A Menswear Inspired Look with Indiesew

Hello again! Today I’m sharing my first post as part of the 2019 Indiesew Blogger Team. Inspired by Shirt Month and Menswear for Everyone, I decided to create a look that was a bit of a departure from my usual. Using the Grainline Studio Archer Button Up and Closet Case Patterns Morgan Jeans patterns, my goal was creating a look that could plausibly be pulled from my husband’s closet but instead fits my unique body shape. Alright, let’s get to it.

Archer Button Up

After seeing this Navy Tropics Rayon Challis fabric restocked on Indiesew, I knew it had to be mine. The fabric is opaque, has a nice drape, and is a bit more stable than a traditional rayon challis which makes it easy to work with and perfect for a collared shirt. As I was undecided on whether to sew short or long sleeves, I ended up ordering 2 yards and have about 1/2 yard left.

One thing I’ve tried to do over the last few years is slow down the process of sewing and take the time to carefully and properly finish each item. In December, I made an Ikat Archer opting to finish the inside by using french seams. The inside of that shirt is almost as lovely as the outside so I knew I wanted to do the same with this one. The result is a shirt with no exposed seams that will hopefully last years. Through sewing I’m slowly learning to trade speed for precision and quality over quantity.

Morgan Jeans

It’s no secret that I love a good pair of pants (evidenced by #sewfancypants). Boyfriend jeans have always seemed out of reach for me. I’ve loved the style for years, but never found a ready to wear pair that fit well. When I found the style in women’s sizing, the rise was always just a bit short. I’ve even spent my fair share of time over in the men’s section trying on jeans with hopes of finding a perfect pair. The problem with the men’s jeans was they all seemed to assume that the wearer would have a flatter buttocks and wider legs. These issues with ready to wear jeans made me hesitant to try the boyfriend jeans style but, seeing hundreds of fabulous Morgan Jeans, emboldened me to give them a try.

My measurements put me squarely between a 10 and a 12 on the pattern size chart. Upon reading reviews and doing a bit of research, I decided to sew a 12. This turned out to be a great decision as the 10 would’ve likely been a bit snug. I cut a straight size 12 with my only alterations being an added 1/2″ in the front and back rise as well as 1″ added to the leg length. Once my pieces were cut, I basted the pants together. The initial fit wasn’t bad, but I had a bit of gaping at the center back. Going back to my sewing machine, I removed an extra 1/4″ from the top of the center back seam allowance and angled back to the regular seam allowance just below the back yoke. With that, I decided to call the fit good enough.

I’ve had a decent amount of jeans/pant sewing experience over the last year, so construction went smoothly. This time, however, I decided to try something new (for me) and use a contrasting thread for topstitching. This prompted me to slow down and take my time on each step. My favorite topstitching detail is on the pockets. I was inspired by an Anna Maria Horner woven to make the pocket stitching pattern using simple straight lines and x’s. Topstitching went remarkably well, until it didn’t.

This hefty 14oz Dark Olive Denim from Sewing Studio is the same denim I used last month for my Jenny Overalls (I was completely surprised to have over a yard left over). Both of my sewing machines did well sewing this denim while making my overalls so I assumed these would come together without a hitch. On Friday, I was patting myself on the back for a topstitching job well done and had one step left to complete my jeans: attaching belt loops. After several attempts, it seemed that these belt loops were not going to happen so I went to bed. In the morning, I woke up with a clear head and decided to try again. This time I flattened the ends of my belt loops with a hammer and miraculously, my machine decided to work. That is, until I got to the center back belt loop. Eight layers of 14oz denim is apparently the limit for my domestic machines and I nearly broke my machine trying to remove stuck needle. In the end, the pants got finished and I think the belt loops look ok. I did learn that next time I need to sew eight layers of 14oz denim, I should probably call upon someone with an industrial machine to assist.

Menswear and Me

While I recognize that both the Archer and the Morgan Jeans are women’s patterns, both have silhouettes and details inspired by menswear. Both of these pieces will surely find their way into many outfits over the next few years and, thanks to careful sewing, hopefully hold up to whatever I may throw at (or spill on) them. However, my biggest takeaway from sewing these items was the confidence needed to start sewing for my husband.

Twice while sewing this outfit, my husband remarked how he would like similar items in his wardrobe. First, when I finished the Archer, my husband said, ” I wouldn’t want gold buttons, but, yeah, I’d wear a shirt like that.” Second, when I was trying on my Morgan Jeans, my husband asked “Do you think you could make me jeans that fit me the way those fit you?” These comments reassured me that my goals for this outfit had been achieved.

Overall, I’m quite pleased with the end result of this menswear inspired outfit and I see more menswear sewing in my future. Whether that menswear will actually be made for my husband or for myself remains to be seen. Anyone else sew some menswear during February or have some planned for the future?

The rayon challis and jeans pattern used in this post were provided to me by Indiesew, but all opinions expressed here are my own.

Thanks for reading!