SIMPLICITY MISSES’ VINTAGE PANTS, OVERALLS AND BLOUSES 8447

I found this pattern to be a really straight forward make. I made a toile of the bodice and the fit was good for me on the bust. Being a really ridiculous pear-shape, I graded from a 20 to a 22 (I am usually a high street 14-16, but you know how it goes with sewing patterns!). In hindsight, I should have made my grading a little bit more steep, because I think they ended up a little bit too big on the waist for me.

The instructions are really clear and I’d say that a confident beginner could make them, as long as you’re comfortable with sewing buttonholes. I made them specifically to wear in Normandy on the 75th anniversary of D-Day (the photos were taken on D-Day at Gold Beach) and while they were perfect for this, I think that the legs are maybe a little bit too flared for me to wear them as a normal day-to-day item.

Also, be aware that they’re not the easiest thing to get in and out of. The straps cross over and button at the back, which is kind of tricky to fasten yourself – in the end I was just getting my friends to button me back in every time I needed to go to the bathroom!