Okay so I feel like by now you all know how I feel about detectives (as in totally obessed!) and since I've already dress up as two of my favorites : Nancy Drew in "Ladies in Lavender" and Phryne Fisher in " Miss Fisher's Murder" this week I decided to take a side step from detective and dress as everyone's favorite Investigative Reporter Lois Lane!
Okay so I didn't start out aiming for Lois Lane it just sort of happened organically (same as "Ladies in Lavender "did), It all started (as all these do) with a piece of fabric.
62" width 1 yard + 13 inches +1/2 yard of varying width- Fiber content was not listed but from the feel of the fabric I knew it was wool. Wool had a very distinct feel to it, I also assumed that it was 100% wool or if a blend has a high wool fiber content. Blends tend to have a very specific feel as well. It was a really pretty shade of Tan and I thought right away I wanted to make a pair of trousers.
Unfortunately you need like 2yrds minimum typically for
a pair of trouser, or pants in general depending on how tall you are. Go figure each leg needs about a yard to itself, makes sense actually when you think about it.
Having already pulled out Simplicity Pattern 3688 1940's Retro, I saw that it also had a skirt option. Now those of you who follow me on Instagram might already know that I own a wool skirt, a wool skirt that I love and wear often, so much so that I posted about it just last month. And so I thought 'I will make a wool skirt' which is what I did. I cut out a size 18 because I hate wasting fabric and wanted to use as much of the wool as I could, and then I but the scraps in my scraps drawer because I have the feeling I'm going to need them.
Also because I like complete outfits, and have wanted to make it ever since I bought the pattern cut out the blouse also known as view A. For that I used a piece stretch satin leftover from one of my Kimono Robes (which can be found in my shop, order yours today!) it was a small piece little over a yard long, at a 45" width I had just enough to cut the size 18 so the two could possibly be sold together, which they can!
I actually made the top first because stretch satin frays like crazy! Well all satin frays like crazy but the stretchy stuff seems worse. I did it very quickly and all in one sitting for that reason. (Funny story, I seem to have lost the directions for this pattern and I'm guessing it was around the time I was in college because that's the only time I used this pattern before now, and it was to make the jacket so everything else was a first time for me.) Having lost the instructions to this pattern I had to guess at the construction. It felt straightforward as I didn't struggle at all with it, I really enjoyed putting together this simple blouse.
The Skirt was a little more work, it's a simple A-Line with princess seams but I ended up misplacing a piece and had to tear apart my room to find it slid down behind my cutting table. After that things went much smoother.
The pieces went together easily, I put in the side zipper, I ended up using a metal zipper because the whole point of this challenge is to not buy things. Besides, I'm really starting to become a fan of metal zippers.
Finished with a sliding hook closure. For the hem I didn't have the instructions as I mentioned before so I pulled out my wool skirt that I love to wear and measured it's hem. 2 1/4 inch hem. That's exactly what I gave mine and I'm happy I did, think it turned out beautifully and this may be my favorite garment after the Giddyup' Blouse. Although you could totally pair it with this skirt for a very Annie Oakley feel.
As soon as I had finished the skirt I new this was a Lois Lane outfit. I thought with the right hat I could look like a 40's journalist, and when I think of 40's journalist Lois Lane is first in my mind. I tried to make my hair, and makeup as accurate as possible and pulled the hat from my hat box. I took maybe 20 pics and new that they were gonna look good, because I felt good. I have to admit, my initial instinct was to make all of these black and white to really set the Noir feel. But I did want you guys to see the beautiful colors of both the wool and the satin so only a few of them have been edited to make them look old.
Well thank you for tuning in, if you get a chance check out my shop to purchase this look, or have it made to your specifications. As promised pictures are below and you can always follow me on Instagram @MadsenCreations Facebook- Madsen Creations by Rachel Madsen Twitter and Snapchat: Rachieface89 or
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClHik0k3YxamQ4OTVnB7RSw thanks, I look forward to writing to you soon!