Gilded waves

Having no event to go to is no reason to avoid making formalwear!*

Is what I'm telling myself. It's going to sit in my closet untouched for a very long time and I'm trying to justify it by calling it a project for refining my skills. Anyway! Wanna see my cool jumpsuit?

I've never had a dress this long and I wanted one, except I went the INCREDIBLY WACKY AND UNIQUE route of turning the skirt into some wide-legged pants. Yeah. I don't know why I thought the effect would be more dramatic. I'm pleased nonetheless.

    

In a uncharacteristic moment of caution, I actually bothered to make a muslin. The pants are the same self-drafted pattern I always use (with extended side seams) so I knew they fit, but given my experienced with jumpsuits in the past, I forced myself to toile so I'd end up with a decent crotch depth. As for the bodice, I have a tendency to draft them too short/high on my waist and I also wanted to try princess seams again after some failed attempts a couple years ago.

There's a half-attempt at pattern matching here... didn't want to work too hard.

The fabric is a deadstock polyester brocade from Minerva. It's hard to capture how glitzy and shiny the gold threads are! Surprisingly, it was moderately easy to work with. I expected some fraying but I didn't have to, for instance, overlock the edges immediately after cutting out the pieces. I did have some problems with my NARROW and BRAND NEW needle snagging the fabric and creating runs, which filled me with momentary dread and worry... but from far away I guess no one can tell.

The lining is a taupe viscose (also from Minerva) picked without any real regard for matching color. I figured it would be necessary for comfort, finishing the armhole and neckline edges, and containing the V-shaped neckline boning and the bra cups. I left the pants unlined because I was lazy and my comfort has not suffered for it.

If there's one thing I can't stand it's side-seam pockets that freely flap around (especially large and roomy ones, as necessary as they are), so I anchored them in between the front bodice and the lining. Also, me not being bothered to switch out my white overlocking thread is actually great when photographing details.

What is it about wide-leg pants that makes you want to kick and jump and goof around? Moreso than even shorts or legging or other bottom garments that don't show your underwear. Clearly I could not and will not, in the future, resist doing a weird kick-lean (as much as my high heels will allow, anyway). Please, please let me have an opportunity to kick-lean at a formal event soon.