{"id":62,"date":"2009-06-08T09:17:00","date_gmt":"2009-06-08T13:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oliverands.com\/blog\/2009\/06\/principles-of-fabric-selection-think-sophisticated-and-understated\/"},"modified":"2018-11-28T10:52:38","modified_gmt":"2018-11-28T15:52:38","slug":"principles-of-fabric-selection-think-sophisticated-and-understated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2009\/06\/principles-of-fabric-selection-think-sophisticated-and-understated.html","title":{"rendered":"principles of fabric selection: think sophisticated and understated"},"content":{"rendered":"
I think this outfit is tremendously successful. I adore it.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

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<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/span>This <\/em><\/span>2 + 2 blouse and pleated skirt<\/span><\/em><\/a> is understated and <\/em><\/span>tremendously <\/em><\/span>elegant while still wholly appropriate for a child.<\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you had run across these fabrics at your local quilt shop, would you have thought “children’s clothing” when you saw them? Probably not. But didn’t this outfit turn out great? I like how Hannah<\/a>, the seamstress, chose a subdued, muted color palette for the outfit. She has been very subtle in her use of color. The grayish-bluish colors in the 2 + 2 blouse, offset on the cream-colored background, are very understated. And the combination of that rich brown for the skirt might be an unexpected choice, but I love how the ensemble comes together. It\u2019s very restrained in its use of color (the whole outfit is playing with a number of neutral tones), but in this case I think it works well with the lines of the design. Together the skirt and the blouse are elegant. They are sophisticated. And they definitely allow you to see the child before the outfit.<\/p>\n

People sometimes don\u2019t realize that it\u2019s OK to be a bit restrained when it comes to using color for children\u2019s clothing. Sometimes just a little pop of color is all an outfit needs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"
<\/a><\/p>\n

Birthday Party Dress<\/em><\/span><\/a> sewn by our own <\/em><\/span>Brooke Reynolds<\/em><\/span><\/a> as an Easter dress for her daughter (love that matching tie for her son!). <\/span>
<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This Birthday Party Dress has been made in a plain, neutral linen\u2014with just a delicate wisp of color added thanks to the Liberty print used for the tab. This, too, is a bit unexpected. I love the choice of natural linen for the dress, and the addition of the print takes a plain fabric and turns it into something elegant. People tend to think that a dress for a little girl needs to be made from a busy, floral print. This dress turns that assumption on its head, using a tiny floral print in just a wee dose, and it works especially well.<\/p>\n

But just because I\u2019ve highlighted a couple very understated outfits doesn\u2019t mean that everything needs to be very reserved and reliant on muted colors.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>This <\/span><\/em>Birthday Party Dress<\/span><\/em><\/a> looks cool and ready for summer in a calm, relaxed palette of greens.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a dress that in some respects is the mirror opposite of the last one I highlighted. This Birthday Party Dress uses a floral print for the body and a linen for the tab. The print is busier than the others I\u2019ve highlighted so far, but it\u2019s still somewhat modest in comparison to many fabrics on the market today. It\u2019s almost monochromatic with the different tones of green on a white background, but the lightest shade of green\u2014which verges on yellow\u2014steps out from the background a bit to give the dress a little visual interest. The fabric, while reserved and understated, is perfectly appropriate for a child\u2019s garment and actually gives the finished piece an air of sophistication that you don\u2019t find in most ready-made clothing for children. It feels cool and summery, doesn’t it?<\/p>\n

Now please don\u2019t infer from what I\u2019m saying here that you need to be afraid of color. You can use very vibrant colors. You just need to select and balance your colors carefully.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Bright yellow is toned down with neutrals for a large (but not overpowering) print in this <\/span><\/em>2 + 2 blouse with Puppet Show shorts<\/em><\/span><\/a>.<\/em><\/span> <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I really love this combination. For this outfit, the sewer has combined the Puppet Show short with the 2 + 2 top. For the shorts she\u2019s used a gray denim, and she has played this very effectively off the Amy Butler print she\u2019s selected for the top. The gray of the print subtly picks up the gray of the denim (which is repeated in the patch at center front), but these neutrals are really there to serve as a base for the yellow in the print that subtly steps to the fore. The outfit, again, is elegant and mature (not juvenile at all), but it\u2019s wholly appropriate for a child.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another piece sewn by the same sewer that uses even more color.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> Even bright colors can be subtle and elegant, as you can see with this <\/span><\/em>Birthday Party Dress<\/span><\/em><\/a>.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

