Remember when I made those Maritime Shorts and I swore I’d make a matching blazer to satisfy my inner Tina Turner?
Welllll that happened.
AWWHHH YEAH!!
Don’t get mad at me, but it actually happened last week. I just got around to shooting pictures of this guy, hence the delay. Sorry!
You can also see my camera remote in these pictures, haha! I just figured out how to use it for this ~photo sesh~, so there ya go. I must say, taking pictures is a HELL of a lot easier when you’re not reliant on the self-timer. I just stood in one place and snapped away, it was pretty awesome!
Anyway, so this here pattern is the Victoria Blazer from By Hand London. This shit is extra special because 1. The pattern was PERSONALLY HAND DELIVERED to me via the beautiful and charming Elisalex while she was in Nashville at the end of May; 2. The fabric is yet another chunk of the endless yardage gifted to me by Sonja during last year’s swap; and 3. IT’S PART OF A MATCHING BLAZER AND SHORTS SET, HOW FUCKIN AWESOME IS THAT.
Oh, and the inside is purple.
So, this was a pretty easy pattern. I don’t understand why people have such an aversion to sewing lined jackets – it’s essentially the same process as sewing a lined dress. Were this jacket fully tailored, with all the padstitching and a back stay and fancy welt pockets or whatever, I could understand the hesitation. But, guys, all of you are capable of sewing this. It’s a jacket – an easy jacket, at that – with another jacket inside it, inception-style.
(oh god I just realized I inadvertently gave myself a weenie in this picture… ignore that, ok.)
I cut the veeeeery smallest size – the 2/6 – and made the cropped version. The pattern calls for a partial lining (the sleeves are left unlined), but since the cotton voile I used the line the inside is srsly the most buttery smooth fabric IN THE WORLD, I thought it was a shame to not have it against my skin and thus chose to also line the sleeves. This is super easy – I just set them into the lining, same as the shell, and then finished the bottom with a french seam as instructed.
I know, this looks super ridiculous with the matching shorts (hahaha y’all shoulda SEEN Landon’s face when I stepped out of the sewing room in this get-up!), but I think it will look really nice with my dark jeans.
It’s such a departure from my normal, everything-fitted style, but I like it!
The sleeves did give me a bit of trouble at first, but it turns out that I accidentally set them in backwards. Oops! Make sure you pay attention to those notches!
OH MY GOD, I took way too many pictures and I’m just going to dump them all right here.
I love these tags from Sweet Little Chickadee! I should also point out the running stitch along the top – that goes all the way around the jacket, through both the lining and the shell (you can’t see it from the outside since the lapels cover it). The lining didn’t want to behave and stay inside the jacket where it belonged, so I used embroidery floss and handstitched around the edge of the lining. It keeps everything in place, and I think it looks pretty as well!
Another thing I really love about this jacket is how good it looks draped over your shoulder, fashion-model-style.
Want to make your own Victoria Blazer? The girls at By Hand London are currently running a Sewalong for this pattern, so you have no excuse now!
Would you ever make a matching blazer and shorts combo like this? Am I off my rocker here?
LLADYBIRD 
Well *that* is pretty freaking awesome!
I love it! Looks great. You do such a great job of fitting your clothing.
I think it’s MAGNIFICENT. Seriously – the matching shorts and blazer are a brilliant combo in that print! Love the purple lining, too – glorious work all over 🙂
LMFAO – I burst out laughing at the little weenie in the picture. I’m at work – getting strange looks….
I love love love that jacket – the shorts are cute too but the jacket is awesome. love the purple lining too.
Gorgeous print, gorgeous suit, gorgeous girl! You are so talented, I LOVE this!
http://www.mancunianvintage.com
First, I’ll answer your last question. YES I would make a matchy set! I cut out my jacket last night and was HYPED that I had enough left for shorts ;B
And I think your set looks awesome together! Landon knows nothing, lol!
OH GOD I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOURS!!!
No, you aren’t off your rocker; you look really great. I love that blazer but as I have big boobs and a thicker waist, it would look pretty bad on me. I might make it for my daughter, though, as she, too, is a slip of a girl. It’s just adorable, Lauren. 🙂
This might be my favorite thing you’ve ever made. That fabric is incredible. And OMG YOU HAVE A MATCHING BLAZER/SHORTS SET. I can’t even wrap my brain around all this.
ummm…your labels are incredible and accurate.
That looks great, Tina, I mean Lauren. Cute jacket and another pattern I need to get. Great idea about the running stitch, too.
Who doesn’t love a brightly coloured jacket? It’s amazing and looks great! I love the colour of the lining and the running stitch.
Oooh I love it! Little shorts sets like this are all the rage with the kids these days!!! I really really love that fabric too, so glad to see you get more mileage out of it! And separates!! Separates are so convenient!!
SHORT. AND BLAZER. SET. I actually die. Love the fit and shape of these, love that it’s a set, love the material! LOVE IT! (as I run to Goodwill to try and set-ify same-pattern-family shorts and jackets, as I too want a short and blazer set!!)
Why do we match our jackets to our shorts? Because we can!!!
Oops, didn’t mean to be anonymous there!
Whoa, this blazer is awesome! I love the horizontal stripe-patterning along the front, and that you didn’t “soften” the effect of the main fabric by making contrast cuffs or lapels in a solid fabric. Keepin’ it (intensely) real! I’m gushing but really this jacket exudes so much cool — and yes, that’s with the matching shorts. (And I just realized that in the dress form photos the collar is popped. niice.) (also, hello! as of this comment I have officially left the kingdom of lurk.)
You know, I started to have second thoughts about the contrast cuffs and lapels after seeing everyone else’s – but I do like the way it looks, so I’m glad I didn’t change it!
