Once upon a time there was a shirt, a man’s shirt. This shirt was superficially unremarkable, but was made out of a wonderful microfibre that had extraordinarily silk-like properties. Soft, ripply, with a quietly glossy sheen, it felt wonderfully cool and smooth against the skin just like silk; but unlike silk it was as tough as guts. It barely ever needed ironing, thus earning the everlasting approval of the laundry maid of the house.
After a few years of regular wear it was designated “old”, signalling the end of any special care in its laundering, from then on it just got tossed in the machine with jeans, whatever, no special cycle. It soldiered on, looking just exactly as lusciously silky as it always had.
The Indestructible Shirt. Winning further admiration from the laundry maid, who alone in the household truly appreciated such a magical fabric … all the benefits of silk but without the maintenance… ! o-kaaaay!
After twenty years of use, its owner carelessly tossed it in the Salvoes bag, whereupon the laundry maid astutely retrieved it and planned a feminine new life for it, hehehehehe.
The End.
Well maybe more like a brand new beginning!
Technical bizzo…
The pattern is Vogue 8879, view B. Funny thing; Spotlight had a $5 pattern sale last week, I bought um, 6 patterns *blush* call Patternaholics Anonymous; I need help!! anyway, I bought some of the more glamorous interesting and unusual designer Vogues that caught my eye, and then this funny unassuming little one too. Guess which one was the one I was most excited to try out first. Ha!
I love the split back; it’s quite elegant in my opinion, and just quietly sexy without being the least bit tarty.
The old shirt was completely cut it apart to make the new one, and I modified the existing button band and sewn-on buttons to accommodate the split back. The old front is now the back of the new shirt, and the old back is the new front. The sleeves! it often astounds me how difficult it can be to cut a new thing from an old thing even if you think the old thing has masses of fabric; the sleeve pattern pieces barely fitted on the old sleeves, taking up the full length of the sleeve from the cuff to the armscye! Amaaazing!
One new buttonhole was required at the very top, and the left breast pocket was picked off and repositioned it at a funky angle on the lower front of the top. All the seams are flat felled to honour the original beautifully flat felled seams in the original shirt: although obviously none of the original seams remain after it was hacked apart I still felt compelled to try and reproduce those immaculate finishes in its new incarnation too.
Rather than the quirky but fabric-hungry twisted sleeve bands of the pattern, I made hidden, shaped facings for the lower edge of the sleeves instead and I finished the neck edge with a narrow bias cut strip; these were cut from a scrap of deep blue real silk, the leftovers from this top, and stitched, under-stitched then top-stitched.
One thing: the pattern stipulates two way stretch fabrics only; but I found that this view B is so loose and easy fitting that my decidedly non-stretchy microfibre version is absolutely fine to slip on over my head. Don’t need to un-do even a single button.
So it’s got that going for it too!
Details:
Top; Vogue 8879 view B, blue microfibre, a refashioned mens’ shirt
Skirt; my own design based on Vogue 7303, white stretch lace, details here
Thongs; Havaianas
Very interesting remake and the fabric sounds gorgeous!
I am amazed that this shirt is so old. The fabric is in such good condition and makes a great top for you.
Cool and unique!
I've made this same top and love the open back too. Mine was in a knit so its lovely to see your gorgeous version in a woven, very pretty! Glad you spied the shirt as its perfect for this.
looks really fab! that split back is really cool, i'll have to make something similar
What a great refashion! I love this top, the back looks fab. As for that silky microfibre fabric, I wish I could buy it, it's perfect for lazy laundry maids like me 😉
Elegant, funky and definitely quietly sexy. Fabric looks amazing.
My mum and i have made this top too the same view, but without the split – twice between us in silk twill and once in cotton jersey. It really is a terrific pattern, and I agree that it definitely doesn't require a stretch fabric! Your top is lovely, such a clever use of an old shirt… You're giving me ideas, Carolyn!
You have a great eye for picking garments to refashion. Love your work.
Fabulous refashion, I love the buttoned, split back, and the fabric is gorgeous.
Amazing as ever! I thought it would be some avante garde Japanese pattern. Just as well I missed the spotty sale!
Loved your tale of the indestructible shirt and even more so the gorgeous top it became. Inspiring, as always!
What an interesting remake! I love that you used a woven for this and that it worked out so splendidly. I'll have to take another look at this pattern.
That's an amazing refashion! You may want to avoid Patternaholics Anonymous. All they do is talk about the new patterns purchased. That's a lot of temptation.
You're my refashioning hero. This is such a cool garment!
That's a fabulous refashion! I love your eye for unusual design features too; that split back is gorgeous.
Another gorgeous make! Your refashionings are inspiring – a little too inspiring:) Now I have a large tub of castoff clothing awaiting their turn in my very slow-moving sewing queue……I had not noticed that pattern, but now I think I need to add it to my list.
Beautiful remake and I love the skirt too…the one Sienna is behind instead of photo bombing!
Perfectly lovely; I am going out to buy the pattern……. Fran
Very clever!
Love that top. Now we have matching gray refashioned tops with pockets near the hem. I am a bit confused. If the pocket started on the F of the shirt, and you used the F of the shirt for your top back, how did the pocket end up on the front?
http://badmomgoodmom.blogspot.com/2010/06/vogue-1071-refashion.html
thanks BMGM. I picked the pocket off the "old" front and re-sewed it onto a new position on the "new" front of the top 🙂
Great refashion!
The amount of things you can do with a mans shirt (which are on my to do list). I like what you have done. It looks very neat with a sprinkle of unique,
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Oh I really love this Carolyn! It's another example of what you can do with what after all was an old shirt. I would never have thought it could make such a glamorous top! By the way, I also have the pattern you used but intend to sew up a plain t-shirt. I like the shape on you, so I feel I will like the t-shirt, even though it will have a different 'vibe' in jersey.
It's beautiful – I love it. And I love what you did with the pocket.
You are amazing! I remember those shirts, I loved them way back when 😉 Very wonderful that it's living on, and so perfectly.
20 years? My goodness. Your refashion looks brand new. It's a lovely unusual style and I like the colour on you very much.
What an amazing remake! You never cease to amaze me.
What a fabulous top! And I looooove the skirt too.
What a fantastic use of an old business shirt. They often are made of some lovely fabrics and the only part that really wears out is the collar.
I find that your creative refashions of old garments have made for some of your most interesting posts, and pieces, like this very flattering top.
That's a very chic and flattering top Caroline! I admire your sense of style and design, and your technical skills.
Just fabulous! Love this refashion- really stylish!