Jazzy Pants - Winslow Culottes

 So it's been about a million years since the launch of the Winslow Culottes by Helen's Closet yet here I am...just having a go. 

I'd never really fancied them before but since Summer 2021 seems to be my year of the wide leg trousers, I figured now would be a good time to give the pattern a test drive. 

I started off with my usual Helen's closet size of 16/18 but I made a LOT of changes to these. 

Firstly, having found the crotch curve of the Fifi pants to be truly magical, I started by tracing that off onto these culottes so at least that would not be a major issue. 

After this I compared the pattern for the rise and wow, these were large in that area. I took a whole 5" out of the front rise at the shorten line, and 2" from the back rise. They probably would have been fine as I went to look at pictures of other people's culottes and it is a very 'skirt' like trouser. I wanted a trouser-like trouser so made the adjustments accordingly. 

The box pleat in the front is lovely and the deep side seam pockets are a great addition. 

These culottes are the elasticated wait version - for this hack the instructions tell you to just ignore the pleat in the back pieces and it all gathers up with the insertion of the elastic waistband.

There was way too much gather in the back for my liking (again - just my aversion to skirts) and so I took a good 3 or 4" out of the back pattern piece, just shaving it off the side seam. Still loose and perfectly large enough to get over my hips, just less gathering over the bum. 

Initially I made the full length version, however they were just a fraction tooooo short to look like long culottes and there was something just...'off'. Plus they were large enough for Clyde to decide to find himself a nap spot underneath.

Excuse the annoyed face. Rocking a hangover when I took these pictures. 

The scissors came out and the fabric came off at the hem. Much better.

This jazzy fabric is a really nice viscose from eBay - a seller called Crystals009 which I was alerted to by the Stitch Sisters. (£5pm! Bargain.)

I should also probably mention that my tank is the Wendy Ward - Winnats Tank in some leftover bamboo jersey - with added Cricut made bugs from heat transfer vinyl!  Loved making this top....a good fun palette cleanser.

Whilst my Winslow's are not my favourite make or look particularly flattering, they do fit my summer trouser needs and are very comfy - and you know that's my main criteria!

Edit - these have since been dismantled and turned into shorts! After wearing these culottes for a day I just didn't like them. Win some you lose some :) 

Feel free to comment and come and say hello on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Bloglovin too xxx