You have noticed here, haven\u2019t you, that we\u2019ve moved away from neutrals and have landed solidly in the land of pink? (No matter how much we try to mitigate against it at home, there\u2019s a certain four-year-old there who just has to have her pink dresses….) But a bright pink fabric\u2014bright enough to make any pink-loving little girl happy\u2014can still be turned into a sophisticated and understated dress if it’s selected and balanced correctly.<\/p>\n

Note that although this dress is very pink, it\u2019s not a busy-print pink. There aren\u2019t flowers and six other colors in the print. The print is a vibrant color, but it\u2019s grounded nicely by the simple geometric pattern laid onto the bright base, by the matching solid brown tab, and by the brown shirt layered under the dress. This is a perfect example of how it\u2019s possible to use very vibrant colors and still create an outfit that\u2019s somewhat understated and that ensures you’ll see the child before the dress.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a l
\nittle secret I have that helps me pick the more reserved, and often more sophisticated, prints that appear in quilt shops each season. I tend to avoid the central prints in most designers\u2019 collections. But that\u2019s the topic of the next post in the series. So stay tuned. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I think this outfit is tremendously successful. I adore it. This 2 + 2 blouse and pleated skirt is understated and tremendously elegant while still wholly appropriate for a child. If you had run across these fabrics at your local …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6291,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20687],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-62","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-principles-of-fabric-selection"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/brooke-753348.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5jZS5-10","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":60,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2009\/05\/principles-of-fabric-selection_22.html","url_meta":{"origin":62,"position":0},"title":"principles of fabric selection: introduction","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"May 22, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Every season at Quilt Market, the show's organizers sponsor a series of Schoolhouse presentations for shop owners who are interested in learning more on topics of interest to them. This season, Oliver + S led two Schoolhouse sessions. One of our talks focused on how savvy retailers can increase sales\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/fabric2-778396.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":78094,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2021\/12\/holiday-sewing-for-women-with-liesl-co.html","url_meta":{"origin":62,"position":1},"title":"holiday sewing for women with liesl + co.","author":"Masha Richart","date":"December 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Christmas is almost here, but there's still time to sew something festive for yourself. 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This time she's focused on vintage Martin Margiela for Hermes.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/june-25-feature.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44008,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2015\/03\/spring-dress-inspiration.html","url_meta":{"origin":62,"position":3},"title":"spring dress inspiration","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"March 25, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Here are over a dozen dress ideas to inspire you to sew some Oliver + S spring frocks. We hope this gives you the little kick you need to get creative!","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/SpringDresses.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":39,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2009\/11\/principles-of-fabric-selection-look-for-updated-versions-of-traditional-prints.html","url_meta":{"origin":62,"position":4},"title":"principles of fabric selection: look for updated versions of traditional prints","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"November 4, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"When you read the words \"traditional print,\" do you think boring, dark, and dull?Actually, a lot of contemporary prints are based on traditional prints, and they aren't necessarily boring or dull at all. In fact many designers start their creative process by taking a traditional print and altering it in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/parrishplatz-731458.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":44,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2009\/09\/playdate-for-play.html","url_meta":{"origin":62,"position":5},"title":"playdate for play","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"September 17, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I've always wanted to do something a little more sporty with the Playdate Dress. Something that can be worn for a playdate on the swings and while tearing around the playground. Something that's amenable to serious outdoor activity. For this version, I shortened the dress (by about four or five\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/GEDC0056-731711.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67709,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62\/revisions\/67709"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6291"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}