Thursday, July 18, 2013

COATS : The Lilac Coat Goes Out!

I know you have all been waiting for this post - so here goes!

Last Sunday my family and I went out to our favourite breakfast spot (breakfast is my favourite meal to eat out) and I thought 'What a fabulous opportunity to wear my lilac coat!'  Luckily, my step-daughter just LOVES being my photographer.


You will have to forgive me my shoes.  Its winter but I don't have any close toed shoes that go with lilac.  But you can FINALLY see the real colour of the fabric and the fact that the buttons do match it!!!


I do however have an adorable vintage beret which matches the colour of the coat perfectly!  And the extra inches I added to the skirt pieces have made coat extra swishy (if a coat can be swishy).


And I'm really happy with the placement of the pockets!  They are in a really comfortable place to put my hands in - not to mention warm!

And here is my lovely family:


To everyone who has quietly wondered if my family is into vintage too - they aren't.  Its just me.  I stand out like a sore thumb!  On the left is step-daughter Livy, then step-son Zane (who refuses to have is hair cut) and then my lovely hubby Steve.

Our favourite breakfast place is at a nursery.  It is lovely and quiet, which the most relaxing atmosphere.  And they have wonderful tea and amazing food.


Here is a photo of my breakfast.  Lightly spiced creamed corn on sourdough toast topped with crumbled persian fetta, asparagus spears and a poached egg. That crazy looking thing on the left is a hash brown - my goodness they make the best hash browns!

Since I took these photos the weather has been unseasonably warm (again) and I haven't worn the coat since.  I've almost finished the black one so fingers crossed we get a coolish day where I can wear it, even if its only to take photos, cause since I interlined it, that thing is like a doona!

Who else likes going out for breakfast?

Beccie
xxx

28 comments:

  1. I rarely get to go out for breakfast but i do enjoy it when I do! I was going to ask if you made the beret lol but how fabulous that it matches perfectly! Absolutely love the coat! Lets hope winter drags out for a bit longer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How perfect is the beret!!! I bought it on my trip, and you can't see, but its got a lovely jewelled gold-tone pin in the front of it. Love it!

      Delete
  2. The coat turned out lovely! I love the color! And the matching beret is just too cute! Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The coat is gorgeous. Such a beautiful colour and I love the matching beret! I love it all :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Annie :) Lilac is a gorgeous colour, and it just makes my skin glow :)

      Delete
  4. Wow-that beret was a kismet find- you look amazing! A most enviable make.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looking gorgeous as per, I really am very envious.... but in a good way, lol xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahahaha I know that envy in a good way... I sometimes tell people "I hate you so much right now in a totally love you way"... makes sense to me!

      Delete
  6. Very lovely coat!! And together with the hat its perfection!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well even if the rest of your family dont dress the same way, that's ok! My boyfriend looks like a guy straight out of the army so we look a fine couple out on the street. Though I'm convinced he just looks like my bodyguard and I'm okay with that!

    How about this warm spell huh - curse it - just when your coats are done. I'm sure it will get cold again soon.

    The lilac coat turned out just perfectly! It looks fantastic :-D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hahahaha I like that Esz - you have your own personal body guard!

      It is supposed to get cold on the weekend but it'll only be another short burst. I will spend as much time outside in my coats as possible :)

      Delete
  8. How beautiful! I love your coat so much! Especially since I am very into purple. And that beret! It matched so perfectly to your coat that I thought you made it yourself and then I saw what you wrote about it and I was like... There isn't a pattern for it? *disappointed*

    If you don't mind me asking, I was very confused in your previous posts because I could not find where you said what patterned you used to make the coats. Do you mind letting me know because it really did come out quite perfectly? Or, did you draft it yourself? I hope you got a lot of comments while you were out and about on your lovely coat, dear. Have a good day!

    ---

    http://ladylavendersexpressions.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lady Lavender - I can tell by your name that you and I are going to get on famously!

      hahaha sorry about the lack of pattern for the beret - I couldnt quite believe it either when the fabric arrived and it was such a close match for the beret. It was obviously meant to be :)

      And as for the coat pattern, you'll have to look a little further back. This is the 3rd (and 4th considering I made two coats at the same time here) time I've used this vintage pattern to sew a coat. It was the first thing I sewed, and then on the 1st anniversary of my blog, I sewed it again to show myself how far I've come. You can find out more about it and see the pattern if you follow this link:

      http://www.sewretrorose.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/12-months-on-project-revisited.html

      However, this time around I redrafted the collar and other pieces to make a lilac shawl collar coat, and a black cape collar coat. I've done a few posts about them this month, and you can see the post where I talk about the adjustments here:

      http://www.sewretrorose.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/coats-adjusting-my-favourite-pattern.html

      So I really hope you pop back in and see this comment! Let me know :)

      Delete
    2. Thank you so much for replying to me! And I would so love it if we could "get along famously". I really would enjoy having some vintage ladies as my blog friends.

