Style Arc Fifi pants, and 3D scanners as a fitting aid
Once again, I am behind with blogging. I have just started two weeks of holidays and am aiming to get up to date again by the time the holidays finish (my suburb is in a current covid-19 ‘hotspot’ area, so we will be spending the break at home). Today I’ve decided to share one of my most recently sewn garments with you, as it has prompted a number of thoughts on sewing pants, especially for my body shape. This is a bit of a marathon blog post!
I have sewn the Style Arc Fifi pants twice before (in wool here and in linen here). When The Cloth Shop, Ivanhoe shared this photo on Instagram of a rayon/poly/spandex check, with Fifi as a suggested pattern pairing, I was right onto it. What a fantastic check – with a number of colours that I love! And a pattern that I already own, and know that it fits and I enjoy wearing!
To refresh you on the pattern details: Pull-on pant sewing pattern with a smooth front yoke, elastic back and side pockets. This new wide leg pant pattern gives you the option of 7/8th or full length. The Fifi Woven Pant is a simple pant to sew that will give you a sophisticated look. FABRIC SUGGESTION: Crepe, linen and rayon.
I sewed size 12, as before, in the 7/8 length, which is pretty much full length on my 158cm tall frame. I really like the way that this pattern is put together. Flat fronted, with fabulous pockets at the front, and a wide yoke/casing that has elastic in it to enable you to simply pull the pants on and off.
Because this is a check, I paid attention to pattern matching when cutting out and sewing. Believe me when I tell you that everything lines up on all those vertical seams. Also, I will never wear these pants with the top tucked in like this. These pants fit me really nicely across the waist and stomach and fall smoothly into the wide legs. Hooray! Now, lets take a look at them from the back.
Righteo. That’s not good. They felt fine on, looked fine from the front, but these photos are telling me a whole different story! There are a few things to consider here.
- They’re probably a size too big in this fabric, which has spandex in it. It doesn’t look to me as though it is just one specific area that has wrinkles, pulls, or excess fabric; most of the back seems too big. Let’s zoom in a little.
In this photo I’ve got my hands in the front pockets, which takes up a little of the excess space. There needs to be a certain amount of ease to accomodate that. But I can still see other issues.
- Folds of excess fabric around the back crotch
- Fabric not hanging straight from the bottom down.
For comparison, these are photos of the previous pairs. Now, I was possibly a different weight/size when I wore these; my weight and size do fluctate quite a bit, so I am loath to fit anything woven too precisely (one of the reasons I sew pants in stretch wovens and why I choose elastic waists).
That green pair is in linen; I love them! Sewn in November 2018, so I was probably a bit heavier than I am now.
The charcoal wool pair was sewn a month or two prior to the linen pair. Looking at these photos is making me think that my check pair is basically just a size too big for where I’m at now. Fortunately I sewed them on the machine, just using the overlocker to finish the seam allowances separately, so it shouldn’t be difficult for me to take them in. This fabric is worth me doing that.
However, this also highlights an ongoing pants fitting situation for me. My shape is very front-weighted. Here’s some images that I got from a body scanner at a local gym a few years ago when they were trying (unsucessfully) to get me to sign up. It’s not at my current measurements; I’m a few sizes smaller at the moment, but my shape stays pretty much the same even as my size varies.
I really need to find another place with a 3D body scanner, because this is super useful for sewers! I have always known that to sew for yourself, you need to understand your own body. As is very easy to see in these scans (taken only wearing underwear), I do’t have a defined waist, my lower rib and pelvic bone have hardly any space between them, I have a lot of abdominal fat, distributed both above my belly button and in the more common abdominal apron below it. I have very slender thighs, and hips that are barely larger than my waist measurement. I actually have trouble figuring out exactly where my waist is, which is another reason I like elastic in waistbands. My bum is relatively flat. Shoulders are on the narrower side, and quite rounded. Bra size is a C cup, which doesn’t make for many fitting challenges, but my rib cage is comparatively large, which makes sense when you look at my waist. What this doesn’t really show is how forward my head is. The scanner also provided body measurements.
These aren’t my current measurements, but once again it’s fascinating to see the proportions. Check out the bust/waist/hip measurements; I often find that I range across three or four sewing pattern sizes, and that’s why. My hips are smaller than my bust (often up to two sewing sizes smaller) and my waist is not much smaller than my hips – which often translates to two sewing sizes larger. But I am clearly not ‘straight’ or a ‘tube’ in shape! You can see that really well from the scans.
