Pineapple of my Eye (1950's Weekend Wardrobe)

SEWN

Apr 11

Written By

Gwenstella Made Vintage Style 1950s Pineapple Holiday Wardrobe Two weeks ago, I was in Sri Lanka for a short week-long vacation and finally got the chance to bust out my Gwenstella Made retro 1950's style pineapple holiday set! Making and owning a vintage inspired weekend wardrobe has always been a dream of mine, and it's finally happened after many months of planning and sewing. Creating weekend wardrobes is the real reason why I often buy a generous amount of yardage for a specific fabric I really like, or why I buy fabric from the same design series. Remember the Country Garden Dress and the Country Garden Skirt? I just love being able to coordinate and mix-and-match all the pieces in my wardrobe!If you follow me on Instagram (@gwenstellamade), you will know that I have been working on this set since 2017. Yes, it took me the whole of 2017 to complete the set, but I enjoyed every part of the process.This weekend wardrobe set is pretty basic. It consists of a full circle skirt, a pair of high-waisted shorts, and a classic bra top, and here are the details of each item:

Convertible Bra Top:

Pattern: Simplicity 1426, View CDetails:

with bra pads sewn into lining
with bias strip sewn along top of lining to conceal white lining that was peeking out from the front
white organic cotton lining

This is the second bra top I have made using Simplicity 1426. The first one was the green gingham version. This version is much trickier than the green gingham one I made. Hot tip: Don't use a white lining. The pattern stated "lining", but really, I think I should have just used the same fabric as the rest of the top. The white lining was peeking out from the top middle portion of the top and I had to hand-sew a self-made bias tape along the inside of the upper edge of the lining to conceal the white lining. This was what killed my motivation a little and got this entire set placed on hiatus mode initially.Regardless, I pulled myself together and completed the top in good time. This classic mid-century design is definitely a must-have in any mid-century style fashionista's wardrobe. The BEST thing about this top is the removable straps. I can make 3 different looks by placing the straps in different ways and removing it all together!

High-waisted Shorts:

Pattern: Self-draftedDetails:

1 inch waist band
Lapped zipper on left side seam
Button closure, with 2 buttons for waist adjustment
with bright yellow pom pom trimming
white organic cotton lining

Of course, a pair of high-waisted shorts is another staple for a 1950's style summer wardrobe. To make the shorts stand out and to make sewing them a little more challenging/fun, I decided to add little pom pom trimmings around the hem. Pom poms always makes anything 100 times more fun!

Full Circle Skirt:

Pattern: Self-draftedDetails:

1 inch waist band
26 inches in length (just grazing my knee)
Hook closure
with plastic horsehair braid sewn into the hem

This pineapple print fabric screams "summer!" and I thought that making a full circle skirt for a fun and flirty look was absolutely compulsory. I also wanted this holiday set to be something that could be worn comfortably at the beach, so I decided to use a horsehair braid around to hem so that the skirt will have a nice structure even when I am not wearing a petticoat underneath. I mean, it would be too hot to wear a petticoat to the beach right?After making a skirt, a pair of shorts and the Simplicity 1426 top with removable straps, I still have sufficient yardage to make a simple top. But I'm thinking maybe that's enough orange pineapple fabric for now. Ummm, I also still have another one of this same fabric but in sky blue.Well, if you like pineapples as much as I do, stay tuned for more posts on some SWEET pineapple goodness on the blog in the next month or so!