I drafted these yesterday -- a little more complicated than culottes to be sure but the Dorothy Moore pattern drafting book walks you through it step by step. I used another old cotton/poly sheet -- I have a lot of those!
With that side zipper they are a little vintage Connie Stevens...but in a good way. For the first time I installed an ordinary zipper, under the stitched seam, which is then ripped open.
Here's what the two pattern pieces look like, front and back:
You can see the differences better with the front pattern piece lying on top of the back.
Here's the illustration from the drafting book. The front piece is dark, and the lines surrounding it are the alterations you make to draft the back:
I'm very pleased with the way these fit and I'm eager to make them again, this time with fly and pockets and in something other than somebody else's used bedding. When it comes to fitting yourself for pants, it's really great to be "average."
I also own this book by Jane Rhinehart on drafting men's clothes.
Their pants pattern looks like this:
Not very different except for the wider leg.
How do you feel about men in tight pants, readers? They make me think of Tony Curtis...and this:
Provided you can sit down I think they're snazzy. (Enough with the saggy butts.)
So, readers, are you ready to take the pants plunge?
They look great! Well, except for the flowers on your cheeks. ;-) I think all your readers will be very jealous of the great fit on your first try. Pants are often very difficult to fit, even if self-drafting.
Love the pants Peter. Very nicely fitted. Wondering if a woman's body would be harder to draft? You are so sleek and slim. Sometimes our waist is too small for our butt...but I guess with drafting you take all the measurements first. I am highly impressed but don't know if I have the constitution for drafting.
I just watched Susan Slade about a month ago for the first time. LOVED IT! in fact I just ironed all my vintage head scarves yesterday so I could blog about them. I am reminded how often Connie Stevens wore them in this film...and the trailer with the drama!!! Thanks.
Have to agree about the flowers. Why are you putting the zipper on the side? Isn't that a little inconvenient? I find the side zip a hassle and ALWAYS make a fly front, even if hidden. The only thing worse than the side zip is back zip. You can join my band: the Saggy Bottom Girls anytime.
Great job! So cute with your kicky sneaks. I personally love a side zip, it's very vintage. Did you know that front zips on women were considered vulgar back in the day, hence the side zips of the 40s and 50s? It's true!
You have a gift for this sort of thing, Peter! As Debbie said- pants are difficult to fit. I've never had a pair I've made that looked or fit as well as yours.
They look perfectly fit for you. I actually love a guy donning the tight fit, its so 60's. Can't wait to see the professional, wearable version. May I ask where you found drafting paper?
Very good looking pants Peter. Side zipper? On the tight pants, I think all guys look better in more tailored clothes. I remember the time period of the Susan Slade trailer (although I don't remember the movie) and I wish guys wore trimmer clothing today, although style-wise that would mean I would would also be wearing trimmer clothing, so, oh well, never mind.
I love how you are working so single-mindedly on learning and mastering your skills.
Great pants, Peter! It's kind of amazing how feminine today's men's style is - I've seen menfolk wearing pants like that while walking around the city, and I think they just went out an purchased ladypants. Granted, all of their pants have saggy butts as a result (we are just better endowed in the derriere department), which yours do not. Once again, you're unknowingly with the fashion curve - trendy!
Hello! Yes, already took the plunge (months ago)and am about to drown to death. My second to last attempt was using the same book and the back was a DISASTER!!!
Your pants look great - and they passed the sit-down test, right? Would you mind bottling some of you magic sewing gene? I would pay you a fair price for a little.
Question for you. Would you actually wear a pair of side zipped pants? I'm all for men in tight pants, but the side zipper might make it hard to use certain male bathroom amenities. (i.e. the Urinal.)
PS. No, I am not ready to take the plunge. I've made a pair of shorts before with buttoned side-openings, but I don't really like pants. I just don't find them very comfortable so right now it would be a waste of my time.
1st Peter, I am beginning to think you can pull off any look and any pattern. I guess the trick to this is just showing up on the blog everyday dressed in something (no matter how crazy-looking) you made. We kind of get used to it and begin to think a grown man should be wearing baby-blue skin-tight pants with a flower to draw your eyes to the prize just like he should be wearing a pencil skirt. It's all good.
2nd, I think there is too much irony in the world now to ever watch West Side Story again. I was laughing by the second snap.