Yes, front on you don’t see much ‘in and out’ going on (that’s probably a reason why I resist the term ‘curvy’ being used as an euphemism for ‘fat’ – not all of us who have fat are ‘curvy’ in that traditional hourglass sense). But those angled photos I showed earlier really do demonstrate why I have some fitting challenges. It’s all about fat distribution, as well as the underlying skeletal structure.
So, back to pants fitting. You may have noticed that many of my pants have ‘excess’ fabric along the back thighs. They’re usually okay around the calf, and they’re generally firm around my body. When sewing pants, I need plenty of room for my belly in the front, and I need to ensure that the waist will be large enough to be comfortable. I never have issues with getting things on over my hips; as we’ve already seen, my waist to hip ratio is very small. After many years of attempting to sew pants with a fitted waist, I have given up. I can make them fit, but I cannot make them fit in such a way that they are comfortable for me to wear, and so that they ‘look good’ to me. And they never stay up, unless the waist band is so tight that it causes muffin top both above and below! When choosing a pants pattern, I look for:
- Elastic waists (or a waist that can be easily converted to an elastic one)
- Stretch woven fabrics
- Minimal waist detailing (no-one is ever going to see it)
- If in a non-stretch, plenty of ease.
Alterations that I consider, depending on the base pattern that I am working with:
- Flat bottom alteration
- Grading between waist and hip measurements (usually not necessary with the base patterns that I choose)
- Full belly alteration
But what, oh what should I do if I want to remove excess fabric from those back thighs – especially considering how small they are in proportion to the torso above? I don’t want to have too much of a lollipop effect!
After a day of wear, these pants are basically just a size too big, possibly exacerbated by the spandex in the fabric. I’ll take them in; this fabric is worth it.
Writing this blog post has been really useful for me in processing the alterations that I should consider when sewing for myself. There are a few that I make very regularly now:
- forward neck/shoulder
- shoulder width one size smaller than torso width
- short torso length
- removal of waist shaping
It’s not only my hair getting greyer at the moment; my body is definitely shifting as my hormones cause chaos. I suspect that I’ll need to lower bust darts more often, and carry out that flat bottom adjustment. I’m 52, so this is all to be expected. I sometimes feel sorry for my husband with a peri-menopausal woman and two teenage girls in the house!
I hope that all this detail and the 3D scan images are helpful for others with my body shape. I find that there’s not as much information available on sewing and dressing for this shape, despite it being one that many women move towards in later life. Having always been this shape, with size fluctuations, I select patterns accordingly. There are many styles that I admire, but know that I would never bother with because it would be very difficult to make them work for me. Fortunately there are many styles that I admire that I can also wear very happily!
Just a thought….I think you should cut a size or 2 smaller but do a full belly alteration (like a full bust alteration) which should hopefully give you the fit you want and the ease where you need it. To reduce the back leg sew the in seam with a larger back seam allowance. Good luck!
I agree that routinely doing a full belly alteration on a smaller size is likely to be the key for me.
First off, I LOVE your hair! Secondly, it’s really helpful to see your scan and hear about the alterations you make. My body shape is very similar, although I am slightly larger-busted and shorter-waisted. I have some patterns , including Palmer-Pletsch that promise me a great fitting pair of pants, but honestly, I have my doubts. I’ll have to look, but I think I bought this pattern as a pdf download. I think I’ll give it a go!
Thanks Kristen! Let me know how you go with the pattern!
All bodies are different and change over the years as we are women who may have had children, work hunched over, have had broken bones or arthritis etc.etc.
That is why we sew, pants are the most difficult to fit. Even if someone else does the fitting of a toile, fabric, hormones etc. can change that fit.
Thank you for your excellent article Laura. It is all trial and error in the end but arn’t we soooo lucky to be able to alter and experiment so make our own.
I do lots of alterations and used to sew garments for people. Everyone is an individual with an individual body, unique all of us.
Beth
I agree completely, every body is different! I am so grateful for sewing in many ways, and my daughters love that I can customise their clothes to their shape too.
love this article! I run through about 4 sizes when making clothes – size 14 for the shoulders and upper chest. size 20 DD for the bust, size 16 for waist and 18 for upper hips. Narrow upper arm near the shoulder but big bicep. My upper hip is wider than my lower hip(s16) (heart shaped hips) and my waist sits right on top of my hip bone so I need to go from16 to an18 in the space of about 3.5 inches!Then back to 16 4 inches lower than that. As if that is not enough I have no backside whatsoever. and my thighs are super skinny and my legs are long. When making pants I use a size to fit my thighs and backside as suggested in a Marcy Tilton article and do a full tummy adjustment in the front and add a curve to the upper hip so the side seams right near the waist look almost like a question mark.
