I usually avoid fashion trends as they tend to look dated after a few months, but I couldn't resist the princess seams ruffle-bouse trend that emerged on my Instagram feed. All the fashion bloggers look so chic in their feminine blouses, and it inspired me to make one. McCall's 7811 was the closest pattern I found that matched this trend. Read on for my honest and unfiltered pattern review.
TLDR
Despite a great fit, the weird princess seams ruffles on this button-down top make too much of a statement.
The pattern
McCall's 7811 offers three views of a button-down, v-neck, fitted shirt with princess seams. I chose view B with the ruffle flounce that starts in the front and extends down the back. I cut out size 12 for the bust and graded it to 14 for the waist. I raised the waist 1 inch to accommodate my short torso.
The fabric
I used a 100% cotton sheet I scored at the thrift store for $1. It looked and felt like chambray and paired well with the pattern.
The good . . .
The fit is fabulous, thanks to the princess seams. The top is form-fitting with just enough ease to be comfortable. I'm also digging the mandarin collar with v-neck that's deep enough without revealing too much cleavage. I'm way too short and flat-chested to pull off a plunging v-neck. I topped stitched all the seams for a tailored look.
The bad . . .
The pattern was easy to follow most of the time. There were some confusing steps and descriptions that made absolutely no sense, but I figured it out by matching the pattern pieces. I pity the novice sewer who chose this pattern. I have enough sewing experience to figure things out, but this pattern will be challenging for a newbie.
The ugly . . . .
I hate, hate, hate the flounce. When I cut out the flounce, I thought they looked oddly oversized compared to the illustration on the pattern envelope, but I told myself not to judge anything until everything came together. I draped the flounce on my dress form as a reality check, and they still looked weird, but I kept going.
These ruffles look like mutant wings trying to take flight. They overwhelm the top and distract from all the positive aspects. When I modeled the blouse for my husband, he gave me a "what the f***" kind of look. I shared my pictures with my cousin while she was visiting, and she busted a gut laughing out loud.
I briefly considered removing the ruffles, but the thought of removing the top stitching was enough of a deterrent to stop me. Without the ruffles, I'd be left with a simple, plain blue shirt that wasn't worth wearing, even with the great fit
In conclusion
The ruffle flounce is a big statement I can't pull off on my body. Not every fashion trend is worth sewing if it doesn't suit your body. Lesson learned!
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