Bruyere Over There

Shirt: Self-made (details below)//Leggings: Self-made, blogged here//Boots: Land’s End

Say hello to my winter uniform! I love these pieces all so much and have been wearing them non-stop, both all together and mixed in with many other clothing friends. After a long hunt, I finally found a replacement pair of black boots. My other ones were 7 years old and when I got them out of storage with my winter clothes, I realized that they really needed to be retired. I couldn’t be more pleased with these ones from Lands’ End. They’re super comfortable and ride the line of dressy just perfectly so I can easily dress them up or down. Plus the leather is SO soft. And the price is so reasonable. Okay enough about them, suffice it to say, when it’s not actively raining or snowing, chances are you’ll find me in these.

Lately, I’ve been trying to slow myself down with my sewing. I tend to get a bit maniacal and try to make ALL. THE. THINGS. I got totally overwhelmed but then I took a second and realized…it doesn’t matter! These self-imposed deadlines were just that and no one cared if I finished the shirt when I wanted to or not. It’s been a real relief (though it has lead to sparse blog posts, sorry!) and this shirt was pretty much the first piece made with that mindset. It took me a few weeks to make because I only worked on it when it was fun. As soon as I got bored or frustrated or was just doing it to finish, I stopped. And the results are a really nice, carefully made shirt. I’m not totally convinced it’s the best silhouette for me, but I do love this particular version (and it was perfect for Thanksgiving dinner!)

I had a number of sewing firsts on this shirt (tower plackets, facing instead of a collar stand, etc.), so taking my time was definitely the way to go. Also, I can’t remember who said this (maybe Lindsay? Yep, it was Lindsay.), but this totally includes the hardest parts of a button up and the hardest parts of a dress. All in all, I’m not dying to make another, but I’m very pleased with this one.

Shirt Details:

Pattern: Bruyere Shirt by Deer and Doe

Fabric: Ikat from Grey’s Fabric (I love this fabric, but it still turns me red every time I wear it, fair warning)

Size: 40 in the bust, graded to 42 in the waist and hip

Alterations/Changes: None really, besides grading between sizes. I also stitched down the first inch of the inverted box pleats to help them lay flatter. And all my inside seams are Frenched. Every. last. one.