This post has been years in the making. I think I first started this shirt in around 2012. I really fancied a cowboy shirt but with pretty floral inserts - I must have seen one somewhere and wanted to copy it although I can't remember for the life of me where.
It was based on Simplicity 7010, a pattern from 1975. I think the only reason being that I had this pattern - I'm a bit hazy on the original details to be honest. Perhaps I though I'd look like one of Charlie's Angels.
It is described on the pattern as a "shirt-jacket" and I think that may be why it seems a little boxy - that and I've used quite a heavy denim.
As you can see I, skipped the pockets but I originally made it with the collar as drafted. Wow. The illustration did not do justice to how big that was going to be. I know it was the 70s - but still. Unfortunately I did not take pictures of it when it was in its original form. However, I hated it. It then languished in my sewing pile for a couple of years...
Then I dug it out and decided that I could redo the collar into something more normal. Reader, I could not. I ended up with a misshapen mess of a collar. Once again, it was relegated to the sewing pile for another couple of years...
But I always wanted to go back to it - I knew I liked the basics of it - I liked the fabrics, I thought I'd done a half decent hash of the points where the two fabrics joined and I thought I did a good job of the cuffs (but the arms are a bit long...). I'm even pleased with how neat the hemming etc. is inside (I'm not usually patient enough to make things look nice on the inside)
So it's finally come out of the pile again. I threw caution to the wind and took the collar off completely. Luckily the collar stand was pretty angled and so I could refashion it into more of a mandarin collar.
Here's me trying to show off those cuffs.
Reminds me of something... Ridicule is nothing to be scared of.
I'm now pretty pleased with it. I do wonder how often I'll wear it though - it's not my usual style at all and I'm struggling a little to think what to wear it with.
There's one big issue though. my sewing room is south facing - lots of lovely sunshine coming through all year - and this shirt has sat folded in that sunshine for around 6 years. It has quite visible fading in places. You can see it a little on the photos - although it doesn't look too bad in the them.
So moral of the tale - don't throw out those sewing fails, they can be rescued even years later. But perhaps don't wait too long!