Fashion Focus: Patterns for Voile, Lawn and Batiste Fabrics

Voile, lawn and batiste cottons are all super light fabrics.  They can float and have some drape, especially if they are soft.  They are usually somewhat sheer, so may need a lining unless you are going for the "I see London, I see France" look.  Here are a few of the patterns and ideas that I've ogled recently.

The first is a lovely Joel Dewberry design (remember him?  I wrote about his fabric in one of my first blog posts).  Check out the contrasting fabric in the skirt:

Joel Dewberry Vintage Flutter Dress

Nice, huh?  And of course it looks wonderful with Joel Dewberry's fabrics (he now has a voile line as well).

This one is for sale at Etsy shop MyFairLabel (very cool shop - handmade, fair trade and organic fashion from Africa):

I love this simple design.  The off-the-shoulder neckline can also be worn as a cowl neck.

And doesn't this Vogue pattern .  . .

Vogue 8632

 . . . . look almost exactly like these dresses at Garnet Hill? 

Add a band at the waistline and you'll get this look!
I found this pattern in the Etsy shop ScientificSeamstress, and after I pinned it on Pinterest it was frantically repinned all over the place:

Jamie Dress Pattern from Etsy shop ScientificSeamstress

I love the neckline, straps, and waist detail.  I bet this dress is super comfortable as well as super stylish.


And finally, how about something sweet for dessert from Colette Patterns?

Colette's Jasmine Pattern

It isn't my usual style, but there's something very fetching about it!

If you want more ideas, check out my board on Pinterest.  I'll keep adding to it as I find more. 

Happy Friday!

Fashion Focus: Building with Color Blocks

I like zippers and I love bright colors, so you can imagine how I felt when I saw this new pattern from BurdaStyle's February 2012 magazine:

From BurdaStyle's February 2012 pattern magazine

This skirt is made with stretch jersey so it would really fit (and if the jersey is thick enough, maybe even shape) one's curves.  Oh, mama!  BurdaStyle suggests color blocking on this skirt, with a different color for each  panel (if you look carefully, you can see asymmetrical panels on the front of the skirt).  I can picture it with both a mixture of two bright colors (purple and tangerine!) or  neutrals (using two shades of grey really draws me).

And here's a dress from BurdaStyle with colorblocks:

BurdaStyle's two-tone dress, #110A

If you are into the color blocking thing, you could probably do this with most dress patterns, as the bodice usually fits with the skirt in a vertical line.  I'd love this dress with something (hot pink?  lilac?  deep red?) and tangerine orange.  And if you did something like this with cotton or linen fabric and an A-line skirt, you could probably get away with wearing it to the park with the kids.  I like to dress up as much as the next gal, but sometimes you just need a dress that lets you run!