Made By A Fabricista: The Perfect Poplin Summer Looks

It's no secret that I love a cool crisp poplin fabric during the summer and for this month's Fabricista make I found two great cotton poplin solids from fabric mart to create with.

The summer is closing in but in North Carolina this is one of the hottest months of the Summer so I couldn't resist making a couple fun Summer pieces to carry me through the heat.

I recently created Simplicity 9544 dress and loved the style so much that I decided to make it into a short jumpsuit with Earth Brown Cotton/Lycra Stretch Poplin from Fabric Mart. I used the dress version and the pants version of Simplicity pattern 9544 to draft the shorts with enough flare and room to accommodate the look I was going for.

I love the way this fabric creates an effortlessly put together casual style all in one jumpsuit. The fabric is more of a medium weight fabric with a slight sheen to it. It creates deep full folds and holds its shape very well. It makes a bold puffy sleeve, which other than the pockets on the bodice, is one of my favorite features to this piece. I usually reach for bright bold prints but this chocolate brown is so yummy and rich it pairs great with neutrals and bright pops of color.

This piece can be styled up or down depending on your accessories, taking it from outside stroll in the park to a more elevated look for dinner and drinks with your girls. I styled this look with a pair of my stacked platform caged sandals and a leopard print bag.

My second look I went with a Cardinal Red Cotton/Lycra Stretch Poplin Shirting from Fabric Mart. This color comes off more as a strawberry red to me and I love it for Summer. I knew right away I wanted to create something with ruffles. I used Simplicity shirt pattern 9546 to create this mini dress. I loved the pintuck detail that this top was giving and thought it would make a great flirty mini with a flouncy sleeve and ruffled collar.

Poplin holds such a crisp fold, which made the pintuck process even more appealing and suited with this fabric. I didn't make many changes to the pattern to achieve my final look, however I do like to add a bit of drama to my looks so about 1.5 inches was added to the height of the collar ruffle.

Poplin has a crisp hand and holds shape well while also being light in weight. This helps give the ruffles and flounce structure and still maintains the cool elements that are appealing for Summer looks.

This dress looks cute and flirty alone but can be paired with shorts and even over jeans for a more modest look. I paired it with my most recently made shorts and a pair of stacked platform sandals. Even added my own handcrafted handbag!

Until Next Time,

Unfortunately Fabric Mart Fabrics sell out quickly!
You can find similar fabrics by shopping the following categories: POPLIN, SHIRTING, & SATEEN.