      And that coat pattern? !!! It is so gorgeous! The princess seams and the full skirt! They are to die for. I am so going to have to get it if I can ever find it. It would not only fit into the vintage wardrobe I plan to have, but also the other fashion I am passionate about.

      I find it really surprising that the coat was the first thing you sewed. My mother says they're so hard. Was it really the first thing you sewed ever? Or, maybe the first sewing project you featured on here? Or is it other?

      I want to say again that I really love how your coat came out, it is really flattering on you. I'm so jealous because I want one just like it. Maybe for future reference, can you tell me where you got the fabric? I think that making this coat is going to definitely be on my list for future things to make.

      P. S. I don't want to a beggar, but I would really love it if you would check out my blog. My blog isn't exactly about vintage fashion completely, but I do really love it and I also sew, mostly using vintage patterns (P. P. S. I think you were the first "sewing vintage" blog I read, so I guess that makes you one of my faves.)

      ---

      http://ladylavendersexpressions.blogspot.com/

      Delete
    3. We share a favourite colour darling, so of course we will get along :)

      It is an amazing pattern isn't it. It was the first vintage pattern I bought :) Good luck finding a copy - I haven't seen anything quite like it since.

      My mum gave me the bones of how to sew when I was 15 or so, during one school holidays. I never did anything with it until I bought this coat pattern, and sewed it up. That was 17 years later. Even had to borrow a sewing machine and buy good scissors. Yes, coats are the hardest thing to tackle, but I'm very much the kind of person who enjoys a challenge and enjoys throwing myself in the deep end. And I have more than enough determination to see it through. However, its not the course of action I would recommend for most people!

      The fabric came from fabric.com - they were having a run out sale and I bought it for less than $8/yd which is a BARGAIN! Even if it does wiff a bit like it was found at the back of a barn (yes, surprisingly it smells like lucerne hay!)

      And I am already following your blog on bloglovin, did it this morning when I first read your comments. Happy Birthday by the way!

      Feel free to pop over to my Facebook page and say hi :)

      Beccie
      xxx

      Delete
    4. This conversation is becoming quite conspicuous in your comment box, isn't it? lol

      I just would like to say a few more things. One, do you think there is any place that has similar fabric to yours? And what kind of fabric is it anyway? Wool or something? Please let me know if you do know.

      Two, I just looked up the pattern you have on Ebay and there was NO copies of it available even at a expensive price. Looks like it might be harder to get than I thought, just like you said.

      Three, sadly, I don't have a Facebook page. I promised myself that I would wait until I was out of my parents' house to make one since they think it is "evil". (Yes, I am a bit on the young side of the blogger scale, but hopefully that doesn't bother you) But I will love to continue commenting on each of your new posts, and I would so enjoy it if you did the same. We could even email if you like though that may not be the easiest option out there. Hope to see and talk to you "around" though.

      Delete
  9. Your coat is lovely! Beautiful fit and that color is divine. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Erin - I'm divinely happy with it myself! The only adjustment I made for fit was to set the shoulders back in 5/8 of an inch. I think it sits much better on me that way :)

      Delete
  10. Really lovely, Beccie, as ever. I love to go out for breakfast even though my options are usually somewhat limited since I don't eat eggs. It's something I tend to do with my parents, which makes it extra special.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Gorgeous colour and a beautiful coat!
    I was wondering if you preshrunk your wool fabric at all? I have some wool that I am going to attempt a vintage coat shortly! But I'm worried about shrinkage!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! No I was VERY NAUGHTY and didn't pre-treat my fabric. And considering its a coat its not something I'm going to be sticking in my washing machine... so I thought I might get away with it.

      From what I know you have one of two options. Take the length of fabric to the drycleaners and beg them to do their thing with it (some won't apparently) OR use the same dryer method I used with the wool crepe I used for my Mad Men Dress.

      Sorry for the late reply - I hope the above has helped in some way! :)

      Delete
  12. You look so amazing in that coat, and the beret is just the cream and cherry on top! I would die for such a coat in that colour, it's one of my favourites as well!

    Sometimes I feel a little bit strange, as I love vintage dresses, while my husband is more a contemporary guy, not to mention my 2 little ones that run around in diapers and shirts presently all the time now. In Switzerland it's extremely hot these days, normally 30° C (about 86° F), and no rain since more than 2 weeks, so I'm really longing for some cooler temperatures. I envy you that you are able to wear a coat... :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not for much longer Doris - its warming up fairly rapidly here...

      Delete
  13. GORGEOUS! and yes your coat is definitely swishy so coats can be swishy :). you r family is very lovely. and breakfast in a nursery! how odd but an awesome idea! what a great surrounding <3. so, yeh, i'm just amazed at your sewing all the time... crazy!

    ReplyDelete