Its only taken me 30 years of sewing to figure this out. Now with adjustments I can knock out a pair of Style arc Flat Bottom Flo or Elle pants in an hour or so. Always in a stretch woven though. Faye
Hi Faye – I’m glad that you enjoyed it! Most of us are not ‘standard’ sizes – which makes sense, as ‘standards’ are a mathematical average, not actually the majority of people! I like that suggestion of making pants according to fit thighs and backside and doing a full tummy adjustment – I think that’s actually pretty much what I do, but have been relying on the stretch in the fabric to accomodate the tummy. I need to stop being lazy and just modify my Elle and Misty pants patterns a little to have them fit me even better than they already do!
Thank you for sharing your 3D pictures and your observations about your body shape and patterns that suit you. I have your body type with thin legs and a flat bottom. I also carry all my weight in the front. I have recently started to do a full belly adjustment and have for some time done a flat bottom adjustment by taking a centimeter out of the back leg from waist to hem. I fit for my hips and keep the measurement for my waist the same as the hip. Elastic waist is the only way to go for me and have recently had success with the latest Helen’s closet Arden pants in woven fabric. Regards Sue
Hi Sue – I’m keen to give the Arden patterns a go! Great to have your feedback on them. Did you still do the full belly and flat bottom adjustment?
Hi Lara, No I didn’t do the full belly adjustment as my fabric had some stretch so I thought I would give the pattern ago and if need be it would be a wearable muslin.I did the flat bottom adjustment tho. With the stretch they are fine and as I never show my waist the elastic pulls things in nicely. One advantage of hip and waist sizes being similar is you don’t get the same baulk around the waist !! My next project is to make them in a linen and I will definitely be doing both the adjustments. Regards Sue
Thanks for showing your fitting problems, we really share the same body type.
Hi Tanja, I find it really helpful to see others with a similar shape, so I’m glad that my blog post has been useful for you.
I hesitate to comment because I am not normally very good at diagnosing wrinkles (except diagonal ones = depth) however I do feel relatively confident sharing advice from Threads!
In Threads Magazine #204 September 2019 there is an article about skinny-fit trousers which whilst not the style of your trousers is still relevant as they explain which parts of the anatomy to measure and have a section on diagnosing fit problems. Smiles = crotch depth too short; frowns = too big overall or crotch depth too long; smirks (horizontal lines) = circumference too small. If you are a Threads Insider there is a Sarah Veblen video called “A Tip for Fitting the Back Crotch Curve”. Seeing what Sarah does in this video will I think fix your problem of the smile lines and the excess fabric.
This change could be made to your finished trousers and as you say it would be so worthwhile to get them looking good in the back as they are such a pretty fabric and fit so well from the front.
Thanks for sharing the 3D images they are amazing at showing our real body shape much better than drawing round the body onto a large piece of paper taped to the wall.
Hi Stephanie! I’m not great at diagnosing wrinkles! I do read Threads, and will go back and read those articles again and actually apply what they say. Glad that you found the 3D images useful too.
Interesting this concept of scans, I can see why you find it useful. I got some of the same insights from a really well fitted dressform, which taught me to see my body in 3d for the first time. I am fatter now, but with the same front weight distribution.
I think you could do a very simple back alteration – just remove a small wedge from the back crotch, down a few inches. That would take care of the flat butt and small thighs both. But there’s another simple approach: make a different size front and back. I have been experimenting with that lately, and it seems to be working quite well.
Being able to see things in 3D is very useful for me. I love the idea of a different size front and back!
Lara, thanks for showing this. I am much larger than you but have pretty much the same body shape.
Pleased that you found it useful Deb.
I agree with Stephanie that wrinkles are the clues to what is wrong. Check out the video she mentions in Threads with Sarab Veblen’s reading wrinkles.
I’m definitely going to do that.
What a very useful article! I’m a 22/24 size short waist, defined waist who carries all my weight in my hips and butt and in a big slab in front. I also have a pretty defined lordosis going on.
Thank you for helping me understand how to fix some of my biggest fit issues!
I’m pleased that you found it useful too! Considering how long I’ve been sewing, it embarasses me that I haven’t put more of the alterations that I have known about in theory into more regular practice. It’s definitely time now!
Super helpful post! I have similar problems with fitted waist pants, and it’s great to hear someone else acknowledge the basic problem that with certain shapes, a well fitted pant has nothing to keep it in place. I’ve had some success with stretch woven pants, but I might have to give fifi a try.
