Planning an Autumn suit

Even though I am facing a sewing dilemma, I need new garments for Autumn.

I am a suit person, but right now I am a stay-at-home mother with child and baby. Suits are not the best choice for me, pants and shirts, or tops, are more suitable.

Thinking a bit more:

• I need something convenient enough for my life as a stay-at-home mother.
• I need something versatile enough for the parisian autumn weather: cold in the morning, hot in the afternoon, sunny or rainy with a lot of changes during a single day, often windy.
• I need something versatile enough to pass for a suit, if I need one.
• I need something chic enough to fill my personal taste ;-)

Having a look at my pattern stash, I picked up this nice vintage suit (photo above). It's a suit, but...:

• I can sew a basic pant instead of the skirt. I will have a pant, a jacket and 2 or 3 shirts or tops: a perfect versatile ensemble.
• It's a pant and shirt ensemble with a jacket if the weather call for it.
• It can make a nice pantsuit if I select the fabrics carefully.
• It can be chic, no doubt, event though I don't exactly look like the lady on the package ;-)
• And at last, the jacket has no closure in front: nice for a still breastfeeding mother with bust size changing as the baby sucks or not during the day.

I have a medium-light brown chocolate wool fabric in my stash, perfect for the Autumn atmosphere. I can add some nice cotton prints or a more dressy fabric to make 2 or 3 shirts and scarfs. I am not sure what to use right now.

The photo above shows some flower print cottons. On the left a pink print, on the right perhaps a too light fabric for Autumn, at the bottom an inexpensive yellow and green print and, in the middle, the chocolate wool fabric.

The photo below shows some more dressy silk fabrics,. On the left, an incredible italian silk print (perhaps too large for this use), on the right a burnt silk that needs a lining and, in the middle, the chocolate wool fabric.

To have a ensemble that suits my needs, I will sew:

• The jacket.
• A basic pant (I can find it in my pattern stash).
• 2 shirts and scarfs in cotton or in a more dressy fabric.
• The top of the dress alone, probably made from the wool fabric, to wear as a top.

To be continued, of course...