B5466: Spring into Fall?

This is a project I completed in the spring, but never got around to blogging. Why? Well, mostly because I finished it, wore it once and decided it wasn't working for me. Don't you hate it when that happens? Put in all this work on a garment and then find yourself not happy with it by the time it's done. Ugh.

The pattern itself was fine - I made view B, a straight skirt with a narrow waistband. I originally cut the 14, but wound up taking out enough width through the waist/hips that it was more like a 12. The revised skirt fit well through the hips, but the waistband was then too snug. I fiddled with it and sort of fixed it, but it still sat higher on my waist than I like. If I were to make this again, I'd cut a 14 at the waist and then taper in to a 12 around the hips. For this pear-shaped gal, that is so counter to the adjustments that I ususally have to make to patterns. So weird! I added a lining because the fabric felt a bit too flimsy without one and used lace for the hem. The actual construction of this skirt is probably one of my best - all of the finishes are clean and feel very RTW. Which made it even more of a bummer that I was so unhappy with the finished product.

I originally purchased the fabric for a spring/summer skirt. I thought it would be pretty paired with grey heels or light brown sandals and a tank/cardigan combo for work. I even went so far as to pick up a new pastel pink cardigan to match the print so I was all set to have a new outfit to wear to work. Unfortunately, none of my shoe and top combinations seemed to work. My shoe choices all felt too dark or too clunky. The skirt sat so high, that the tanks looked funny tucked in, but looked sloppy or too tight left out. I was at a complete loss on how to style the poor thing to make it feel right. Hence, it was relegated to the back of the closet.

We had our fair share of chilly days this summer (so odd here in SoCal) and I pulled this skirt out on one of those mornings, hoping to give it one more shot before I retired it for good. Something about the cool weather and this skirt finally clicked and I ran for my tall boots. Wouldn't you know, flat boots and a 3/4 length sleeve top gave this skirt a whole new look - one that I felt good in! I think the colors had me hung up on making this a spring skirt, whereas for some reason, it works much better as a fall transition piece - even if the colors don't so much read "fall." What's nice is that the lining makes this lightweight skirt suprisingly warm, and will feel even moreso if I pair it with a cozy grey or pastel sweater for a different look.

Now that we are truly in summer temps here, I've put the skirt away for the time being. But, I'm so looking forward to dragging it back out at the first hint of chilly mornings. I guess I was getting a very early jump on fall sewing and I didn't even know it.