It’s summer here in NZ, and that means breaking out the knits and lightweight cottons and rayons, and making a bunch of Miramars & Henrietta Marias.
I’ve always wanted a sky blue Miramar, but couldn’t find the right fabric last year. At the end of spring I finally found some fabulous pique knit in the perfect sky blue, and whipped up a Miramar that very night.
I love the pique knit: it’s polo shirt fabric, so, combined with the colour, the Miramar feels very preppy. I feel like I ought to be wearing it with a grosgrain belt and driving mocs (sans socks, natch).
Since I don’t have either of those (I guess I have lots of grosgrain, and belt findings, so could have made one!) I paired it with my clamdigging shorts (suitably preppy name, and eminently practical for the occasion), my favourite sunnies, and bare feet.
I did actually wear shoes for most of the outfit’s outing. I was wearing this for a walk through the Karori Cemetary with the Wellington Sewing bloggers, visiting the graves of the Penguin victims (no, NZ doesn’t have killer penguins. A ferry named the Penguin went down near Wellington on 12 Feb 1909, and 75 of the 105 people on-board, including all of the children, and all but one woman, perished).
After the walk we had an impromptu picnic with supplies from the local Four Square, and Nina helped me get photos of my outfit.
Not the most exciting sew, but fun and easy, and great for a walk and a picnic with friends!
Lovely in the colour and the fabric! Great top, this.
I think it’s a marvelous top. Just the sort I like to wear in the summertime. Even the color suits me well.
By the way, the shirt doesn’t strike me as “preppy” at all. To be preppy, in my opinion, it would have to have a little fold-down collar like a polo shirt does, or be pink, or lime green, or perhaps a combination of both, or have a small alligator stitched on one breast. If it *were* preppy, I wouldn’t like it as much as I do!
I can’t wait to finish my miramar top. My serger/overlocker had to go in for a service the minute I cut out the pattern pieces so I haven’t sewn it yet. I will share photos when I finish it. 🙂
Yay! And oh-no! What a bummer about your serger. Hope it’s back soon!
You know you’re a kiwi when you’re outside in a public place with no shoes. The Miramar works well in sky blue pique, and looks so much nicer than a polo shirt. It’s a very versatile pattern, and seems to look great in any fabric at all as long as it has enough stretch.
Pretty and practical top! One of my favourite combinations. You always look so happy outdoors, especially with bare feet. 🙂
Your hair is so pretty! Are the curls keeping your braid from coming undone?
Thank you! Yes, I like being outdoors, and I like it when it’s warm enough to have my shoes off!
I am very lucky in my hair. I say this as someone who hated it for years, and has grown to love it. It will do practically anything I ask of it, except be straight! The curls are natural, and they keep my braid from unravelling, but the assiduous efforts of various hairdressers in my younger days failed to eradicate them. Luckily I’ve grown wiser with age and happily accept them as part of who I am.
I’m always happiest in warm weather. 🙂
I’m glad you’ve embraced your curls, they’re lovely. I’ve watched my sister trying to tame her very wavy, thick, hair, and it looks tiring. My hair is mostly straight – I like it that way (and realize it’s a lot less work!), but once in a while can’t help thinking natural waves and curls are much prettier. It’s only an occasional case of greener grass, though. 🙂
I love it. I’m a big fan of knits like that, I may have to get a miramar of my own!