Vogue 8939 is an interesting pattern, being that if you weren't looking for this design you would totally miss it on the pattern envelope.  This dress is such a wardrobe staple that I feel it should've been it's own pattern with different length variations.

My version of this pattern was inspired by designer Rick Owens' Lilies Midi Turtleneck Dress.

My fabric is a black modal rayon ponte that I found at my local Joanns.  It was a great find and the fabric feels very luxurious.

I cut the size 14 and I had to make a couple of modifications to achieve the look of my inspiration dress.  I added 12" inches to the length.  The original pattern is pretty short.  I added 2" to the sleeve.  

I had to take in the collar so that it would be fitted.  I hate having a turtleneck that's not fitted when it's supposed to be.  

I ended up having to run 1" seams down each side.  The dress hung like a sack.  I should've cut the size 12.  

Love the simplicity and versatility of this dress.  And I love that it gave me a reason to pull out my corset belt from Asos.com that I haven't worn in a long time.  I'm hoping that I find a cream colored ponte and a heather grey one so that I can add 2 more of these dresses to my wardrobe.

I have an affinity for black.  I usually have to show self-restraint in order to not stock my sewing studio with black fabric.  So when I came across this gorgeous navy blue, I awarded myself a reprieve.  I mean, it's dark but it's not black so that makes it okay!

This Mood Fabrics fabulous find, a dark navy woven is from designer Theory.  And just as stunning as this fabric is, it's equally unusual.  It's a woven with 2-way stretch that feels and sews like a neoprene.  It's magical when used on a structured garment as my skirt and also has an incredible drape.

My top is Simplicity 1283.  With the mass appeal of this particular pattern line, I was surprised by the lack of pattern reviews when I googled it.  I was practically on my own with what to expect.  It's a crop top for sure and being that I'm pretty tall with a lot of torso, I added 3 inches to the length. Had I not, I would have had practically a sports bra on my hands because it's that short. Please be aware of that.  And this top also has an inch of negative ease.  I needed a size 12, but due to the figure hugging design of this top, I went up to the size 14.  (Some may need to do a FBA.)  But the fit still worked well with my fabric choice.  And surprisingly, the sleeves are drafted with a generous amount of length.  I didn't have to add any additional length to them.  I wanted my version of a crop top to hit at the natural waist and meet at the top of the skirt.  It's a really cute design, easy to make, quick to sew with the mock turtle neck style and an invisible zipper closure.  It could easily be turned into a longer top or a dress.  It's worth having in your collection as a base pattern even if you're not into crop tops.

The pattern design, which is designed for a knit worked well my stretch woven.

My skirt is Vogue 1296.  This fabric was the perfect match for this skirt.  I love how it works so well for a structuced garment, yet has such an amazing drape all at once.  I cut the size 14 for my skirt and added 3" inches to the length.  I omitted the lining.  The fabric is beefy and opague enough to where it holds its own.

After wearing this outfit which included entering and exiting my vehicle; standing and sitting, it has wonderful recovery.  

There was no stretch out or sagging.

Here's Monday's look which I was inspired by Pinterest! 

After years of seeing everyone wearing painted on skinny jeans, the universally flattering style of flares is back.  

And they look amazing paired with a peacoat (Vogue 2873).  I also added Breton stripes (McCall's 6964) to play up a nautical look.

And speaking of the flares, I am so glad to be able to slide into my Jalie 2903 jeans!

Who:  Shiona Turini

Who is she:  Fashion Market Director, Cosmopolitan

Some people gush over celebrity style.  Me?  Not so much.  Celebrities have glam squads that pull them together.  I love fashion editors!

No one has a wardrobe like fashion editors, especially this Bermudian beauty who is one of my favorites!  And when wearing this fabulous Ungaro coat, why wouldn't she be?

Shiona always wears striking statement pieces that are to die for! 

One of her signature looks is a crop top, and I love it here juxtaposed with a leather accent and a high-waist, lady-like full midi skirt.

Don't get me started on her accessories!  She stacks and layers jewelry like nobody's business!

