La Mia Boutique 11/2013

Are you ready for a new issue of LMB? Once again, this review is a collaboration with Silvia of Sewing Princess, so you can read about the rest of the issue on her blog.

I was quite disappointed this month. Apart from a couple patterns I feel tepid about (but probably won't end up making), all the things that I tend not to like from LMB were concentrated in this issue: questionable styling, terrible photography and outdated garments.

Let's see.

Anna: Let’s begin with this very nice coat with princess seams and clean lines;  it’s very elegant and it would probably look good on a variety of sizes. I was afraid that it didn’t have pockets (outerwear with no pockets is an heresy for me), but after checking the drawing, I saw that it does.

Silvia: I love this coat. I would love to make it actually. Realistically I won’t get to it this winter but it’s a timeless pattern. I am actually lazy and have skipped pocket design on a coat I made… but it’s not a big issue for me… I always carry a bag with me.

Anna: I really really like this dress, although I’m not sure how it would look on a pear shaped girl like me. All those pleats probably wouldn’t go along too great with wide hips. Sigh.

Silvia: When I saw this pattern I thought: this would be great for Anna!  The pleats are cleverly designed as they are flat at the top so they should create less volume where we won’t need it. In fact the skirt design reminds me of Colette’s Zinnia’s design. And you could always lengthen the skirt if you wish.

Anna: LMB seems to include a shift dress pattern in every issue, and I personally think it’s a good idea. A shift dress is a must have for beginners, so if you’re a sporadic buyer, you’ll be sure to have at least one easy, basic pattern to work on.

I don’t like the trim on the blue version, but I really like this pattern overall. The princess seams make this easier to fit and the fact that there’s no waist seam gives the illusion of a longer body. 

Silvia: The back opening and boat neck really make this pattern unique… to be honest I have seen and made a similar design earlier this year. But as I was on the lookout for an armhole princess seam dress my quest seems to be over. And you can embellish it at will. 

Anna: I don’t really care for this jacket at all. Presentation has a lot to do with it, because I don’t like the fabric, I hate the buttons, the model’s awkward posing and, surprise surprise, the styling. Overall, I think it looks quite boxy and outdated… Would not consider this for myself.

Silvia: Ooops… I actually like the jacket design and it doesn’t look boxy to me at all. I would actually consider this pattern. And I love that Anna and I have different opinions on patterns at times… let’s not be afraid to voice our likes and dislikes.  I totally agree with Anna on the model… it looks as if her head is huge while the body is tiny. Must be the camera angle and the possibly the lens.

Anna: Once again I cringed at the presentation here… The pose and the styling really killed this dress for me, and I probably might have liked it otherwise. When I saw this photo in the preview at the end of last issue (there’s always a tiny preview in the last page of LMB) I thought I was going to love this, but there’s something in the proportions here I don’t seem to get my head around. Pity.

Silvia: Probably I am still recovering from the shock of the previous photo because this one looks much better… or I am looking at a different magazine ;)

I have to admit I don’t particularly like the model (she would be out of work if it were for me… but maybe the world likes her and I am certainly no model myself). Anyway back to the dress. To me it looks very similar to number 3… except for the sleeves. Verdict: I like it. 

The following page of the magazine includes a tutorial to recreate the makeup the model wears in these photos… PASS. NO THANK YOU.

Anna: What a gorgeous coat! I love the wide collar and the round bottom edge. I would probably just skip the pocket flap (one element too many). This pattern is from Italian designer Patrizia Pepe, whose work I generally quite like.

Silvia: The wide collar is what I like the most about this coat. Other than that I prefer a more fitted look at the waist. Certainly it’s a nice pattern if you want to take your skills up a notch.

Anna: Eep… I don’t like the color nor the shape of this skirt. I won’t add anything else, ‘cause the styling of this photo just left me speechless.

Silvia: I love orange so I am probably biased and I don’t see that it’s a hard color to pair up. The design seems to be slightly outdated. Apparently Genny brand was big in the 60s up to the 80s… I dug some info as I never heard of the brand before.

Anna: I wouldn’t necessarily make this for me, but I think this coat would be very cute on a more mature woman. Those wide sleeves could be a bit impractical for everyday, but they look really lovely. 

Silvia: There you have me! I’m your mature woman ;) There’s something about this coat I like. Not sure I would feel at ease with the bell sleeves. By the way, I like this model and the photo.

Anna: I’m actually surprised at how much I like this skirt. I’ve been toying with the idea of a maxi skirt for winter (probably inspired by the Rene maxi skirt pattern by Named) and I like this one quite a bit, with the front draping. Silvia, I need your opinion.

Silvia: I like maxi skirts. I would probably move the draping to the side though… when I look at the photo it kinds of triggers the thought: ‘what’s that flap doing there’… maybe I am wrong.

Anna: These pants are so cute! They almost make me want to venture into the scary world of fitting pants, a notion that still terrorizes me. I really love the pocket flaps and the details at the hem. There’s also a simple variation (no photos available) for the less daring.

Silvia: Give it a go Anna! You can do it! Those details are adorable. It’s true the shape could be a make or break at least for me. And I would probably lengthen them. But the again sewing should also be about daring to make garments to see how they fit on you… says the woman who recently bought wild printed skinny pants!

Let’s hear it from the readers! 

Anna: Another GORGEOUS wide-collared coat, this time from Max Mara, a brand I really love. The trim along the collar is leather… swoon!

The shawl collar variation is also really lovely.

Silvia: Another great coat… I like them all in this issue! Anna, both of us should probably sew this one up… it’s wide so there should be less fitting needed… or will you go for the pants in the end?

I realized I never include the pictures of all the technical drawings, so from this month on, here they are (bigger size here). Hope they're appreciated :)

They also give you an idea on what you can see on Silvia's blog, where she's also having a poll, as usual!