Hey! Today, I am sharing a jacket that is inspired by a previous make of mine. Way back in 2011 I made another version of this same Simplicity 2223 (now OOP) pattern. It was made in a similar shade of green twill. It was and still is one of my most favorite pieces. It got a lot of wears and now 8 years later, it is faded and too small. I missed wearing it, so I figured it was high time to recreate it.
The fabric I used is the same from the McCall’s skirt I just recently shared. It is the solid forest green midweight cotton twill. The fabric has enough structure to make it work well for jackets, skirts, and pants. I am so pleased that I was able to get this jacket and the midi length skirt out of 3 yards total! I love being able to use basics like this to create more than one piece. I think at least 50% of the basics in my closet are in similar shades of green to this one. I may have a problem but I don’t see any reason to make any changes at this point.
I absolutely love this pattern for its military and utilitarian influences. The details are everything here. I am a sucker for tabs and this jacket has them! The sleeve tabs are functional but the ones on the neckline are not. I picked a brushed old gold metal button from my stash to keep in line with the military influence.
The real winner for detail is the pockets! Oh boy, I am so in love with these inverted box pleat pockets…then there is the flap with a slight point. Yes! They may have been a pain to sew that curve, but they are well worth it. I have functional pockets that I can actually drop my phone into so it automatically makes them a win in my book.
I think I am spring ready now with this jacket. Now I get to have fun styling it with what is currently in my wardrobe. I have some fun colorful shorts that I think it will work great with for summer. I also think it might work well with a drapey floral rayon challis summer dress. I guess maybe I should add that to my summer sewing list.