Sometimes you just need the pleasure of a simple sew for your Summer wardrobe and the Sweetie blouse is most definitely that! I had in mind a late 1940's/early 1950's simple blouse that could be made quickly, taking up little fabric and coordinating well with various skirts in my handmade wardrobe.
I show you how to make this blouse as an exclusive project over at Tara's School of Dressmaking on Patreon and it's the May bonus for my top tier patrons ~ there's a detailed step by step for the pattern cutting and a simple sewalong to take you through drafting your own made to measure Sweetie Blouse. I also put together some styling options for this versatile little wardrobe Hero!
This first look is a simple Summer day look and I've paired the blouse with The Florian Skirt by Night and Day patterns, made in a simple cotton by Rose and Hubble. Any full style skirt would be perfect though and if you make your blouse up in a neutral colour, or simple white cotton broderie anglais as I have here, it will go with just about any pattern or colour skirt you have in your Summer wardrobe.
I was very much thinking of Audrey Hepburn's beautiful costumes in Roman Holiday when designing and styling the blouse ~ a favourite childhood film {Italy/Mr Peck/Scooters!} and the Sweetie Blouse was born!
This second look is inspired by the 1950's Teddy Girl look and I bought these jeans especially to rock the look! I rarely, if ever wear jeans, but I really like the fit and style of these and paired with my gold loafers they give a nod to the look of this subculture.
The photo is by director Ken Russell who photographed the Teddy boys and girls of post war London and I love these images! I shall be revisiting this genre for sure!
My final styled look for the Sweetie Blouse is a twofer ~ a day and evening look for the same outfit. I've paired the blouse with my favourite Dita skirt {there's a FREE tutorial for this here if you'd like to make one!}
I've styled the day look with some simple ballet flats, a vintage belt and a little 1920's inspired Japanese Knot bag I made in a stashbusting video a little while ago. There's also a blog post taking you through how to make this bag and a few other easy makes here.
The evening look is a little more glamorous with wedge espadrilles and my favourite 1940's bag. I tend to wear what I like , not necessarily dictated by circumstance so there's little distinction for me between dressed up and dressed down and on the whole, I tend to wear black and shades of pink with a little Ivory thrown in. I will most certainly be making this blouse in both black and pink and every colour in between!
I hope you enjoy this little look at the Sweetie blouse and do head on over to my online sewing school if you'd like to find out more about the sewing adventures over there!
I hope the roses are blooming in your neck of the wood,
Tara x