3rd, I love Connie Stevens and contemplated for a moment watching the whole movie, but then realized by the end of the trailer that was the whole movie.
P.S. Did you pull those sheets out of the trash? They are so ugly I seriously hope you did not buy them.
These pants are a great fit and that style is my personal favourite. Thanks for the Susan Slade trailer. I haven't seen that film since I was in my teens and I saw it several times then.
I took the plunge today, Peter. Drafted my very first pattern... and it's for pants of a different kind.
See, I have a two week old niece named Lena. And Mom picked up a dress in her size for a quarter that was missing pants. And while I have patterns for pants in 1-3 months, I didn't have any newborn sized ones, and she's barely out of preemie sizes, so I made my own. The fabric is a shade off and it's not knit like the dress is, but I couldn't find an exact match! Okay, I could, but by the time we paid for shipping, it'd be $20 for one yard of fabric which was a firm no. I'll rephrase. I couldn't find a matching shade of blue knit *locally*.
I ended up with blue broadcloth one shade darker, and it should work. I hope.
These look amazing. (Well, the shape, perhaps not the fabric.) I've been thinking since being back from England that the major problem with American mens' wardrobes are loose fitting trousers. Hey, even my husband is guilty of it. I just love the (predominantly European) look of a fitted trouser with a pointier dress toe shoe. It's something you don't see enough of in America. Can't wait to see these in a fancier ($3/yard?) fabric.
I prefer just a tad looser on a man a la Sammy Davis Jr in the original Oceans 11, but those still look cool and funky.
For tracing paper, Goldberg & Hammersmith in NYC has some, but I've also gone to Michaels sale section and just used really thin drawing paper taped together.
I'm a native New Yorker and sewing fanatic! I started sewing in 2009 and today make all my own clothes using vintage sewing machines and vintage patterns, in addition to sewing for private clients. Welcome to the warm and whimsical world of Male Pattern Boldness, where the conversation is sewing, style, fashion, fabric, and more!
They look great! Well, except for the flowers on your cheeks. ;-) I think all your readers will be very jealous of the great fit on your first try. Pants are often very difficult to fit, even if self-drafting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debbie! Yes, the flower placement is rather unfortunate... ;)
ReplyDeleteLove the pants Peter. Very nicely fitted. Wondering if a woman's body would be harder to draft? You are so sleek and slim. Sometimes our waist is too small for our butt...but I guess with drafting you take all the measurements first. I am highly impressed but don't know if I have the constitution for drafting.
ReplyDeleteI just watched Susan Slade about a month ago for the first time. LOVED IT! in fact I just ironed all my vintage head scarves yesterday so I could blog about them. I am reminded how often Connie Stevens wore them in this film...and the trailer with the drama!!! Thanks.
I second Debbie's comment, they look great. The first of many to come?
ReplyDeleteHave to agree about the flowers. Why are you putting the zipper on the side? Isn't that a little inconvenient? I find the side zip a hassle and ALWAYS make a fly front, even if hidden. The only thing worse than the side zip is back zip. You can join my band: the Saggy Bottom Girls anytime.
ReplyDeleteGreat job! So cute with your kicky sneaks. I personally love a side zip, it's very vintage. Did you know that front zips on women were considered vulgar back in the day, hence the side zips of the 40s and 50s? It's true!
ReplyDeleteLove the side zip. And yes, if you have the right body type, men in tight pants is great. My boyfriend has a delicious black pair.
ReplyDeleteYou have a gift for this sort of thing, Peter! As Debbie said- pants are difficult to fit. I've never had a pair I've made that looked or fit as well as yours.
ReplyDeleteTight pants make me think about the video for Bee Gees "Staying alive". But as long as you avoid the camel toe, I guess you're good to go. :-)
ReplyDeleteQuite possibly the best pants ever. May I call you Flowerbutt Peter?
ReplyDeleteThey look perfectly fit for you. I actually love a guy donning the tight fit, its so 60's. Can't wait to see the professional, wearable version. May I ask where you found drafting paper?
ReplyDeleteVery good looking pants Peter. Side zipper? On the tight pants, I think all guys look better in more tailored clothes. I remember the time period of the Susan Slade trailer (although I don't remember the movie) and I wish guys wore trimmer clothing today, although style-wise that would mean I would would also be wearing trimmer clothing, so, oh well, never mind.
