gals! xoxo, tina

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  14. Go the beret! Go the beret! The suit looks amazing, it made me laugh out loud at how delightfully mad it is. I think your deer was giving you the eye....

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  15. What a coincidence! If you go to the Tumblr "OMG that Dress!" you'll see the half belt treatment on a coat by Madame Gres. (Nov 13 posting)

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  16. I leave looking at blogs for a couple of months ... then I come back to THIS!! Has to be one of the best ensembles I've ever seen! It's amazing.

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