I’ve been short for pretty much my whole life, with the exception of a period around the 6th grade when I was smack in the middle of my class in terms of height (I know this because they lined us up according to height for our “graduation” ceremony and I was dead center for the girls.) And you always hear about things that don’t suit this body type, styles that don’t look good on that height or whatever. And then you go to your local Banana Republic or Macy’s, try stuff on, and the mirror confirms what all the magazine fashion “advice” says.
But to tell you the truth, I’ve always held some skepticism about those generalizations for petite people, because so many of them seem to be based on taking garments, shortening at them at the hem, and then declaring that they don’t work. And we all know that correct proportioning is a lot more than just hemming to the right length. I’ve long suspected that some (though not all) of the styles and garments that are deemed to be “unflattering” on short women would actually be fine if proportioned correctly. I secretly even believe that short women could pull off the dreaded cape if they made them at the right length for themselves rather than trying them on at the department store (but testing that theory is not high on my list of priorities right now.) And after discovering last week that pencil skirts don’t turn me into a stump if I make them to fit myself properly instead of relying on Armani Exchange to make a bottom that looks decent on a 5’0″ woman, I’m feeling somewhat emboldened.
And so I’ve decided to take on Vogue 1051, the alice + olivia pant that is decidedly wider in the leg than is generally deemed advisable for a woman with a 25″ inseam. (I’ve gone back and forth on this pattern for a while- I’ve seen the pants made up a lot and while they usually look nice, the made-up versions I’ve seen generally don’t have the swingy edge to them that I like so much about the pattern envelope picture and look more like a standard bootcut trouser silhouette. We’ll see how mine go.)First of all, these pants are loooooong. I did three petite alterations- one in the thigh, one at the knee, and one in the calf (because remember- it’s not just about shortening at the hem!) and probably removed a total of 6″ of length altogether. The final length should be just an inch or two above the floor when I’m wearing heels. And I muslined them up, and you know what? They don’t turn me into a stump! My theory seems to be panning out thus far.
Ok, so now, about the muslin… I was, as usual, out of old bedsheets to cut up, so I started looking through my stash for something suitable that I didn’t mind sacrificing. (I was going to use some plaid flannel that Dan bought when he decided he was going to sew doggie jackets for all four of his family’s dogs. I told him that after he made one he might not want to make the other three, but he went ahead and bought enough fabric for four anyway, insisting that he would. Guess how many he made. In the end, the dogs just took turns wearing the jacket, and Dan discovered firsthand how stash happens. Anyway, the flannel is soft and nice and would be a great lining for something, so I decided to save it.) It’s utterly shameful to say, but what I decided to sacrifice was… Pendleton wool. Yes, for a muslin.
This is not just any Pendleton wool- this is the wool that BurdaStyle sent me to make the BurdaStyle book coat. Ultimately I ended up substituting coat fabrics due to a necessary last-minute design change, so I ended up with lots of this wool left over. And as shameful as it is to use Pendleton for a muslin, I just knew that I was never ever actually going to use the fabric for a proper garment because it’s not my color:
It’s on a hanger because it’s just far too scratchy to wear without lining. It’s a jacket or heavy bottom weight flannel. The color is darker than sky blue, but not as dark as French blue, and so I’ve been calling it “Viagra blue,” for reasons that should be obvious:
Haha, Viagra reminds me of these little guys. Anyone remember them? I should make some with some of the remaining Pendleton. This is serious.
The pants are kind of fun to put on though because every time I look in the mirror I think I should make a little matching jacket and a polyester tie neck blouse so I can look like a hip grandma from the 70’s. Or better yet, like Mr. Furley:
That guy totally rocks this color. I, however, don’t look so good in it.
For the real version, I’ve cut into one of my most treasured pieces of fabric in my stash, a heathered mocha brushed wool flannel that I picked up on a fabric bender at Mood during the holidays last year. I don’t know how they made this stuff so amazingly soft, but it feels like cashmere and I can easily wear it unlined. It would have been well worth it even at twice its $18/yard price (on the high side for me.)
So that’s where I am, trying to defy well established style advice about wide pants on short legs, using Pendleton as scrap fabric, and making somewhat obscure references to the late 70s and early 80s. I should quit here.
25 comments
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August 11, 2010 at 8:02 am
ksmith90
This is serious (serious). We can make you delirious (delirious). Was that a PSA or Sesame Street?
August 11, 2010 at 8:16 am
selfishseamstress
It was a PSA. I don’t know about now, but back in those days, Sesame Street did not mention drugs :)
Here’s the original PSA, and of course, Busta sampled it brilliantly in the late 90s :)
August 11, 2010 at 8:17 am
cherri
Someone, somewhere could wear those viagra pants and look awesome!
I am looking forward to seeing the finished Mood fabric version as I am 3/4 through making my own pair. (Lack of zipper has ceased progress). I am using a stretch linen-look fabric in a milk chocolate tone.
I am not terribly tall nor short but I am unsure of the wide flare – it seems VERY wide on the pattern and tech drawings. I imagine I will bring it in to more of a boot cut, but you never know until they are made up. Two friends of mine made these (and loved them) but mentioned that the fairly low waist line took some getting use to. I did make a mock up (in marroon poly cotton!) and they seemed on the low side of normal for me.
Thanks for the fabulous read each day.
August 11, 2010 at 8:19 am
Amanda S.
These are going to look fantastic on you. One thing I remember about this pattern is that the zipper opening is super short. To the point of looking a little odd. At least on my body that is. With your being petite it might be perfect. Anyway, I can’t wait to see these finished. That beautiful brown is going to match a lot, I’m sure.
