Inspired by... Part 2: The Tuxedo Shorts.

This is Mini Wardrobe piece number 2: the tuxedo shorts. They were on their way to be a wadder but I was able to save them from the discard bin. I call them a happy accident. In my attempt to replicate the Sachin+Babi look I wanted to make shorts out of my floral fabric. 
I didn't manage the fabric cutting very well I must admit. I had 2 yards of fabric to work with and started by cutting out the flowers for the applique instead of the shorts. I had to figure out how to make the most out of the leftover fabric and still make sure that the flowers would be place properly on the shorts.
I am not a big fan of short shorts so I wanted to try New Look 6100 view B because it looked longer than the average short length.

I did a muslin for the New Look shorts but for some reason they were too tight in the floral fabric. So I had to come up with plan B which is the McCalls Fashion Star pattern 6707.

McCalls 6707

 I thought adding side panels will help with the xetra width I needed. I believe the floral fabric must have shifted during cutting since I only used pattern weights and didn't pin the pattern to the fabric. I read somewhere that you need to lay fabrics that tend to shift on tissue paper first before cutting them. The fabric is sandwiched between 2 layers of paper. So, I pinned it like crazy. Cutting was a breeze after using that method and there was no shifting. Because I was trying to save the fabric I kept the pockets from the New Look pattern so the pocket lining is not cut out of the contrast fabric as on the McCalls pattern. I was relieved!!!

The floral fabric was bought earlier this year from Fabrics R'Us in San Jose. I believe it's rayon challis. The black contrast fabric is crepe. Both are from my stash.
I cut shorts instead of pants. I lengthened the back crotch by slashing and spreading. The front crotch length was fine. I cut a 14 since the Fashion Star patterns tend to run small. I had to draft a fly facing and a fly shield so I used the Grainline Studio maritime shorts tutorial to make the fly front zipper. It went together smoothly.

Tuxedo shorts worn with the Lace Mixed Media Top.

Tuxedo Shorts worn with the Striped Applique Top

I like the McCalls tuxedo look better than the plain shorts look I was going for at first and I am so glad I didn't waste the floral fabric.