It being August, of course, and 95 degrees everywhere I look, I'm starting to be obsessed with autumn clothes again. Even though I'm making at least two, and possibly three more dresses before September, if I can swing it (wedding this weekend — not mine — and trip in early September), I am starting to think about wool in dark colors, specifically for this skirt (I prefer the view with gathers):
And this one:
(NOT the one with the drape, isn't that just a tragic subway-car-door accident waiting to happen?)
I believe I asked McCalls for the skirt above and it actually is a Vogue pattern (click on either image to go to a pattern-buying page), but I'm not picky about which brand delivers to me the skirt I want. Not *exactly* sure how to go about putting pockets in the Vogue skirt above, but I'm sure it's doable. (It must be, because I really want this skirt to have pockets, and if the political events of the past five or so years have taught me anything, it's that wishing makes it so.)
Of course, I mostly want narrow skirts because I'm completely enamored of the new heeled oxford I have seen in ALL the September fashion magazines (so far). I love that shoe and have worn it faithfully every time it's come back since 1981. So faithfully, in fact, that I wear them *out*, and have to purchase new pairs … this time I want oxblood or cordovan (like that will happen). Like these, in fact, only not: four inches; patent; over $100.
Anyway, even though I bought these patterns at the JoAnn sale this past weekend, I've resolved not to make any fall clothes until I figure out fall shoes, because I've finally realized (after 36 years on the planet) that it is easier for me to make clothes that match the shoes, rather than vice-versa. Of course, what will probably happen is that I will just keep wearing the perfectly-fine ankle-strap shoes I already have, and wait for the oxfords to come down in both price and heel height, and go ahead and make some skirts anyway … I have this giant fuzzy houndstooth check wool, you see, that would go with any color …
A Dress A Day 
These are really sweet-looking, and I love your choice of shoes–I was looking all over the Internets last night for exactly that type of shoe. However, I wonder about the pleats and gathers. Whenever I try to wear pleats or gathers, I just end up looking fat. How do you deal with it?
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I WISH I could wear this stuff – I could not even when I was thin, because of being short and stubby. Good for you! Wear it and enjoy it for those of us who are not able to! Gathers and pleats – IN MY DREAMS!!! You must be thinner than you give yourself credit for! Love to see the finished product.
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Four-inch heels are the bane of my shoe existence. So many adorable shoes are spoiled by impossible heels (I, personally, have a 2.5-inch heel limit, that that’s pushing it. Some of us need to, um, walk in real life). I thought I had pretty big feet–US 8.5–but they don’t seem to be big enough to reach from ankle to floor effectively in 4-inch heels. Go figure.
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Proof! Proof! Proof! The fashion world wants us all to dress like we attend a Ladies College at Oxford, circa late-1930-something. And we will all be the elegant extras in a Lord Peter Wimsey mystery.I love it! It’s almost as wonderful as the fact that Target has been full of I Am Code Breaker At Bletchley Park dresses with awesome shoulder details and 40’s-esque feeling. But no faux Liberty prints, nor pockets. Alas.
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Huh. The one with the drape is the one that immediately caught my eye. All three of those skirts should be good for high-waisted people like me.Look, Ma, no subways!
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Cute skirts, but you have to admit they’re going to look terrible on anyone even remotely hippy. Like me; oh well. If I had a hankering to make something out of houndfstooth wool it wold be a jumper: Simplicity 3673 would be a good choice.
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Oh, the high-waisted one is to *die for*. Love.
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I love those shoes! But 4-inch might be a little high for me at the moment.And I’m sure they don’t make them for wide feet. Still, I would love to have a pair.And you could always put a pocket in the top of the drape, and maybe add a discreet snap or two so you can secure the drape before getting on the subway. Like you would actually have time to think about that when trying to board!
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How about welted trouser-type pockets in the side panels? Not a diagniol (why can’t I spell that today?) opening, but a horizontal opening like a rear trouser pocket or a watch pocket.
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Yes, I have been noticing those shoes proliferating! I used to have a pair of Capezio oxfords with two-inch heels that I positively wore into the ground.But what I have been eyeing lately are these and these.
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I’ve very curious about what political events of the recent past you’ve wished for and caused to happen.
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Perhaps I missed it, but I really thought I would see something on your blog about the new Nancy Drew movie and her fabulous clothes which were apparently all made from old Butterick patterns. They are adorable and my 8 year old asked me, “Please Mama, can’t you find me some clothes like that?” I wish
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Love you. Love the patterns. Love that you sew. Love that you like dresses. Hate Hate Hate the shoes! Maybe it’s just that my instep is so high these probably won’t fit, or maybe it’s just that who needs there legs to look shorter? Well, you wear ankle straps it seems so maybe your legs go to your waist and this isn’t a problem for you. But still. It will take awhile for me to get over the hate of those shoes…
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I like those Clarks that India pointed out to us. Much more sensible, even the ones with the open toe. I had a wrap skirt in the early 80s with a similar silhouette to the McCall’s pattern: soft gathers in the front. It was a warm, almost coppery brown gabardine, lined, and I wore it to death. I LOVED that skirt; felt so very feminine and lady-like, but not cloyingly so, in it. I was doing insurance auditing at the time, so it was perfect: I was professional enough to be taken seriously, but could still be a WOMAN! It had pockets in forward, side front seams, I think. The gathers made that possible.You could put inseam pockets in the front of the Vogue skirt, but then you could only put a hankie in the pocket…There is a book called Just Pockets that shows a side seam pocket w/ the bag a rectangle just above and on both sides of the seam. If your fabric would obscure the stitching, then it might work, IF the skirt has side seams! Erin, I’d like to see your giant fuzzy houndstooth check wool, please?
