There are some clothes that earn their place in a wardrobe time and time again. The jacket you throw over almost anything, the shirt that can be dressed up or down, and, of course, the Little Black Dress. So Wardrobe Heroes Week on The Great British Sewing Bee gave us plenty to think about when it comes to the fabrics we choose for clothes we genuinely want to wear.
With the competition reaching the semi-final, the sewers tackled three fashion classics: a biker jacket, men's shirts transformed into something completely new, and their own take on the Little Black Dress. For us, it was a particularly good week for looking beyond the finished garment and thinking about just how much the fabric can change a familiar wardrobe staple.
The Pattern Challenge: The Biker Jacket
First up was a garment with plenty of attitude. The sewers were challenged to make a classic biker jacket using a plant-based leather alternative, complete with the details that make this style so recognisable.
A biker jacket is all about structure and those little details that give it its character. Zips, seams, collars and hardware all have to work together, and the fabric needs enough body to hold that distinctive shape. It is also the sort of garment where careful cutting and accurate sewing really show.
If the challenge has tempted you to have a go at a biker jacket of your own, our Maison Fauve Misfit Perfecto is a rather lovely place to start. It has that unmistakable Perfecto-style shape, with plenty of opportunity to make the jacket your own through your choice of fabric.
Faux Leather, Suede... or Something Completely Different
Faux leather and faux suede are natural choices for recreating the classic biker look. Faux suede gives you a slightly softer interpretation, while still providing that lovely surface texture and enough substance for a jacket.
But there is no rule saying a biker jacket has to look like leather. We would happily make one in corduroy or needlecord too. You still get all those characteristic seams, zips and jacket details, but the finished garment becomes softer and a little more relaxed. A rich autumnal cord could make a particularly good everyday version.
The Transformation Challenge: The Humble Shirt, Reinvented
For the Transformation Challenge, the sewers were given discarded men's shirts and asked to turn them into outfits fit for a wedding guest. Suddenly cuffs, collars, button stands and shirt tails became raw materials rather than fixed parts of a garment.
It was a good reminder not to underestimate the humble shirt. Shirting fabrics are some of the most useful cloths you can have in your sewing room, and they certainly don't have to end up as conventional shirts.
Cotton shirting is a brilliant starting point. Crisp plains, traditional stripes and checks can obviously be used for classic shirts and blouses, but start adding gathers, pleats, oversized sleeves or contrasting panels and the same fabrics can feel completely different.
There is something particularly satisfying about mixing shirtings too. A stripe running in two directions, a contrasting cuff or collar, or two coordinating cloths used across one garment can create detail without making the finished piece difficult to wear.
Don't Forget Chambray
Chambray is another firm Croft Mill favourite for everyday wardrobe sewing. It gives you some of the easygoing character of denim without the same weight, making it a great choice for shirts, shirt dresses, blouses, skirts and relaxed trousers.
It also works beautifully with the idea behind this week's transformation challenge. These are fabrics that might seem familiar and practical at first glance, but a different pattern or a clever bit of cutting can take them somewhere entirely new.
And if the challenge has put you in the mood for shirtmaking rather than chopping one up, we have plenty of patterns for both shirts and blouses, from traditional button-down styles to softer, more relaxed shapes.
Made to Measure: The Little Black Dress
Then came perhaps the ultimate wardrobe hero: the Little Black Dress.
The beauty of an LBD is that it isn't really one particular style at all. It can be fitted or flowing, understated or glamorous, soft and comfortable or beautifully structured. Change the fabric and you can completely change the personality of the dress, even when the pattern stays exactly the same.
For us, this is where the fabric cupboard really opens up. Black may be one colour, but it certainly doesn't mean one look.
Crepe for a Classic
If you have a classic black dress in mind, crepe would be high on our list. Its combination of drape and texture makes it wonderfully versatile, particularly for dresses with fluid skirts, softly tailored shapes or elegant sleeves.
A good crepe has enough weight to hang beautifully without feeling overly stiff, and black really lets that silhouette do the talking. It is one of those fabrics that can look smart without feeling fussy, which is exactly what you want from a dress you plan to wear more than once.
Satin for a Little Shine
For something more evening-ready, satin brings a completely different quality to black. Light catches the surface as the fabric moves, so even a very simple dress can look special.
It can be used all over for full-on glamour, or brought in more subtly through sleeves, panels, trims or a contrasting bodice. Satin also pairs beautifully with matt fabrics such as crepe if you want to play with texture while keeping everything black.
And Black Doesn't Have to Mean Formal
We wouldn't overlook comfortable black fabrics either. Ponte Roma is a fantastic option for a dress that needs a little stretch and structure, particularly for neat fitted shapes that you can pull on and wear all day.
Then there are lightweight woven cottons, linen blends, textured fabrics and all the other shades and surfaces hiding within the deceptively simple category of 'black fabric'. Sometimes the most useful Little Black Dress is not the fanciest one in the wardrobe, but the one you can wear with boots and a cardigan on Tuesday and dress up again on Saturday night.
What Makes a Wardrobe Hero?
We rather liked the theme of this week's episode because it gets to the heart of why so many of us sew our own clothes in the first place. Not every project needs to be a showstopper. Sometimes the best thing you can make is something you find yourself reaching for week after week.
A really good jacket, a shirt that fits exactly as you want it to, or a black dress that can be worn in half a dozen different ways can become far more valuable than a wardrobe full of things that only work for one occasion.
Fabric choice has a huge part to play in that. Think about how you actually want to wear the finished garment. Do you need stretch? Drape? Structure? Something that will withstand plenty of washing? Or are you making that special black dress that deserves a little satin and sparkle?
That's the lovely thing about sewing your own wardrobe heroes: the answer can be completely different for every one of us.
Now, which wardrobe hero is missing from yours?
Inspired by The Great British Sewing Bee?
Explore fabrics inspired by Wardrobe Heroes Week, from faux suede and corduroy to classic shirtings, chambray, crepe, satin and black dress fabrics, or catch up on more of our Sewing Bee articles.
