Thursday, May 27, 2010

Where Are All the Shorts?

Did I miss the memo about shorts being passé? Summer's coming and I need shorts. Not capris, but shorts. Apparently, my Beloved BWOF/BS doesn't think a plus size woman should wear shorts. I've looked through five years of back issues and I did not see one pair of shorts in the plus size range. Burda envelope patterns are a little more liberal in their opinions on what a plus size woman should should wear when it gets hot. I did find one possibility there. McCall's and Butterick must think it's perfectly okay for me to wear shorts. They each offered four patterns. Vogue … just one quirky Today's Fit pattern. I didn't look at Simplicity's options. (I can't bring myself to sew a Simplicity pattern. Don't ask.)

From this dizzying array, I narrowed it down to two choices.

The styles are essentially the same. In studying the envelope photographs, Burda 8087 appears to have more ease in the thigh than McCall's 5857. In addition, Burda 8087 is shown as mid-knee length; longer than I like, but easy enough to fix.

I'm very disappointed in the scarcity of choices. Yes, I'm larger than most women, but I can still tastefully wear shorts. At least I think I can. Maybe my Beloved BWOF/BS doesn't show plus size shorts for a reason. Maybe I should listen.


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And speaking of five years of BWOF/BS back issues, I found a temporary solution to the storage problem I wrote about a year ago. I was quickly running out of space to store the back issues and I couldn't bear to get rid of them … or anything else for that matter. A few people suggested tossing the magazines and keeping only the pattern sheets and instruction pages. That's what I did. I saw a hanging file box the last time I was in Jo-Ann. This box will hold about 18 months of instructions and pattern sheets. I know eventually, I will have to get rid of something to make space. But, not right now.

9 comments:

  1. Just a thought on shorts. I used to live in Florida. Of course I wore shorts all the time there. I would wear shorts in Florida whatever my age, whatever my size. It's hot in almost all the USA in summer and we wear shorts.

    Now I live in London, England. You don't see many shorts on grown ups here. There aren't that many really hot days here either. People get excited about heat-waves when the temperature reaches 80F!

    So, shorts are mostly worn on vacations to hot climates by the pool or seaside. So I am thinking that Burda which is German, doesn't have shorts because there is very little demand for shorts, while the US pattern makers know that it is HOT in the summer in the US and we all need shorts. Even those of us older than 18 and weighing more than 100 lbs!

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  2. Do you have a favourite pants pattern that you can crop to short length? You might just need to widen the hem a bit as well. This seems like the easy option to me - no sense in reinventing the wheel.

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  3. I was going to suggest cutting the leg off of a favorite pants pattern too. That would be easiest. I have trouble finding nice shorts patterns too

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  4. I think that you should just take a pants pattern you like, shorten it where you want and widen a bit at the hem. I assume that these won't have cargo pockets and that you won't wear it with some ugly t shirt but one of your tasteful blouses and that you will look fine.

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  5. I think it's absolutely fine for anyone to wear shorts if they want to - and the weather is warm enough! (As Karin said above - here in London we don't get to wear shorts too often). You go for your shorts and, with a nicely co-ordinated top, you're going to look fabulous.

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  6. I may have to resort to that Burda storage idea! Shorts- I also haven't found a pattern that is right yet. I like dresses better anyways, or running shorts.

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  7. I love wearing shorts, but I have to admit as I'm getting older, I don't wear them as much. I started getting into skorts a few years ago, and I usually pick up a skirt, capris or knickers as my mom calls them in a heartbeat. I say, if you like them, wear them.

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  8. I don't know if you participate in blog award activities, but if so I left one for you on my blog. Do not feel pressured!

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  9. Hmm. No shorts, really? I agree with the others - take some of the Burda pants patterns that you have been making and cut them off into shorts patterns. I've done that with a Patrones pattern and have made some nice shorts for myself.

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