I recently had the opportunity to test my first ladies pattern from Wardrobe by Me. (Earlier this year I tested the men’s Rebel Raglan and you can check out that post here.) It was also an item that I hadn’t made for myself yet, and since we are in the midst of our summer here, a pair of shorts was a very welcome addition to my wardrobe.
The Frida Flat Front Shorts pattern features three different lengths; short, mid thigh and Bermuda length. I chose to do the Bermuda length for the test. I went with the length straight off of the pattern, even though I would normally lengthen pants by 1″ to 2″ because of my height. With shorts, however, there is a lot of room for interpretation on proper length, so on me, these fall between what would be a mid-thigh or Bermuda on the intended 5’7″ frame that these are drafted for. I actually like the length that they came out at and I don’t think I would change it on any subsequent pairs that I sew up.
The Frida Flat Front Shorts also have as the name says, a flat front, which gives these a nice sleek front. The waistband on these is also on the higher side, but not too high.The final finish of the shorts should sit just above the belly button. I personally am glad to see that over the last year styles have seen a raising of waistbands. I am not a fan of low-cut styles. They are not the most becoming on me. The also have deep pockets. I am a sucker for pockets and these are the kind that you can put your hands right into, not just rest the tips of your fingertips in.
This pattern is rated as a 3/4 sewing level or for an intermediate seamstress. However, if you are an advanced beginner and want to up your game, you may want to give this a try. This was my first time doing a proper front-fly zipper and I only had to pull out my seam ripper once!
Most patterns will suggest that you do a muslin before cutting into your good fabric and, in this case, I would highly recommend it. But don’t be surprised when your muslin is wearable. It may not be 100% perfect, but the fit on these is pretty spot on and true to the sizing chart. I was hesitant, as I have made pants before and they usually need some
type of tweaking but I didn’t need to do a thing to the Frida’s.
This is also not what I would call a quick sew, especially the first time around, unless you are familiar with all of the sewing techniques. If you occasionally get a notion in your head that you want to whip up something on the fly for an up and coming event, make sure to allow yourself adequate time to do these up right.
I made a straight size 14. Based on my measurements, I had contemplated grading to a size 16 in the hips but opted to try it without grading. I think they would probably fit a bit better had I graded the hips up a size, but they are certainly wearable as they are thanks to the stretch in the fabric. I will point out that the pictures here are of the first testing version. Christina takes pattern making very seriously and made a couple of tweaks to lower the waistband and a couple of others slight tweaks to get a more refined look.
One of the things that I really liked about the shorts is that they are quite dressy. Depending on the fabric you choose, you could easily wear these in a casual office setting or anywhere you want to kick up your wardrobe game a notch. Or it can be paired with a more casual tee for hanging out at the park. These are just so versatile!
These are now officially part of my capsule wardrobe that I am building. My list of items I am including in my capsule isn’t recorded on some fancy chart yet like some of the more organised fashion seamstresses out there, but I make sure that my pieces, for the most part, can be interchanged based on the colour and pattern of the fabric. One day soon, I will be that person and share my impressive, super-organized chart, too. Just don’t hold your breath, because “soon” is all relative in real life.
The fabric recommended is a medium weight woven with 3-5% Lycra or elastane. Depending on your location, this may be hard to come by. I know that in my area, I find it hard to find this type of fabric. I was able to find some a few months back
in a colour I really like so I bought enough to do a few projects in, but I am keeping my eyes open for something else so I can have a bit more variety in my wardrobe. I have yet to order any fabrics online, but that is an option I will have to explore soon.
Christina is a professionally trained pattern maker from Denmark and it shows in her patterns. I like the hint of Euro style that goes into her patterns with a splash of classy/retro thrown in. Part of my own process of defining my personal style has uncovered that this is a perfect look for me.
I paired my Frida Shorts with two other Wardrobe by Me patterns: the Daisy Dropped Shoulder Top and the Carma Cami. I will do a review on these separately but in the meantime, I will mention that I really like the look of the Daisy top with the shorts and the Carma Cami is a great top for layering. And both of these are pretty quick sews.
Here is my summary.
pattern name: Frida Flat Front Shorts
options: short, mid-thigh, and Bermuda length
designer: Wardrobe by Me
target market: Women’s
sizes: North American sizes 0 – 16, Euro 30 – 46
fabric required: medium weight woven with 3-5% Lycra or elastane
trim/no trim: no trim pages
layers: layers option so you only need to print the size(s) you need
pros: very stylish, professional finish
cons: requires an intermediate sewing level, if you live in an area that has limited fabric choices you may have to order online and that requires planning ahead
what was my experience I had with this pattern: Completing this was a huge confidence builder. I walked around proclaiming that “I made shorts!” once throughout that day!
my suggestions for when you sew your own: Allow yourself adequate time to do a good job and put in the effort to take advantage of the professional finishes that are a part of this pattern.
conclusion: Everyone needs shorts and this is a pair that you will be proud to wear out and about!
The thing that makes me sad about the Frida shorts is that I will only be able to wear them for a short part of the year, as we don’t have much of a summer in our neck of the woods. In the meantime, though, I will be wearing them any chance I can get. Rumour has it that Wardrobe by Me will possibly be releasing a similar style in a full pants version sometime in the near future. I am totally up for those!
Can you see a pair of Frida Flat Front Shorts being a part of your wardrobe? What would you pair them with and how would you style them?
***This review is based on my own observations during testing of this pattern. I did receive the pattern in exchange for testing of this pattern.***
***This post contains affiliate links that allow me to receive compensation which helps cover some of the expense of fabric and time spent writing this review. If you would like to support me in my efforts, I would be most grateful if you would be willing to choose to use the affiliate links. Thank you!!!***
Embrace Everyday 
Handy for the summer. Great job B|
On Mon, Jul 18, 2016 at 5:32 PM, Embrace Everyday wrote:
> EmbraceEveryday posted: “I recently had the opportunity to test my first > ladies pattern from Wardrobe by Me. (Earlier this year I tested the men’s > Rebel Raglan and you can check out that post here.) It was also an item > that I hadn’t made for myself yet, and since we are in the mi” >
Thanks!