Good Design Is TimelessMarch 15, 2024 Last week when, we left off with a discussion of one of the all-time great classic designers, Pauline Trigère, whose clothing is still timeless today.
Her styles are
matched only by Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren, Georgio Armani, and even Tom Ford. What makes these designers so timeless? Why did their designs last decades after they were created? And even more importantly, how can we learn from their designs to make clothing for us that is equally as beautiful, flattering, and lovely to wear, now, but decades later?
We've had such bad designs for so long for many reasons. The onslaught of amateur editors, a world
where social media will and does put anything out there, the waning good fashion editors (Anna Wintour is of course the last of a breed), have all contributed to the mess we're in.
The great news for sewists is that we can turn on a dime regarding fashion. That's how I got started with my clients in the 80s when we moved from puffy sleeves to classic Vera Wang. I had no stock, and I could literally move on a dime in the period of two years; garnered a huge
following in gorgeously classic and simple gowns that became the rage because of Vera Wang.
We can do the same thing now as we turn from the ugliness of the past into classically beautiful clothing that will not only look trendy but will also be a total change from boring, ripped ill-fitting clothing.
There are some do's and don'ts when following that classic trend that makes this a lot easier. Think in terms of old money and what old money wears. They wear things
that last forever, but they do not go out of style that fast because they are classic.
There is absolutely no way you can do without a white shirt. I think of a shirt as a little more tailored and something that can be close to the body or a little lose, but not too much either way. It must have shoulders on the shoulders, and you can
use bust dart(s) to do that, and button comfortably in front. This kind of garment can be boring to make, but when you wear it over and over again, you thank yourself every day. The white blouse is as easily worn with classic black trousers as with jeans or any other pants that you might have. You can wear it with pearls or chain necklace to dress it up, or alone with a simple solitaire chain necklace. During the winter it looks
professional under a jacket or cardigan, or a lower turtleneck with the white collar peaking out of the top of the loser
I happen to have about five white shirts in my closet, and I use them all. Some have a little ornament and some are as plain as day, and I wear them all, even during the winter.
There's a new profile for pants. This is a more comfortable and completely different look than what we're used to. No more hipsters and no tighter-than-your-skin look. It's all about the hang and the drape of the pants.
There is one thing
that's the same. This great boot cut or yoga cut, is distinguished by the hollowing-out from the mid-thigh to the knee region.
In the pattern, remove 1" to 2" in the knee. (Make sure that your pants aren't skin tight around the thigh when you sit.) Measure from about 1" to 2" below the top of the inseam to the knee to sculpt that out of the pants. From the knee to the hem, make this parallel to the straight of the grain. This is an excellent line to
use when working toward more drape in the pant.
If you aren't sure how to do that, no worries, because StyleArc has done it in the Sailor Sue pant.
Click on the graphic to download this pattern. You can clearly see that in the sketch which is very true to the design of the pattern. This pattern is all about line and it's a wonderfully flattering line. I usually can't wear pants that are
full because I'm a classic pear. But because of this sculpting out in the inseam, it works great on me.
You can see this is a totally different silhouette than what you are used to seeing me in.
This shows my older silhouette. I kept the leggings close and the tops longer so they covered my Pear bottom. This longer and more classic look is something that will last for decades. What happens with many styles as they come in is they start very tame, then become exaggerated, and then as they go out, they become tame again. It's those tame stages that last so long. Both of
these looks are from the StyleArc pants pattern (below) and the Butterick classic jacket in ponte 5926. When I do this jacket, I do it with traditional tailoring techniques, pad stitching the collar and lapel, hand-ticking top stitching and bound buttonholes for larger buttons. This prevents it from having that old 1970s "plastic" look that so many clothes had back when double-knits were first introduced. And the double-knits of today are not your grandmother's double-knits.
They are elegant and easy to sew with and wear. That Sailor Sue pant is fabulous, but it's designed for a ponte. Like a lot of
knits, ponte can come in various stretch percentages, and the really stable pontes (in the 15% to 30% range), aren't really good for this pattern. Those neoprene, scuba knit pontes in the 50% stretch range (yes, I know, pontes are supposed to be stable, but some do come in that high stretch percentage) is fabulous in these pants. The larger percentage stretch has more drape to it, but not so much that these pants become sloppy.