The Fashion Market Director is constantly being snapped outside of Fashion Weeks all over the world and I see why.  Shiona's tip for pulling together an outfit:

I've been such a lazy blogger.  So I've decided to participate in the November challenge from See Jane Write - "BlogLikeCrazy!  It's a new post, every day for 30 days!  So here is my first post for this month.  I'm going to recap my favorite #OOTD (outfit of the day) looks that I usually share on Instagram and Twitter -- on the days that I actually get dressed!

I loved this look so much.  I love the idea of mixing prints.  Now, I'm no Solange Knowles and even though I love the look of mixed prints, I really don't feel that I have an organic knack for it.  I know my limitations.  So I kept my look simple with a McCall's 6964 striped tee and a New Look 6107 brocade skirt.  

Leather and tweed are the epitome of Fall Fashion.  How can one dress for fall without these two fabrics?  I paired my version of the luxe sweatshirt (Vogue 8670) with (OOP) Vogue 1066 tweed pants.  Can I tell you about these pants?  This fabric has absolutely NO stretch!  They're lined with China Silk.  I only wore these pants maybe twice at the most since I made them back in 2008.  They're so beautifully made, if I do say so myself, that I couldn't part with them even if I couldn't wear them. Well they currently fit perfectly and I've become reacquainted with them and we're about to make up for lost time! If you're into making tailored trousers with really well-made interiors, be sure to read the review I did for these pants.  It's good tailoring porn!

I absolutely love separates.  Dresses can look beautiful, but I never get bored with separates because the re-mixing possibilities are endless.  Take this outfit for example:  When I pulled these pieces from my closet, I was forcing myself to "brighten up".  I tend to default to wearing lots of black.  Black is easy and I don't have to give it a lot of thought since there's so much of it in my closet.  I love these (OOP) Vogue 1143 emerald green pants.  They're gabardine and seasonless.  My top is this awesome silk blouse (Vogue 1387) that I wished I'd made in every color of silk crepe de chine that I could've gotten my hands on.  I really love wearing it.  And I topped off the look with what's probably now considere a classic, my (OOP) McCall's 5190 military-style jacket.

The weather had warmed up, but it was October and I still wanted to represent a fall look.  So wore my McCall's 6885 leather-trimmed shirt dress (which is one of my favorites that'll probably wear out), unbelted with a pair of lace up boots. 

This was one of my favorite looks for the month.  I love a pulled together outfit and this Simplicity 2446 - cobalt blue blazer is one of my favorite jackets!  Every wardrobe needs great white shirts.  I need to make another one soon.  But this white shirt is Butterick 5526.  This pattern has been around a long time.  I guess the company realizes that it's a classic and a great wardrobe staple. And to make sure that my look was jazzy and contemporary, I wore a pair of printed pants (Simplicity 1696).  

And my final look for October is amazing Vogue 8921.  I'm not much of a long printed dress kinda girl, but when I find a great print -- it's an epic moment!  And that's how I felt when I discovered this ikat print.  I hadn't worn a maxi dress for the entire spring or summer.  Look, hot flashes are REAL!  I just couldn't be swathed in head-to-toe fabric during hot weather.  But now the weather is perfect.  So why not add a fur vest to enhance the boho-chic look that I was going for!

This post wasn't just for the self-gratification of "look at how I dress".  It's to drive home the point of something I'm extremely passionate about:  Building a well-thought out wardrobe of well-sewn garments that stand the test of time.  

Let me start by saying that this is my first PDF pattern.  The idea of piecing together sheets of paper like a puzzle and THEN cutting out the pattern pieces didn't appeal to me in the least.  No matter how fabulous the garment it would produce. Until I saw the Closet Case Patterns - Nettie Bodysuit.

A bodysuit?  With a low scoop back?  Um, yeah!  That is so me!  Maybe it spoke to my inner Beyonce... 

...because it definitely caused me to breakout in a rendition of "Single Ladies"!

