Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: Spring Style Essentials

Is there anything more versatile for your Spring wardrobe than a T-Shirt Dress and a classic button-up blouse? In this Fabric Mart Fabricista blog, I'm going to show you how these two little wardrobe staples can be rotated through your spring me-made wardrobe for 5 different and fun looks! 


I was browsing the Fabric Mart website when this lovely 100% Cotton Parchment/Black Striped Jersey Knit Fabric popped up. I’ve been itching to make a T-Shirt dress with the Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress pattern ever since the pattern launched back in February. As I continued to browse the Fabric Mart website, I was struck by the most lovely Blossom Pink Silk Shantung Shirting that I knew would be perfect for a Grainline Studios Archer Button-Up! As the wheels started turning, I realized that the cotton jersey paired with the silk shantung shirting fabric would be a match made in heaven for my me-made wardrobe. So naturally, I had to get both fabrics plus the Archer Button-Up pattern!

I was not disappointed when my Fabric Mart order arrived! The 100% Cotton Striped Jersey Knit Fabric was wonderful because it had a bit of weight to it and was not see-thru or too clingy. I should have bought more of this fabric in different colors while it was still available because it was just so nice! The silk shantung shirting also didn’t disappoint! The color was just as beautiful in person as it was online and I knew my spring fabric dreams were coming true. 

The Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress pattern was a dream to sew and came together really quickly. The pattern comes with a bunch of options for length, neckline, and style but I chose to make the straight fit, crew neck, knee-length option for my T-Shirt Dress. I had concerns that the straight fit pattern option could end up looking like a body-con dress, which if you know me, you know I’d never wear out in public. To my pleasant surprise, the pattern and the fabric worked perfectly together to create a straight A-line dress silhouette without any of the clinginess that I hate! 

The Archer Button-Up pattern is definitely my favorite button-up shirt pattern that I’ve ever made. I decided to make option B with the lovely back pleats in order to give this shirt an extra chic element (as if Silk Shantung isn’t chic enough!) What I love about this pattern is the fit! While it is semi-fitted in the bust area, it is flowy in the waist and sleeve which is exactly what you want in a Button-Up! 


Armed with my new wonderfully fitting me-made items, I was now ready to dive into making the most of these sews for spring! Below, I’ll share 5 different looks that I made with my new Rebecca Page T-Shirt Dress and my Grainline Archer Button-up blouse. I’m only sharing my top 5 looks with you, but there were countless others I considered sharing as well! For these top 5 looks, I only had to supplement the T-Shirt Dress and Button-Up Blouse staples with a few extra items that can easily be found in the average closet. 

Special thanks to my friend Tiya Steffy from Tiya M Photography for being so willing to help me capture pictures of my makes and for being so patient during my million wardrobe changes! You brought my wardrobe to life! 

Look 1: Casual Saturday

RP T-Shirt Dress, Rifle Paper Co Keds, Kate Spade Crossbody Purse

Look 2: Work From Home

Silk Shantung Archer Button-Up, White Camisole, Dark Denim Skinny Jeans, Leopard Print Ballet Flats

Look 3: Work Meeting

RP T-Shirt Dress, Nude Pumps, Black Sweater Blazer, Dark Grey Pencil Skirt, Trench Coat

Look 4: Holiday Gathering 

RP T-Shirt Dress, Denim Seamwork Zinnia Skirt, Kate Spade Crossbody Purse, Black Block Heeled Sandals 

Look 5: Sunday Brunch

RP T-Shirt Dress, Silk Shantung Archer Button-up, Black Block Heeled Sandals

I hope you were inspired to make your own little T-Shirt Dress and Button-Up for your essential spring wardrobe using delightful Fabric Mart fabrics! Until next time, keep following my sewing journey @shaina_sews and Mainstreetsewingco.com

SHAINA   @shaina_sews 

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: 
COTTON KNITS, JERSEY KNITS, SILK, & SHIRTING
Plus you can shop our collection of Grainline Studio Patterns HERE.

Comments

  1. Love your makes, very well put together.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love your t-shirt dress. I would not have thought to add a skirt with it, very clever of you. Both of your new wardrobe pieces look great. Thanks for sharing your different looks with us here.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Popular Posts You Might Like

Made By A Fabricista: Celebrating warm weather with Spring sewing!

Hi sewing friends! I don’t know about you but boy, was winter cold and dreary this year! The weather here in the Philadelphia area has been slowly improving, but Spring sure did take her sweet old time to arrive. So by April, I was definitely in the headspace of needing to sew up things that were either bright and cheery or meant for the warmer weather I am very much craving right now. I recently purchased a few SewBexx Patterns so I took them on a test run to create some Spring makes. First on my list was to make a top using this absolutely gorgeous ITY fabric I picked up last year. I had two yards which was enough for a long sleeve shirt. I chose the Olivia top, which is oversized with a drop shoulder, has multiple lengths and a split hem. I think the pattern is intended for heavier fabrics but I was envisioning how lovely this top would look with the drape of ITY knit fabric, and it did not disappoint. It came together for me quickly and was a straight forward sew…and I love the br...

Made By A Fabricista | Chasing Time: My White Rabbit-Inspired Look for Atlanta Frocktails

For this year’s Atlanta Frocktails, I found myself captivated by a character who’s been quietly tugging at my imagination for years—the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. There’s something so relatable about his frantic energy, always checking the time, always running late. While he’s worried about being on time, I’m usually calculating how late I can be and still technically arrive on time. Spoiler: I’m often wrong. It’s a cycle of procrastination and anxiety that I know all too well. So when I imagined my look for Frocktails, I thought—why not honor the White Rabbit? After all, time has been chasing me too. But this look isn’t just about Wonderland whimsy. It’s also deeply inspired by this year’s Met Gala theme, Tailored for You, which includes a focus on Black Dandyism—a celebration of Black elegance, intellect, and expressive style. I’ve been obsessed with this theme since it was announced. As a Black creative, I find it powerful and moving to see style used as a way to reclaim...

Made By A Fabricista: Getting into the Spirit of Summer

I'm not gonna lie y'all, I had a completely different project I wanted to do, but that's gonna take more time, and I wanted something cute, comfy and fun to wear for my birthday on the 19th. When I saw this goldenrod & off white linen jacquard , I thought it looked a bit like the design on a Koroks body, especially Makar from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker! I started with the bodice from the free Elderberry dress pattern from Mood, but deviated for the skirt, it felt a little plain of a design, and I had scraps of a Korok fabric that I knew would be a nice accent with some cut out pockets. I've made these pockets once before, deciding the cut out was based on aligning with the seam on the bodice for how far in, and as for how low depended on where I wanted the pouch of the pocket to start. From there I cut the visible part of the pocket, making sure to match the curve of the waist and following the line of the side seams of the skirt, as well as cutting a facing to...