August 11, 2010 at 8:20 am
Lauriana
I don’t believe the ‘advice’ either. Half of the time it has more to do with the standard proportions used by RTW brands that with flattering shapes. I’m of average height and I love my self drafted and made, fairly high waisted, wide legged, hemmed to fall a bit over my foot when wearing heels trousers as an instrument to appear long legged, tall and very slender… (which I’m not, not and just a bit). So, based on that, in the right proportions, they should be great for a petite lady.
August 11, 2010 at 8:20 am
Reethi
I’m very curious to see your version, because this pattern is in my pattern stash as well, and I’ve the same height issues as you. Are you taking any width off the bottom as well, in addition to the length?
August 11, 2010 at 8:35 am
amber
I think your theory is a good one. I’m sure the final pants will be beautiful, but the muslin is cracking me up. That is one heck of a color! And please, please make some of the little singing pills. How cute would they be hanging out on your office desk or something?
August 11, 2010 at 8:46 am
Kerry
Thank you for sharing the PSA. I love puppets.
August 11, 2010 at 8:49 am
Marie-Christine
I think your theory is a perfectly good one.
If it’s any consolation I have to chop 6″ off Vogue legs too, because even though I’m considerably taller than you I don’t wear heels. Sigh. That’s another kind of challenge I guess.
I also have to confess that I like that blue, but please, without the tie..
August 11, 2010 at 9:09 am
Nikole
Please do defy the odds of petite-ness . I’ve been wanting a pair of wide leg pants but think they may make me look extra wide and stumpy
August 11, 2010 at 9:31 am
Nancy K
If you don’t love them at a 25 ” hem it’s not difficult to narrow them down even after the fact. But, honestly I think that they will be fine on you.
August 11, 2010 at 9:33 am
Meg
I hate petite sized clothing. I’m 5’2″ and all torso, so it doesn’t work for me. Seriously, I need a one-piece swim suit in long. For the longest time, my mom always made me buy stuff in petite sizes. Okay, great the arms aren’t too long and it doesn’t need to be shortened at the hem, but it just isn’t comfortable. It especially drives me crazy when stores take petite sizes down a size. In other words, a size 8 average and a size 10 petite are the same size!!! It just seems like such a cop-out to me. Definitely one of the reasons I started sewing my own clothes.
August 11, 2010 at 9:37 am
katrina
Did Burda send you that blue because it coordinates well with clown make-up and red polka-dot bow ties?
Seriously, that is an intense blue, even for a coat. Excellent use of it for your muslin!
August 11, 2010 at 10:18 am
Janice
I am short, 5′, and want some long flowey pants like this. So I am very interested in how you shorten them. I am thinking I would keep the same proportion of width of bottom to length that the pattern suggests.
August 11, 2010 at 10:40 am
meli88a
I don’t really follow the advice either — I’m about the same height as you and have made these pants several times. I’ve lopped off between 2 and 3 inches depending on whether I’ll wear the pants with heels. In the case of taking 3 inches off the hem, I made the pant leg a size smaller to reduce the chances of getting stumpified.
August 11, 2010 at 11:33 am
PetitePear
Interesting that you didn’t have to shorten the rise. When I tried making pants (no success yet) I found that I had to shorten the rise as much as 1.5″. (Then another 2.5″ on the thighs and figured I could hem up the rest.)
August 11, 2010 at 1:13 pm
CGCouture
You know something freaky? I was just contemplating sewing up this exact pattern last night! I even spent an hour or so reading every.single.review on patternreview.com to see what the consensus was on it. It looked like a winner, but I’d definitely want it to fit slimmer through the thighs than most of the reviewers ended up with (personal preference, of course.)
August 11, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Katie
Heh. I have some of that wool, given to me as well. It sits at the bottom of a large pile of less offensively colored fabrics. A muslin is perhaps the best use I can think of.
August 11, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Katherine
I think my version of these has the swingy edge effect (http://sewblooms.blogspot.com/2008/06/elephant-pants.html) I’m trying to remember what fabric I used. It is a drapy fabric, in a polyester blend, but I can’t remember what the blend was. Hopefully you get the swingy effect you want!
To my great joy, I have discovered that I can overcome a fair amount of style advice by fitting to myself…I am not short, but very pear shaped…sewers are the winners here!
August 11, 2010 at 11:23 pm
pinkicing
oh selfish seamstress, I didn’t think I could love you more, but, now that I know you are short, as am I, and are oh-so-attuned to the hell of everlasting never-ending hemming, my heart swells. though not in a creepy-stalker kind of way.
August 12, 2010 at 5:20 am
valerie
At 4’10”, I’ve realized that absolutely NOTHING was going to make me look tall, so I just wear what I think looks/feels good on me. I recently made some very wide palazzo pants out of some cream-colored Thai silk, and I love them. I’m never going to be 6′ tall, send in the clowns .. .
August 15, 2010 at 4:08 am
Are you a winter? Whatever. « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] readers, sewing time is scarce now, and progress on the Vogue 1051 alice + olivia pants is temporarily on hold. But they are just inches from being done and looking gooooood so far. […]
August 16, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Sara
wow someone else in this world has a 25″ inseam? i thought i was the only one. short legs unite!
August 17, 2010 at 8:21 am
Wide leg pant theory confirmed: Vogue 1051 done! « The Selfish Seamstress
[…] I was off on one thing. Despite having made a muslin, when I sewed these up in the fashion fabric, the waistband ended up with some odd diagonal […]
January 26, 2012 at 4:03 am
Sylvia Grace
It’s awesome, i like it Thanks for this great post about the well known color Blue Viagra