Sewing a Season-less Wardrobe

I appreciate the aesthetic of a seasonal wardrobe, wearing colour palettes that reflect the time of year and garments that compliment the weather. It’s very satisfying to walk in a shop and see everything colour co-ordinating, but in the same breath I also find it quite a frustration that in the world of retail you are restricted to the current season. Not only do I want to get the very most from my wardrobe, I also have quite a specific colour palette that I am drawn to. 

So that brings me to what I call my Season-less wardrobe.

There are a couple of reasons that I prefer to have a year round wardrobe. Firstly, making the most of my garments, this feeling originated with my previous body issues which I wrote about in my previous post - Our bodies are never the problem - My Body Positivity Journey - I didn’t want to spend lots of money on clothes in the past and feel like they were wasted. However, that reason has now evolved into the fact that I love my garments so much, I don’t want to restrict them to only being enjoyed for a few months of the year. My second reason is that I have a relatively specific colour palette that I’m drawn to - Autumnal colours.

Layering 

So how do you wear those pretty lightweight floaty summer dresses when it’s icy cold outside! Layering of course, it really is that simple, well…the idea is simple but it is not always that easy to come up with the inspiration or something that works well, so I have a couple of tips and tricks.

Cropped Jumper

Cropped jumpers work so well over the top of dresses, by opting for the cropped length you still get the full movement and volume of the skirt part of the dress. The Toaster Sweater from Sew House Seven are a TNT layering jumper for me. Other options could be the Jackson Sweater or Elliot tee from Helen’s Closet, or even the Tilly and the Buttons Nora. I have a Seamwork Astoria that I frequently wear and definitely should make more of. 

I really love the selection of Ribbing Cuff packs that are available, some of them have already been paired with coordinating fabrics, and if there is something you aren’t sure on then you can get in touch and Liana is always happy to help with the pairing. 

Slipover Vest

Do you have blouses, shirts or dresses with beautiful voluminous statement sleeves? Then a slipover or vest is absolutely perfect. I have knitted the Holiday Slipover by Petite Knits, it’s in a nice heavy wool so it knits up quickly. If you don’t knit you could also sew your own slipover instead, Sharlene @SoSewDressmaking, has recently made one using Mind the Maker Lilac jersey and matching ribbing, it looks perfect, and a little birdie might have mentioned she is going to be sharing a blog post on how she did this hack - so be sure to keep an eye out for that! 

Blazer

I absolutely love the Heather blazers I’ve made this year, this first one I made was part of a short suit that I wore in the summer, they can then be paired with a cardigan or hoodie underneath to create a more smart-casual look whilst keeping warm. The Blair Blazer from Homer and Howells is also at the top of my To-Sew list at the moment. 

The Rifle Paper Co canvas fabrics and See You At Six Corduroys as well as the wide range of Flannels on Lamazi Fabrics website are just perfect for making Blazers. 

Fabrics featured in the mood board: Rifle Paper Co Strawberry Fields Black Canvas; See You At Six Khaki Wide Rib Corduroy; See You At Six Umber Brown Fine Rib Corduroy; See You At Six Turbulence Blue Fine Rib Corduroy 

Shirt Dresses 

Shirt dresses can be worn on their own during the warmer months and then styled as a shacket over the top of a skirt and tee for an extra layer as it’s starting to get a little cooler. I have used the Kalle Shirt by Closet Core in a needle cord for my shirt dress, it has also been the perfect weight to be worn as a layering garment. I’d also like to make one using the Paper Theory Olya Shirt. 

The Ilford Jacket by Friday Pattern Company is another great option. This would also work great in a linen or flannel - and if you haven’t already seen the incredible selection of flannels then you definitely need to take a look.

Colour Palette 

Now let’s talk about colour palettes, colour plays such a key role in our aesthetic, how we express ourselves and our mood. I generally don’t stray much from autumnal colours, but I do like to add brighter tones for the summer. 

If you are the opposite of me and usually have a bright or pastel colour palette then why not add in some warmer tones for the cooler months. Below I’ve put together colour palettes that hopefully will give you an idea of how you can blend your colours across the seasons. 

Liana has also put together some wonderful collections of fabrics in colour palettes over on the ‘Sew Your Colour Palette’ part of the website. Here is an example of how you can blend one of the bright cheerful colour palettes with some warmer comforting tones of the autumn to transition across the seasons. 

Cool green blue yellow - perfect for summer and spring - Warm autumn - for the rest of the seasons.

I have put together a couple of reels which I will be sharing over on Instagram - @WhatVickiMade - over the next week showing how I wear certain garments through the seasons, so be sure to keep an eye out for those, it will hopefully give you a good visual of how you can put the above mentioned styling ideas into practice. 

Vicki