Core Style: It ain't what it used to be...

Today I'm talking about Core Style. I've been reading through Colette Pattern's blogposts on Wardrobe Architect and one of the key excercises is working out your core style. This basically means the clothing that you like to wear most that you think fits in with your personal aesthetic and lifestyle. Think Cake vs Icing debate from a few years back? This is the cake.

Its amazing how different your style can be from one year to the next. One of the beauties of sewing your own clothes is that you can create a version of yourself apart from the rest of the world if you wish to. I felt that way when I started blogging all those years ago but now I see sewing as a tool to enhance fit, more so than as an alternative subcultural statement. Here is an old blog image of a skirt i'd made back in 2012. Back then it was about looking different. My lifestyle was that of a University student and I could wear pretty much whatever I wished.

Nowadays I would say this kind of outfit sums me up. Add a chunky cardigan and that is pretty much my day to day uniform. Just add jeans for the weekend and tights for Winter. With this in mind I came up with a few outfits on Polyvore that best suit my style.

With these core style set ups i've added patterns that I think could be used to replicate the look. This is something i've found infinitely helpful recently, its jumpstarted my sewing and spurred me on knowing that I will have useful and beautiful items in my wardrobe that suit me.

The first outfit is a weekend outfit. I tend to live in jeans, a nice top and an oversized cardigan. 

In this instance I've used Deer and Doe Plantain Top

Ginger Jeans and Seamwork Magazine's Oslo Cardigan

 I've noticed that I don't use accessories as much as I used to and I've decided to work on that in 2016. This outfit is likely to include leggings or tights underneath but the concept is the same. I've just sewn a replacement Mabel in the same shade as this one below. My unblogged version has been on weekly rotation since I made it. You can't beat a neutral skirt dont'cha know!
For this I thought Colette's Mabel and New Look 6922 made a nice pairing.

 This is a more modern departure for me, based on Sarai Mitnick's style. Again I can't fault an oversized cardigan. I'd create this look using Aurora and Oslo by Seamwork teamed with ginger jeans. If I could find a decent Kimono pattern I may swap Oslo out.

 Finally I went for a winter themed outfit. I live in dresses and tights in the cold. So much so that when I went to work in trousers one day a colleague was shocked and told me she had never seen me wearing trousers in the whole time I'd been working there. This is Colette's Moneta and you've guessed it, Oslo.

How would you define your core style?

Happy New Year: Seasonally Inappropriate Archer...

Happy New Year Lovelies! I'm back and hopefully here to stay. My resolution this year is to go back to doing things I love and making time for things that make me happy, (that involves mainly sewing and gardening!) I was a bit poorly towards the end of the year culminating in an unexpected hospital stay, so now i'm on the mend i'm focusing on the year ahead. 

With that in mind here is my last make of 2015. A sleeveless Archer.

This is a Chambray i've had in the stash forever and I did intend to make a long sleeved Archer with it. Indeed, I still have the sleeves cut out somewhere but I realised that practically I wear shirts  under cardigans for work and they generally fit better when the shirt is sleeveless. If I had thought that through beforehand I would've made the correct pattern adjustments to the armhole but ever indecisive, I ploughed on regardless. I will live with it how it is for now and work out if its too uncomfortable. But rest assured I will be making more of these! 

This is my third Archer and I love both my others! Its such a classic shirt and the back detail seen here is really pretty and feminine. I have a soft spot for Grainline patterns. I love Jen's laid back styling and minimal fuss. Its amazing how we evolve our style isn't it? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have said that when I started blogging! But practicality in my day to day wardrobe has taken over. Gone are the days of wearing cocktail dresses to do the food shop!

So here are my stats for my lovely new shirt!

Fabric: Chambray from stash i'm guessing it was around £8pm so say £16

Notions: Stash £0.00

Pattern: Third go at Grainline's Archer Shirt already in stash £0.00

Wearability: 7/10 I'm not 100% on how comfy the sleeves are going to be but as a wardrobe workhorse you can't beat a Chambray shirt!

I'm starting to find some TnT patterns that work well for my style and my wardrobe and although its boring from a blogging point of view its a real bonus for my wardrobe. I'm pretty proud of the finish on this shirt, I'm generally not that patient when it comes to sewing, due to my limited time these days but the slower I go the better the finish and I need to keep that in mind this year!

I'm hoping to participate in Artisan Square's SWAP 2016 as I did in 2014. I really enjoyed the process and I could do with enhancing my wardrobe with useful pieces this year.

I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas and I wish you a healthy and happy new year!