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Please PLEASE ccan you tell me where to find some oxfords??? I adore them and have looked EVERYWHERE and can not find them the one I want is in the Hats and shoes section of http://www.antiquedress.comwith the ivory spats and small heel. I have fallowed your website faithfully for the last two-three months-please do me a favor?
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whoops, sooory, um i live in NYC-thanks so much!
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What about thesehttp://www3.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products.aspx?DeptID=9452&CatID=28743&CatTyp=DEP&ItemTyp=G&GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=1252650&ProdSeq=12&Cat=pumps&Dep=SHOES&PCat=Women%27s+DRESS&PCatID=28653&RefPage=ProductList&Sale=&ProdCount=37&RecPtr=&ShowMenu=&TTYP=&ShopBy=0&RefPageName=CategoryAll%252Easpx&RefCatID=28653&RefDeptID=9452&Page=2&CmCatId=9452|28653|28743?Available in a dark brown (not quite oxblood, sorry) lower heel, much more comfortable price tag…I have some of the Worthington shoes, and they are rather comfortable.I am drooling over that second batch of skirts. I must wait a bit to add new projects to the list…but I am so wanting to make those in yummy tweeds!
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Erin, I have become completely addicted to your blog in the past two weeks. You have struck a deep cord in me–my mom and my grandmother have always made their own clothes (and other people’s, too).I am also addicted to fall clothes. I’m afraid I really don’t own anything that works for other seasons. The skirts are lovely. And now I have to have a new pair or shoes, too.But, sigh, I have to finish my spring sewing first.
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The first skirt in the second pattern… so sexy secretary I might cry! I must have it.
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Anonymous 1:56, *I* haven’t been doing any wishing. But I’ve noticed a disturbing propensity among some highly-placed officials to believe that just saying things VERY LOUDLY, and hoping that they are true, will make them true …
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how about these?http://www.fittedshoe.com/CLINIC_SHOES/C_COQUETTE.htm
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OK, this is lady litigator. Remember me? The woman who’s spent too much tim with the Fug Girls? Let’s just call me Negative Nancy here.OK, that skirt on top? With the pleats over the belly? That sort of tapers in at the knees? Makes me wonder if “skirts that make you look bigger-hipped than you really are and create a belly-pooch for you even if nature didn’t” have come into style and nobody told me.Volume in one’s lower half is all well and good if it accentuates a trim waist and gracefully accomodates a larger behind/hips. A full skirt that bells out at the knees is cute on some figures (not mine). But the way *that* skirt narrows at the knees would methinks look ungainly on Kate Moss. I suspect there’s a reason it’s an unusual shape in a skirt: not only would it be hard to walk in, but it would make even an underweight coltish teenager look matronly.But hey, prove me wrong: make it and post a fab pic of yourself rocking that skirt.
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There is absolutely nothing like a 10 degree drop in temperature in mid-August to turn a girl’s thoughts to autumn dressing. I have been mentally pairing corduroy, tweed and wool in various combinations since this weekend. Sigh. I am still a novice at sewing, so I have to purchase anything adventuresome until my skills improve. Please post pictures of anything remotely fall-inspired that you make!!
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It’s not homemade, but I have that black and white checked skirt.
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I have to confess, of the two patterns, I find the Vogue pattern both more flattering instrinsically, and more forgiving. All those seams to accommodate different shapes! Such ease in fitting! And then there is the McCall’s pattern … *sigh.* It is my fear that the majority of us will look poufy and truncated. It is, however, a style that should work well on women who are inverted triangles, and carry most of their size in their upper torsos; this skirt shape will balance out to an hourglass shape, for those ladies.
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I salivate every time I see the Lenscrafter commercial with the ivory linen high-heeled oxfords…. Its not fair, they shouldn’t advertise something they don’t actually sell!
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I love, love, love high heels. The lowest I go is a kitten heel. 3″ is my standard. Nothing higher than 5″ Flats make my back hurt.
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I love dresses, I love your blog, but looking down at myself, I find I chose a skirt – again. So skirts are welcome diversion.And thanks ever so much for the Vogue 8425. I’d never have found it because the thumbnail of the ‘subway-accicent-waiting-to-happen’-version would have put me off.
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Those shoes are straight out of a Matthew Barney film.
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Naturalizer has two different styles of FABULOUS heeled oxfords in a reasonable height. The Retrofit and the Loomis. The Loomis has a sexy cutout thing happening. They’re about $80 each and come in black and brown.
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