There are a few staple wardrobe pieces that I’ve been meaning to try out and the bow-neck blouse has been at the top of that list for quite some time. I love the soft, romantic look of a diaphanous blouse paired with more structured pieces in a professional setting. There’s something about dressing up for work that makes me feel armored and more confident to overcome whatever conflict might come my way.

I picked the Zamora Blouse by Itch to Stitch for it’s precise sizing, feminine silhouette, and intricate details. This tiny floral print Chiffon Fabric is the perfect match. I love how the small flowers add depth to the design without overwhelming the features of the pattern and the transparency of the fabric helps prevent the details such as the gathering at the sleeve heads from dominating the silhouette. The drape of this fabric is also lovely, light and relatively soft despite being polyester.

I chose the size 00, cup size B, 3-quarter sleeves and I decided to keep the optional darts in the front and the back for more shaping in the waist. Something to keep in mind with this fabric is that it’s directional, so I paid careful attention to the placement of the pattern pieces before cutting. I also coated the fabric with a light layer of starch while it was drying after a quick pre-wash, which stabilized the fabric and prevented it from sliding around. I recommend using sharp pins specifically made for delicate fabrics because polyester fabric has a tendency to snag easily. Also, I noticed some tension along the selvedge of the fabric, so to help it lay flat and on-grain, I made little 3mm snips every 20cm.

This pattern includes lots of lovely little details such as four shaping darts in the front, two fish-eye darts in the back, tiny front-released tucks, gathered sleeve caps and sleeve cuffs, a back pleat, a button-down front and a V-neck bow. This fabric was too light and slippery to mark with chalk, so I used tailor tacks to mark the important points before separating the pieces from the paper pattern. This technique takes a bit of time and patience but I find that it’s the easiest way to mark the fabric precisely without allowing it to slip and slide everywhere.

In general, this blouse required attention and precision but it sewed-up well and the instructions were clear. The starch made it much easier to handle the fabric and as it frayed at the edges, I decided to use French seams wherever possible. The only difficulty I encountered was while attaching the necktie to the neckline – it wasn’t apparent where the necktie was meant to end and the intended finish in that area was a bit untidy. Otherwise, this blouse came together beautifully and the details have me smitten.

I did, however, encounter an issue with the fit; the armscye is very tight all around and it pulls at the fabric at the shoulder and the side seams. I think I should have added more width to account for my shoulders, which are a bit more square than average for my bust and waist measurements. That said, it fits really well at the bust and waist, it doesn’t hinder my movements and I still like the way the blouse looks, especially tucked into a high-waisted skirt.

All in all, I’m pleased with the final garment and I’m certain it’ll become a much-worn piece in my work wardrobe.

Thanks for reading!
Sarah @sarah__naomi_

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