ReplyDeleteI love how you are working so single-mindedly on learning and mastering your skills.
Great pants, Peter! It's kind of amazing how feminine today's men's style is - I've seen menfolk wearing pants like that while walking around the city, and I think they just went out an purchased ladypants. Granted, all of their pants have saggy butts as a result (we are just better endowed in the derriere department), which yours do not. Once again, you're unknowingly with the fashion curve - trendy!
ReplyDeleteHello! Yes, already took the plunge (months ago)and am about to drown to death. My second to last attempt was using the same book and the back was a DISASTER!!!
ReplyDeleteYour pants look great - and they passed the sit-down test, right? Would you mind bottling some of you magic sewing gene? I would pay you a fair price for a little.
Question for you. Would you actually wear a pair of side zipped pants? I'm all for men in tight pants, but the side zipper might make it hard to use certain male bathroom amenities. (i.e. the Urinal.)
ReplyDeletePS. No, I am not ready to take the plunge. I've made a pair of shorts before with buttoned side-openings, but I don't really like pants. I just don't find them very comfortable so right now it would be a waste of my time.
1st Peter, I am beginning to think you can pull off any look and any pattern. I guess the trick to this is just showing up on the blog everyday dressed in something (no matter how crazy-looking) you made. We kind of get used to it and begin to think a grown man should be wearing baby-blue skin-tight pants with a flower to draw your eyes to the prize just like he should be wearing a pencil skirt. It's all good.
ReplyDelete2nd, I think there is too much irony in the world now to ever watch West Side Story again. I was laughing by the second snap.
3rd, I love Connie Stevens and contemplated for a moment watching the whole movie, but then realized by the end of the trailer that was the whole movie.
P.S. Did you pull those sheets out of the trash? They are so ugly I seriously hope you did not buy them.
Of course, Peter can pull of any thing! So I love the print! These are so chic! And the fit...I don't even want to know how. Awesome drafting skills.
ReplyDeleteI love a side zip myself and have made a couple pairs short & long. That style is classic cigerette with Audrey! -HLT
Guys, this is a muslin and these are women's pants, hence the side zip. The man's version with regular fly is next.
ReplyDeleteThese pants are a great fit and that style is my personal favourite. Thanks for the Susan Slade trailer. I haven't seen that film since I was in my teens and I saw it several times then.
ReplyDeleteSnazzy! Cant wait to see more. I can see you in a brown version of these?
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, a friend calls the catty girls in her Jane Austen class the Sharks and the Jets. But, their pants aren't so snappy.
ReplyDeleteI took the plunge today, Peter. Drafted my very first pattern... and it's for pants of a different kind.
ReplyDeleteSee, I have a two week old niece named Lena. And Mom picked up a dress in her size for a quarter that was missing pants. And while I have patterns for pants in 1-3 months, I didn't have any newborn sized ones, and she's barely out of preemie sizes, so I made my own. The fabric is a shade off and it's not knit like the dress is, but I couldn't find an exact match! Okay, I could, but by the time we paid for shipping, it'd be $20 for one yard of fabric which was a firm no. I'll rephrase. I couldn't find a matching shade of blue knit *locally*.
I ended up with blue broadcloth one shade darker, and it should work. I hope.
These look amazing. (Well, the shape, perhaps not the fabric.) I've been thinking since being back from England that the major problem with American mens' wardrobes are loose fitting trousers. Hey, even my husband is guilty of it. I just love the (predominantly European) look of a fitted trouser with a pointier dress toe shoe. It's something you don't see enough of in America. Can't wait to see these in a fancier ($3/yard?) fabric.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations ...they look perfect, you are very talented :)
ReplyDeleteWow! You definitely have a gift for this. Pretty incredible.
ReplyDeleteI prefer just a tad looser on a man a la Sammy Davis Jr in the original Oceans 11, but those still look cool and funky.
ReplyDeleteFor tracing paper, Goldberg & Hammersmith in NYC has some, but I've also gone to Michaels sale section and just used really thin drawing paper taped together.
They look really great! I do prefer men in tighter pants.
ReplyDeleteYou really do have the butt for those, if I may say so.
ReplyDelete