This look appears fun and easy, but it lacks shape. If you're a stick, it might work, but avoid doing something like this that will make your pants too loose and too drapey. If you're going to wear pants like this, wear a tailored and closer-fitted top so that we
can see some silhouette to the body. In the past, it's been all about two silhouettes: 1.) close to the body so nothing is left to the
imagination, or 2.) baggy and loose so that we have no clue what body is under the garment. Both of those looks are becoming tired and old-looking. It may take more thinking and effort, but keep your silhouette under control and not too full or baggy.
Here's a perfect example. This is a YSL suit from the early 1980s. It's gorgeously proportioned and beautifully constructed, and I wouldn't be shy about wearing it today. I might pull in those shoulders a little, but that's it. This is what classic is
all about.
Here are two excellent examples of a classic color combo and a pop color. Camel, tan, Bone, and black and white are always going to be fabulous combinations. They are going to be colors that old money always uses. They are calm, quiet and very
elegant.
The "pop" color above, teamed with a white or black or white with black/pop color trim, works great and is like a true Chanel look. Pop colors look best when they are in contrast. Blue and red are the best with white. Yellow is excellent with black. The secondary
and tertiary colors don't pop nearly as well as the primary colors of blue, red, and yellow.
This was a high-performance socialite, and wealthy as all get out, but in a classic turtleneck and skirt with the pop in jewelry (the belt and the cuff bracelet), her whole look is stunningly simple and elegant. If you know how to make a turtleneck, they aren't hard, they are vital to your wardrobe - whether summer or winter, that black turtleneck is a staple. The knit must have activewear
stretch percentage. That ranges around the 75% and up category. Remember this turtleneck must get around your head and then to your neck. If you don't like turtlenecks, do a cowl, something away from your neck or something that drapes softly around you neck. The point is that this sweater and skirt or pants form a beautiful palette that you can use for all sorts of neat things.
With the black from toe of the shoe to the top of the neck is one color, adding another like this jacket/coat, makes this look fabulous. A white shirt, pastel pink jacket, or even a great classic print looks beautifully simple and elegant.
Just like colors, prints can have their classic looks. These are some of the most standard and beautifully classic prints. The left two are famous black and white Glen plaid, and the Houndstooth check. The stripe on the right is the equally
famous Breton shirt stripe. These can look just as classic in other colors, but not too far from these, charcoal grey with bone or darkest navy with cream can be some nice combinations. The key here is the high contrast, but not like red/green, yellow/purple or blue/orange. Keep the colors in the highest contrast, which is in the black/white family. The Breton looks just as elegant in colors like red/white, olive/cream, blue/silver, red/white any of those can look remarkable in this classic stripe.
No classic list would be complete without the little black dress. If you don't have one in your wardrobe, make one. It's essential for everything from a quiet lunch to an exclusive cocktail party. The LBD does it all, except the most formal
ball. The design of the dress is really basic - one piece and not a jumpsuit! That means that pockets can be added, including 3/4 sleeve length, midi, knee-length, and almost any kind of collar and neckline, and they are usually kept clean and basic. It also means that you can personalize and customize it, and no one would think differently or that it didn't match the LBD category.
Hopefully, this gives you some inspiration to change up your silhouette a little and some fodder for future outfits. I've always loved sewing classics cause I know that the time, no matter how long to complete, will be incredibly well spent while I'm wearing the garment over and over. I still have some black and white classic ponte that's calling me for the jacket, and a fabulous "pop"
color red for those StyleArc pants. Right now I don't seem to be running out of ideas for this new silhouette. That's what a new look or change in fashion will do. Spurs the imagination where you never thought it could go.
The SewingArtistry Resource Library is designed to contain information to not only make your sewing better, but to aid in you fitting and flattering your shape, size and style. Check it out.
Look for future classes coming in 2024
The Core Pattern Shirt, (one of my favorites for woven core pattern that you can make into a myriad of different
garments),
Basic Knit Top (core pattern class for knit basic tops, shells, tees, dresses, and tunics)
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