Hi Christine, yes, pants (and skirts) won’t stay up if the hips aren’t larger than the waist! I do recommend Fifi, just keep your own shape and potential alterations in mind.
Interesting blog. I think you would love this thesis about how modern pattern design should change, with a history of the basis of design. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PRJpvT2Tt4ReokjklxZcJTajzxNqrrly/view?usp=sharing
Pattern design is a fascinating area. More and more pattern designers are adapting the basic block/shape that they design for nowadays, but it can’t possibly work for everyone; there is so much variation in shape in the world.
I clicked on this link. It said I need permission for access.
Thank you for this clear, straightfoward, and non-judging description! Showing the rest of us how to talk about our bodies without talking them down. Beautifully done.
Thanks for your comment Erika; I find that I can’t sew for my body if I can’t describe it! I certainly don’t need to judge it; I need to know it.
I recently tried out the StyleArc flat bottom adjustment on their blog. My back view is similar. I have only tried it on my Barb pants but need to do it on all of them. They are looking better after the adjustment.
Vicki, I was just printing off a copy of the Style Arc flat bottom adjustment when your comment came in! It’s a sign!
What about using size 12 for the front and size 10 for the back? It might be an easy fix for you. Love that material.
Hi Lara – I’ve enjoyed reading
your analysis of your experiences with fitting pants. What I find interesting is that even though my pants fitting issues are completely different to yours (swayback, carry junk in the trunk :), full thighs, tall), I’ve come to pretty much the same conclusions as you when it comes to figuring out what patterns work best for me.
Thank you for this blog, it is so interesting and thought provoking. I need to do through my fitting books and .craftsy classes to if they are still available – I did have the Sandra Betzina one too.
I would love to get a 3D scan done! I was so sad that the zozo suit came and went so quickly. It wasn’t as detailed as this but it helped. I want a 3D bodyscan dress form. Like you, my distribution stays pretty much the same as my weight goes up and down. I don’t drastically collect fat in any one place. I just have to go for it! 🙂
Thanks for sharing and while the pants came out a bit too big, I just love that color combo of the top and check pant!
Thanks for this! I’m this shape too and it’s taken me a long time to realise I will never feel good with tops tucked in – I just don’t have enough length in my torso and so it looks like my boobs have fallen to my waist.
I have the same issue if excess fabric in the back thigh. The style arc instructions for a flat bottom alteration have actually sorted it for me completely. However, I fear I will never find trousers comfortable. Even with an elasticated waist they just dig in soo much. Leggings are much better, I find, so I generally wear tunic / dresses and leggings.
People used to comment a lot on how “dressed up” I was (errr, this is basically a Nightie with leggings since I only really wear knits) but I guess I stopped noticing / caring or people I know just got used to it. Weirdly I do find skirts with a waist band quite comfortable? I don’t know what that’s about? Maybe making trousers fit under my crotch means it tugs the waistband down or something? Anyway, long story short, thank you, and I HATE trousers !
So interesting! Thanks for sharing your ponderings. I’ve come to the realisation that always always I need a forward shoulder, starting to need a forward head too, and a full bum adjustment in most things. Let me know if you find a full body scanner somewhere, we can have a date and pretend to be interested in joining together! 😉
Hi Lara – I’ve been wanting to respond to this post of yours for weeks but it took me awhile to find all my measurements and the time. First I want to tell you how brave I think you are for posting this. And secondly I want to tell you how impressed I have been with both your sewing abilities and your fitting prowess. You & I could be body doubles. I think the only difference is that I am very very short waisted (only 4″ between my waist & underbust). That’s why I hate wearing a bra. I feel like I’m wearing a tourniquet around my ribs. I had heard of a full bust adjustment- which I didn’t think I ever needed to do until I listened to a You Tube video from In House Patterns- but I had never heard of a fully tummy adjustment. I definitely need to learn how to do this. My first question to you is: can a full tummy adjustment be done on knit pants? I’ve now made probably 18 pairs of StyleArc’s Elle pants in long pants, pedal pushers & shorts. Depending on my current weight (gaining during lockdown) these are very comfortable or not so comfortable. I’ve found 2 ways to do the FTA –which method do you use? The curved one like from HOTPATTERNS.com or the 3 straight cuts like from the Sewalong at Colette Patterns? please advise.
thanks,
linda
Thank you for this blog post! You’ve raised some interesting concepts, and I very much appreciate how you talk about your body and thus all our bodies. 😊