I don’t think I ever appreciated how much I like dressing for warm weather until we lived in Tennessee for a couple of years. When we packed up and left Florida and its eternal scorching summers, I felt like I was quite ready to embrace the cold. I do truly love the cold and the presence of regular seasons. But I’ve realized that I also love the warmth and the opportunity it affords to dress light and bright.

oh, Florida, you ridiculously hot state

When you live in Florida, flip flops and tank tops are appropriate every single day of the year. In Florida, hot pink and bright turquoise and every other eye popping color are entirely fitting from January through December.

I have an education in seasonal dressing now. Living in Tennessee has taught me that there are a great number of people who actually choose to dress in neutrals, especially during fall, winter, and spring. I am learning that I should at least pair my brights with a neutral if I don’t want stick out like a sore thumb. All this to say, I do feel that I stand out a bit in every season in my bright and bold colors, except for the summertime. So I am embracing the social allowance of this mountain culture to dress as brightly as I can in all the florals.

One of the priorities I have had over the past year or so, is to add more practical pieces to my wardrobe. I don’t mean black t-shirts and solid sweaters. I mean that I want to sew something other than dresses that I can wear on any given weekday, but still feel extra pretty because of course it will be made with pretty fabric. My basic style could be summed up as follows: utility meets beauty. You can bet your bottom dollar if I’m going to go basic, its going to be as extra as possible. Why? Because beauty in the ordinary makes me smile. Add some flowers, and you’ll get me excited.

Our project : Chataigne Shorts by Deer and Doe

This brings me to the project I want to share with you today: Deer and Doe’s Chataigne Shorts in a gorgeous denim by Liberty Fabrics. You can find that pattern here. \

I have made the Chataigne shorts before, also in a Liberty denim that I had gotten for a great deal through Fabric.com like 10 years ago. You can read that post here, if you like. I liked that fabric so much, that when I saw this available on the Liberty London website, I ordered it straight away.

I didn’t think I would be making shorts with it at the time. Actually, I wanted to make a pair of pants similar to an old J.Crew pair I have, but I haven’t made pants successfully yet. I feel like I’m a hard to fit frame, so once I get brave enough to go through all the fit adjustments, I will try my hand at those.

Last summer, I realized I really wanted some more shorts for warmer weather. So I reached for this fun fabric, and made these Chataigne Shorts.

This pattern fits my smaller waist and larger hips so well. I really appreciate that I haven’t had to adjust the seat or grade the pattern in any way. While I do recognize that that is just part of the process on a lot of garments, it sure is nice to sew up something that just fits as is too. It makes for a pretty quick project.

scallops, the perfect feminine touch!

The part of the this project that took the longest was stitching the scallops along the hem. Scallops are something that cannot be rushed. Pretty, even, precise scallops definitely take some time and patience to sew, but they are entirely worth the extra effort. I wouldn’t say that they are hard, but certainly do require a slow-down and attention to detail. The end result is so worth it! Aren’t they the perfect feminine touch?

Another thing I love about the Chataigne shorts is the side zipper closure. While I don’t mind a button and zipper, I appreciate the clean look of the hidden zipper. I also really love that it is a simple thing to sew. I have sewn so many invisible zippers over the years that they are pretty second nature at this point.

So what do you think? I’m pretty obsessed with my shorts. They’ve gotten plenty of wear over the past year, and I think its because they fit my style so seamlessly. Pretty and purposeful.

I’m going to be sharing some more of the garments that are seeing me through this sweltering summertime. I always love being able to share patterns that are real winners!

Until next time,

Meredith