In my stash was already a nylon power knit with 4-way stretch.  I dropped down 2 sizes than what I would normally cut.  What makes this pattern so easy is that basically you can use only your fashion fabric with minimal notions.

Everything I used is from my my notions drawers.  I stabilized the shoulders with clear elastic.  I omitted the snapped crotch and just sewed that part up.  Since I made the low back version, I don't have a problem with peeling down to use the restroom.  And I created a shelf bra.

The pattern provide excellent instructions on constructing a shelf bra with a cutting line already placed on the pattern piece.  In case you ever want to add one to a bodysuit or a top, here's how:

I look at patterns and instantly decide whether or not they have staying power.  If it's a classic, if it's a garment that's going to be cyclical or if it's a trend that probably won't come back around for another decade or so.  

And that's the reason why I still have this cardi wrap pattern: Vogue 8138 (long out-of-print), that I made in 2008.

I had run across this tribal print heavy weight, almost sweater-ish knit fabric in Hancock.  It was a 2.25 yard remnant.  I knew immediately that I wanted to make a cardi wrap or some kind of cocoon cardi.  I had previously made a couple and I searched for this one to find the pattern number so that I could pull it from the cabinet.

This pattern went from the envelope to final press in less than an hour.  It's a great quickie!

The temperature recently dropped here and we're in the midst of sweater weather and this is something that'll I'll be reaching for often.  And I see cardi wraps on everyone here.   

A cardi wrap, knit top, jeans and boots is practically the uniform here during this season.  And it'll be mine too!

I'm still on my mission to fill in wardrobe gaps in my closet.  This time, I added a long-sleeved cocktail dress.  This is something I most definitely needed.  On cool nights when I go out, I hate having to wear a coat or a jacket.  I'd rather make a mad dash from car to venue.  Or if I have to park and walk a block or so, I'll have something on my arms and I still won't have to keep up with a coat or jacket on the inside.

I'd purchased this fun glitter knit fabric from Hancock.  Sparkle gets me everytime!  And I paired it with McCall's 6886.  This pattern has been made many, many times and it's beyond versatile!  This design can easily go from casual to eveningwear, depending on the fabric selection.

I cut the size 14.  I could've gone down another size, but I wanted the dress to just glide over the body.  I didn't want a full-on bodycon look.  I used view B, and shortened it so it would stop right at the knee.  Being that this is glitter fabric, it sewed pretty well with on my machine and serged with with ease.

I did my research on how to not leave a trail of glitter.  After I was done with the dress, I sprayed it down with hairspray.  And that seems to have minimized the falling glitter.  And for washing, I'll just turn it inside out and hand wash it.

Fall wardrobe building and closet hole filling is in full-effect!  I'd mentioned on my Instagram last week when I was started these pants that I was in dire need of a pair of basic black pants.  I've lost 30 lbs and almost all of my pants are falling.  I know there are worst problems to have, but I wear a lot of black and these are a basic need.

I needed a pair of pants that would be machine washable.  So this stretch gabardine that I picked up at Hancock fit the bill.  I also wanted a flat-front style with pockets.  And I wanted them to be fitted but have flared legs.  I sometimes shy away from full blown wide-legged pants.  They hang from the hips and make me look wider than I am.

So I picked Vogue 9032, view C.  This view even recommended using a stretch woven.  So I was already on point with that.  I cut the size 14 and lengthened them by 5 inches.  I need a 36" inseam to wear with heels.  And I would always wear heels with this style pant.  What I really love about these pants are the princess seam detail!

Here are some quick shots of the pocket details that I caught as I was constructing these.

I am a fan of pants pockets that connect to the center front like this.  It gives a smoother look.  And with any pair of pants with a fly front, I always refer to Sandra Betzina's method.  It works perfectly every single time.

Wearing: jacket: Burda 7210 and top: Simplicity 2054.

This is a great pattern.  Even though I'm not a fan of pleats, I may give the other view a shot as well.  I really like the idea of a pair of wool culottes.  And I'm in search of more stretch wovens, because I'll be making this view again, real soon!