Style Arc Besharl jacket
Every now and then I make a vow to myself – no more patterns. And just as often as I make the vow, I break it. The Style Arc Besharl jacket was part of a special offer package of jacket, pants and top – and I liked all three pieces, so I bought it. But so far I’ve only sewn the jacket.
Style Arc describe this jacket as follows: This style is the perfect solution to dress up outer wear whether you are off to a sporting event or out to dinner. Slightly cocooned shaped and dropped back hemline gives this shawl collared jacket a fashionable kimono-style look. A must have jacket for your wardrobe. FABRIC SUGGESTION Cashmere, merino wool or boiled wool, Ponte, sweater knit or any fabric with drape.
The fabric I used was a soft printed ponte. Style Arc were selling this fabric a little while ago, but it’s no longer on their website. I think that I saw it at Super Cheap Fabrics at the time as well. It’s got beautiful drape, which worked perfectly for this jacket.
I did pay attention when laying out the pattern pieces to keep the print runnning in the same direction, although I made no attempt to pattern match. This is a straightfoward style to sew, and most construction was on the overlocker. I used the machine to topstitch where needed.
There are pockets in the side seams, which come in handy. They do hang around and flap a bit, so would probably be best topstitched to the front to secure them. I notice that the line drawing has a pale pocket line on it – maybe that’s a suggestion?
The shawl collar turns back from a wide rectangular piece that also forms the front bands. I often don’t like the way that this type of collar construction sits on me at the back of my neck (forward neck, rounded shoulders, short person) and this is no exception. It forms slightly weird folds. at the back below the turn back.
But overall I’m pretty happy with this jacket! It’s comfortable casual yet also looks rather smart. I suspect it will get quite a lot of wear as we move into spring – and it will be a good air-conditioned office piece as well.
This is the coolest outfit on you! You look great!
AND OMG, your beautiful lemons….it so reminds me of living in California. I miss that.
Love it here with the boots and jeans!
Lara!…well I’m glad you constantly fail your vow to not buy more patterns! After all, it’s a relatively harmless and inexpensive obsession….and you’ve turned it into an absolute positive. I’m sure you actually use a very high proportion of your pattern collection and your readers benefit from seeing the results and your critique. I personally have bought at least 6 patterns and a book purely from your reviews! Your blog posts are one of the very few I open 90% of the time and I always get a little frisson of delight to see a new one in the inbox….
…so, for my future entertainment and the $$$ we both invest in keeping pattern companies profitable – please keep on failing not to buy patterns!
Thank you for a very detailed review of this pattern. You have made a very interesting piece. I hope you get lots of wear from it.
This is really cute.
Cute jacket! It looks like the perfect transitional spring jacket.
No more patterns? I love patterns. I once thought, in a pattern drafting phase, that I would only make my own patterns and not buy any more, but it turns out that I love patterns as much as fabric.
This is a great jacket!
Very nice jacket!
Gorgeous! I love the fabric. I’m fairly tall with square, wide shoulders and those collars don’t always fit on me. 2 suggestions – wear the collar up, like it’s a mandarin collar, or roll and tack the back at the center to half the height – hem it essentially. Or just hem it. It looks wonderful on you as is, folds and all. No one else will notice. BTW, Yours is the first blog I check in a day.
Love this jacket on you. Probably one of my favourite of your makes.
Please stop showing fabulous garments in fabrics I ‘need’ from patterns I then buy 😉.
Please don’t stop buying patterns! I only recently discovered Style Arc, and they are just gaining ground here in the US. I absolutely adore their designs, and am so glad to be able to see them made up!
Thanks Lara, I love that I can always rely on you to have sewn the patterns I’m browsing! 😉