Thank you for the terrific feedback on my China travel wardrobe. I’m going to slowly roll out my China capsule, for which the working name is ‘East Coast to Far East‘. I listened to everything you all said and I’ve switched from all knits to all natural fibers and mostly linen. I’m very worried about getting it all done in the next two months. I did manage to sew two simple bits over the weekend. Well, they still need hemming, but the construction is done! Click on any photo to enlarge.
First, this #108 tunic from the July 2008 Burda Magazine. The fabric is a pale baby blue. It’s almost my ‘white’ for the plan. Many people shortened it when they made it up. But, I haven’t made that decision yet.
Second, I made this fun tangerine skirt from the April 2002 Burda. It’s hanging now since it’s bias. And, I’m just not sure how long I’m going to want it ultimately. I’ll wait until my second (still undetermined top) is sewn.
This weekend, I’ll muslin and hopefully sew this pant which is also from the April 2002 Burda. The fabric is an almost light denim / chambray color. I’m a bit concerned about the waist height, but I LOVE the wide legs.
Next weekend I think I’m going to work on this shirt dress from the Summer 2007 Burda Easy Fashion (E953). I had SO many shirt dress patterns to chose from in Burda that I just went with this one since I’ve not sewn from Easy Fashion — ever. Oh, it’s not available in English anymore. Just Russian and German I think.
There are a few more pieces I’m thinking about, but I figure this is enough for one post! New carryon luggage is showing up this week, so there may be some posts on that over the weekend!
Miss Celie's Pants 
I am so excited for you that you are going to China!
Very nice Cidell. Natural fiber is the way to go in the high heat/humidity while traveling. I love your choices!
Perfect. You can always cut the pants waist down.
Oh, on the pants, make sure that you use a longer zipper. It needs to be at least the height above the waist plus the usual 7″ opening or you will not be able to get them on!
Oh. Yeah. My skirt zip is not really long enough. Let’s hope I lose a little weight in China!
Your travel wardrobe looks great. I really like the top. You can layer under a cardigan if nights are cool and wear alone during the day.
I’m loving it so far. Especially the tangerine linen, j’adore!
BTW, are you tucking in your tops or wearing them out? because you choices seem to indicate untucked but I might be wrong…
Untucked. I’m going to try the money / passport belt. I’ve never bothered with one before.
Oh I love your plan. Those are classic looks and the natural fibers will be great in the humidity.
I think you’ll find those very comfortable, and the design choices are ideal-fitted enough to be professional but not so close to the body to cause chafing.
I’m so excited for you!
Anxiously awaiting pics of the finished Burda tunic! Perhaps I’ll finally be inspired to finish mine – it’s been a UFO’s for 2 summers now.
Are you using Cartoon Life for the images in this post? I recognize the font. LOVE Cartoon Life! We used it for a party invite last summer.
Can’t wait to see it.
Miss Celie,
What are your thoughts on washing & ironing clothes while you are travelling?
Will a crumpled linen look bother you?
Will you have a change of clothes for late afternoon if you’ve
been out and about and need to freshen up?
On a summer trip to Japan I found lightweight cottons that I could rinse out in the sink or shower then hang up to be a good thing.
We don’t take a travel iron, and when we got an iron and board sent to our room we weren’t alowed to keep it very long.
The business shirts the DH sent to the laundry were done beautifully– out in the am back in the pm, but the company paid for that.
Just my thoughts,
good luck & lots of fine times, Stephanie
I think you’ll be very happy with this wardrobe. I live in the hot and humid tropics, and I only wear knits in the winter. I wear a lot of linen. You’ll always feel fresh because the structure of the fibre wicks away moisture. I never iron my linen clothes, even for office wear. I believe that ironed linen creases more during wearing, becoming more creased as the day goes on while un-ironed linen becomes less creased. I love the texture of linen that has been dried in the dryer, but line dried is preferred by some. When the weather is hot and humid, wrinkles drop out of creased clothes as you wear them- as if your body is a mobile clothes steamer 🙂
A word of warning, natural fibres suck as travelling companions. I took three cotton/linen kaftans to the middle east recently. They look crushed and revolting in all the photos. Knits are far better and more versatile travel mates.
What fresh and interesting pieces you picked. You have cool taste.
Try not to stress. Just take it one step at a time (and have a back up plan).
🙂
Oh about the smooshed up fabrics, if you can take a little spray bottle or pick one up on the other end, natural fibres relax wonderfully if you can give them a spritz and let them hang. But you may have to get them pretty damp and let them hang overnight depending on the temperature and how many deep the wrinkles/creases…
You are going to china, Wow!! That’s great. Love the wardrobe 🙂 What polishes are you taking with you? 😀
Be careful about that July 2008 top. Looks great, and actually I thought the length was just as it should be, sort of a short tunic. But it wrinkled at the bottom very quickly. I made it in a lightweight cotton lawn, not too crisp, but still looked ankwardly pregnant. The yoke was a bear to sew in, curves too tight, and the armholes were a bit binding as well, even though they were as big as they could be without exposing too much bra.
The print color was just right for 3 of my pants pants, it was perfect for the heat. I’m so relieved that it had a fatal laundry accident a couple weeks ago and I could finally throw it out. I felt eeck every time I put it on. It never looked quite right. I just wore it because it was so perfect functionally. That is not a good thing..