Laura’s Bennie Vest

I love the theme this month. I think a lot of people in the sewing community in 2024 have taken the shift to a more mindful wardrobe, turning to making high quality staples that stand the test of time.

Upon reviewing my current wardrobe, I am in lacking in the smart “office wear” department. My usual work week consists of 2 days in the office, and 3 days at home. The office dress-code is quite relaxed, and I tend to dress quite casually – comfy trousers (usually jeans), a t-shirt and trainers is my day-to-day uniform.

But sometimes there are days where I need to dress a bit smarter for meetings and I often find myself struggling to put something cohesive together that feels both comfortable and fashionable.

So, with the Elevate theme in mind, I turned my thinking to elevated basics. What can I wear to work that is a classic silhouette with a modern vibe. Elegant but makes a statement. 

Bella Loves Patterns seem to have absolutely nailed this trend with her designs. Softly tailored with nods to couture fashion techniques. I could honestly have picked any of their patterns to suit what I wanted to emulate, but I decided on the Bennie Vest.

Obviously, the satin isn’t an ideal fabric choice for the outer shell, but it would be perfect as a lining to add a fun pop to the inside of any garment to elevate it above a basic. 

For the outer fabric, I wanted to pick out the beautiful emerald green from the print on the satin (hello, luxury fabric inspo!). I chose a sandwashed viscose twill from Sew Me Sunshine which matched perfectly.

Like the Flor blouse that I made with the luxury fabric last month, everything for the Bennie Vest felt very thoughtful and considered. The construction and drafting is impeccable.

The vest is shaped with princess seams at the front and back as well as shoulder darts for a really good fit. According to the size chart, I was a straight size 16 so I made it up with no adjustments.

All the instructions are accompanied with photos like a sew-a-long. Very easy to follow. The only thing I would critique is that both her outer and lining fabrics looked the same on both sides so sometimes it was difficult to see clearly in the photos which was the right or wrong side.

This is a great foray into the world of tailoring. Its not often that you’ll find me enjoying any type of hand sewing, but there was something about this project that really made me appreciate it, and dare I say, enjoy it! It was nice to really slow down with this project to achieve a perfect finish that I am super proud of. 

The pattern also features “side slanted double jetted pockets”. I love the look of them and enjoyed the sewing process to practice a new skill, but unfortunately are pretty ineffective due to the short depth. 

The waistcoat is designed to be worn as a top by itself. The satin feels so lovely next to my skin, equally it works perfectly as a lining over clothes. It was a joy to work with as it wasn’t overly slippery as most lining fabrics can be.

I even had enough to squeeze out the pocket bags for a pair of matching Billy trousers, so watch this space!