And yay for leaving lurkdom! 😀 haha
Auugghhhh! I need this. I just got the Victoria pattern (not hand delivered, sadly) but I seriously cannot wait to make this jacket! And the cropped version! And maybe even shorts to match b/c seriously – it’s bitchin’
I really love what you did with the embroidery floss. I might have to steal that idea for my own Victoria.
So fabulous! I love short suits but I feel I can’t get away with them. Your legs can definitely handle them 🙂 I love the fabric print and the running stitch lining fix you made is a lovely detail!
Your weenie comment just about made me spit my Diet Coke all over my keyboard!!! The comments you make are all just HILARIOUS…and your sewing skils rock 🙂
I love, love, love your matching combo and wish I could rock something like that half as well as you do! I’m so glad you’re encouraging people to have a go at the Victoria Blazer, it literally must be the easiest lined jacket ever! Making mine was a first for me too, but it came together so quickly and I felt so clever! Hehe! Plus, every time I wear it I get so many compliments and like you, I feel super cool when I sling it over my shoulder ;o)
I LOVE the matchy-ness of this! I definitely do not have the legs for a shorts suit, but if I did I would copy you. I’m making the sleeveless version (just sewed up the infamous darts last night). It was much easier than I thought it would be.
This combo is friggin awesome! Love it! Although I doubt I could pull off such an awesomely patterned set.
Ummmm….I don’t think that is the first time you have given yourself a weenie on this blog. Too funny. I love your jacket!! It looks awesome with the shorts, but I bet it will be super wearable with jeans also. I really want to fit one in during the sewalong but it may have to wait a bit. Did you make a muslin? Since it is not really fitted I am wondering if I could get away with not….
lol you’re right, it’s not! But at least I’ll admit it now 😉
And nope, I didn’t make a muslin! If you have some wacky pattern changes or are concerned about the length, then it would be a good idea… but otherwise, I say skip it. Since the jacket is so loose-fitting, you can get away with going straight to fabric cutting, I think 🙂
Thanks!! 😄
i’m pretty sure that if anyone could get away with wearing a matchy matchy set like this–it’s you. i love the crazy fabric you used; your blazer is killing me with with awesomeness! need. to. make. this. pattern.
During the whole article I was thinking “ok, this blazer looks great, but is she really going to wear it with matching shorts??” 🙂
Thanks for showing your stitches along the top, I recently made a blazer on which the lining will just not lay flat. I am now going to stitch that thing up with pretty thread and hopefully it’ll fix everything. yay. thx!
I just made a Victoria blazer to match my Charlotte skirt. Your matchy matchy outfit made me feel sooooo happy. I think we need to have a ridiculous power suit competition. If we’re not going to wear them out in public we can wear them on the Internets right?
Yesss!!! That is the best idea, internet power suit party!
ooooo {LOVE} the running stitch! the jacket is going to look kick ass with dark jeans too… love!
I love this jacket! And since I’m also in love with the print, I think its completely justified to make a matching pair 🙂 I’m very tempted to make a Victoria Blazer, since I actually need a cropped something to wear on colder summer evenings, but my to sew list is already soo long, that I first have to do something about that!
God that is adorable:) I really want this pattern, but am thinking about waiting till the Anna is in Aus too.. but maybe I will cave and get both from US
‘Tis glorious. And yes, short suits are seriously cute. Plus purpleeeeee!
I cannot get over how fast you sew! It seems like every time I check my feed, you’ve got something new to show off. Not that I’m complaining. I’m super impressed, and a bit jealous. I love the matching set!
Hehe, well, to be fair – this was a quick jacket to make up! Took me like two days 🙂
I wouldn’t make a matching shorts and jacket set because I wouldn’t make the shorts, lol. The world does not need to see my ancient old legs — I do it the favor of covering as much of myself as possible. On your sweet young self, the look is adorable. Make some more mix-and-match sets, to extend your wardrobe of jackets and your wardrobe of shorts.
That is one bold look! I’m really liking what people are making out of this pattern.
Love your blazer! I’ve just made my own version of the Victoria and had the same problem with the lining with it turning to the outside. Love how you’ve made this a suit, it’s super cute!
I think this is fabulous! I loooooooooooooove this print so much and I’m glad you like it! Also, I’m WAY into the matching summer set look– rock this with pride!
Awesome! You look so cute in your little short suit, but that blazer will look killer with dark jeans! The purple lining is perfect, and the running stitch along the edge of the lining looks really cool.
Awesome blazer! I love it.
I love it! I’m not a fan of the Elisalex or Charlotte, but the the blazer, I like the blazer. And your version is ace. Love the matchy matchy, if anyone can rock this, it’s you!
Oh yes I totttaally would do a matching set – no way is that too craycray. I would expect nothing less than a double in THAT awesome print too! go you! 🙂 off to check out those cool labels now.
YES TINA TURNER. please wear this together!!! let me live vicariously (booty-ously) through you!!!
You are NOT off your rocker. You ARE a rocker. I don’t know that it would have occurred to me to make a short-pants-suit, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since I saw these pictures come up in my reader.
Just a quick question, I am still waiting for my pattern to arrive, but I can’t wait to sew this blazer, I have this very amazing black ponte knit! I just have a question, I want to line the sleeves as well, how did you do that? I was thinking of attaching them, then attaching and turning the lining and then attaching the cuffs? Is that right? Thanks a lot for your help, I love your blog and all your creations!
Tatiana
Brazil
I made the lining the same way as I made the shell (sleeves and all), except for attaching the cuffs. When I put the lining inside the shell, I left the sleeve hems unfinished and closed every other seam. I basted the sleeve lining hem to the shell hem, and then attached the cuffs as instructed in the pattern (it’s finished with a french seam,which encases the raw edges nicely). Hope this helps 🙂