The second pattern up for review from the Sew Over It’s City Break Capsule Wardrobe E-book is the Alex shirt. This pattern comes in both shirt and dress length. Both are great for dreamy flowy fabrics and make existing whole in my wardrobe significantly smaller.

This pattern is great for the first shirt because it does not have a collar stand. You attach the collar directly to the body of the shirt so the construction is easier and faster, but you still get to have a taste of the collar construction. Another thing I loved making is the back yoke construction. I needed some head scratching because I just could not get my head around it at first as I never sewed one before. Some trial and error (read unpicking seams) and I got it right. It felt like I won an argument 😊 Always so good! It was an argument with myself (not the pattern) but it still counts.

collar from the front

back yoke detail

It was also my first time sewing patch pockets. I am happy with how they came out. One looks better than the other but I do not think anyone would ever notice but me. Patch pockets are so easy and make a shirt that more interesting in my opinion. I am glad I have that one under my belt and I already used it on many other projects (like on my coat which I blogged about here).

The pattern has a button placket for closure in the front. I was in a bit of a rush (and just plane lazy) so I went for the ultimate lazy shortcut to date: fake button placket. I made the button placket as regular but hand sewed the buttons through both sides of the placket in place. There are no buttonholes (see what I meant with lazy shortcut?). The shirt does not open but as it is not supposed to be buttoned up all the way to the collar there is plenty of room to get it over my head. It looks a bit silly when I try to get it on without making any creases in the fabric, but nobody sees me getting dressed anyway so…..

The only thing I do not particularly like is the slightly dropped shoulder and the over-sized look. When I looked at samples and all other Alexes out there I did like it, but not on me as it turns out. Maybe it is the fabric I used, but I feel a bit lost in there. Maybe even granny due to the fabric pattern, but then again, it is never bad to show a bit of granny glam once in a while. I mostly wore it under a cardigan in winter but now I wear it tucked into jeans and that looks way better. I think that I will take it in for future ones I make. I toyed with it a bit and I would not take it in the sides but would take about 2-3 centimeters form the center of the front and back bodice pieces. This takes the shoulders in but still gives it a relaxed look. I will report back if that was a good idea.

I see many more Alexes hanging in my closet and I already have some fabrics lined up for sewing. I hope I will whip them up sometime soon.

Thanks for reading and happy sewing!

Ana