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Tuesday 6 January 2015

Culottes - they're back.

I love culottes, in all of their 70's, late 80's and early 90's magnificence. I really didn't think I'd live to see fashion turn around to notice them again, however since the decades I remember were simply reinterpreting the 30's and 40's, it's really of no surprise that they're baaack!
Leading the culottes revival are the gorgeous Debbie at Lily Sage & Co and eternally stylish Kirsty B at Top Notch who have both inspired me with every version that they've made.
I can add Jillian of Sew Unravelled to that list now as well - I adore hers!
Definitely Culottes.

I love a girly silhouette, maxi dresses definitely for the win, however my history of climbing all trees/random vertical surfaces and then sitting cross legged on the floor, does limit the practicality of many skirts.

In my professional life, I've worn pencil skirts and maxis (not so practical), daft fitted dresses (let's just not go there again, although the pockets were a good thing), tailored trousers with collared shirts (I can't shake the sensation that I'm styling myself after security guards), PJs (seriously, I just can't be comfortable in a drawstring waist), I even led a petition for tailored shorts (in 1994). However my absolute favourite, and the style I chose when I have a choice, is culottes (well, ok, I'm very partial to a skort too).
I met my DH while wearing culottes and short or long, tailored or full, I wore them all.

I have some fabulous time-capsuled culotte patterns - These ones from Chloe even have buttoned sides... I sent a pattern overseas when Sew Grateful week was on, I so love the style and was convinced that the rest of the world must too...
Gorman inspiration, V2675 Carol Horn, V2855 Chloe, S9787 view 1 blue
So, being so spoilt for choice, which pattern did I settle on for my first pair of me-sewn culottes.?..?...
Vogue 2675 circa 1982
I used my Vogue 2675 to cut the front and back as they fitted on my fabric and I prefer the tailored rear and full front. I then realised that my dislike for gathered or pleated skirts extends to gathered or pleated culottes (derrr...), so I converted them to box pleats in the style of the Girl Friday Culotte by Liesl&Co.

They have volume, perfect for sitting cross legged ;)
Then I examined the pattern envelope of the Simplicity and sewed the pleats down as done in view 1, the blue version.... Both (ok, all 3) of my vintage patterns have a side pocket opening that isn't actually closed with a zip, just at the waistband. I then bought the Girl Friday pattern to see this side pocket zip magic (I admit to being too lazy to search Threads online for the tutorial), and ended up using a lapped zip & omitting the left pocket anyway... This wasn't due to the instructions - I'd chosen a co-ordinating yet contrasting lightweight cotton for the pockets & it was far too visible - if I'd made the pockets from the pineapple fabric, they would be much more hidden in this busy print.
The difference in width between the back and front of each leg
You can hide small puppies in my right pocket though...

playing with pleating #yespineapplesareathing
Oh, and has anyone mentioned that #PineapplesAreSoHotRightNow? yes, this is the now infamous pineapple linen from DarnCheapFabrics. I resisted buying any when Kirsty bought hers, then found myself back in DCF a week or so later & bought 1.5m thinking a pair of shorts for summer would be fun - well, there's a lot of fabric in 1.5m of 150cm and the pattern pieces fitted.... so culottes it was ;)

23 comments:

  1. Nic these are just fab! Culottes for the win and that fabric.. I bet DCF just can't buy enough of it to meet demand!

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    1. Thanks Kirsty!! As my style inspiration, that is very high praise - clearly I just couldn't get yours out of my head ;)

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  2. Another culotte winner. I love this fabric!

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    1. Thanks Maria ;) It's such a delightful print isn't it! I can't wait to see what you create - and to share a pina colada in the flash mob that I hear may occur... ;)

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  3. Bwah ha ha! DCF must be completely sold out of the pineapples now after all of the rad makes that have been happening!

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    1. Totally!! And your Iris shorts - perfection!!!

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  4. Aggggghhhh dear lord you gorgeous woman. You're killing me! I looooooooove them. The volume! The length! The fabric! Be still my heart. I'm done for... I really wanted to use my pineapple linen for something else, but I think it's got to be culottes!

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    1. YES!!!!!!! Your culottes are stealing away with your pineapple linen as you type! Lets do this flash mob thing ;)

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  5. Wow, a great pair of culottes, love the pineapple fabric.
    I once made a pair of 1940ies culottes and they are one of my favourite things to wear in summer, another 70ies pattern (quite close to the one you used, I guess) is waiting in line to be sewn.
    So yes, we do love culottes here in Europe as well, that is, at least I do :-)
    ~ette

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    1. I remember your culottes!! I really like them and am very glad that they are getting lots of summer wear - I'd like to make a similar pair ;) I finished sewing these on my MILs's Bernina 730 record, it's a beautiful machine, I'm glad yours found you ;)

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  6. Gorgeous! You look like you feel as fabulous as you look in them too :) I love seeing vintage patterns used in a modern way like this; very inspiring!

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    1. They are So wonderfully comfortable - and the nostalgia paired with the pineapples are making them my current favourite pair of pants/skirt ;) Like you, I adore revisiting the 'modern vintage' patterns, so many delightful details ;)

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  7. Dachshunds and culottes - two of my favourite things in one post!
    My mother made me all the items from Vogue 2675, except the culottes, in early 1986. I wonder if she still has the pattern...

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    1. Yay!! ;) Mac surprised me by looking very puppy-like in the photos!
      It took me a while, but finally I've joined you in the culotte nostalgia - they're as wonderful as I remembered ;)
      Ohh.... I might have to update my date from V2675! Anne from IG also made the whole outfit a few years ago. I quite like the oversized top, I might just have to make it as well ;)
      - if you'd like the patterns, & if your mum passed them onto an opp shop, these might be hers... I can send them up ;)

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  8. I thought i had been ruined for culottes after my teenage girl guide days. Apparently not, because I love yours and found myself staring for longer than normal the the pattern envelopes you have deigned to share with us. It's likely that in about 2 summers time, I will join the culotte-wearing brigade. I'm slow on the uptake.

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    1. Thanks Mel - I do look forward to seeing your future culottes, I've no doubt they will be perfection and exorcise all bad memories of teenage culottes ;) - and all of these are available for your perusal whenever you desire ;)

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  9. I wore the Girl Guide culottes too. My mum made them and I've never fully recovered. They were the reason I decided that I really needed to sew for myself.

    Yours are a totally different concept. Loving the on trend combination of pineapples and culottes.

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    1. Thanks Winifred ;) I thought I wore a skirt at Guides, although culottes would make so much more sense! They definitely weren't pineapples though!

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  10. Love love love, particularly the tailoring around the waist and box pleats. Not sure why i didnt see this post earlier, off to see whats going on with my blog feed!

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    1. Thanks Emma ;) I find that some weeks, my blog feed simply gets overwhelmed by the volume of awesomeness posted by everyone!

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  11. This fabric is great for your culottes! I really couldn't tell from the IG photo I saw how it would look but now that I see it, I love it. Culottes are fun - the combine two of my favorite garments - skirts and pants. I need to make a pair myself...

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    1. Thanks Chuleenan, I can definitely imagine you wearing culottes very well! I look forward to seeing your pair ;)

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  12. I love these! What fabulous culottes, and pineapples to boot! They look great!

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