Floral Trousers

Normally I avoid fads that are so faddish, I assume they'll be "out," before my needle is "in." Flowered trousers for the summer of 2013 might be one of those items. One minute, you've got to have them poolside—and the next, you wouldn't get caught dead in them. Timing might be crucial here.

Apparently this last designer hasn't seen that particular illustration in every issue of Burda Facile/Easy where the "wrong layout" mismatching the flowers on the skirt is a big no-no.

Well, count me in, although I may live to regret this. My husband is taking me to Russia in June and I don't know anybody in Russia who gives a hoot what I wear. 

And so that my wallet keeps smiling, my budget for this one-season fad is about ten bucks, max. I found my floral in the IKEA fabric department for nothing, (it's a bit chintzy in every sense of the word) and although I'm having a doozy of a time keeping those florals as neat as number 1 in the first picture, I'll hold my fashionable head up in these ridiculous trousers for, say, the six weeks this fashion lasts. I'll wear them under a khaki Swiss Army jacket on top for daytime sightseeing. That baby cost Sf 5 at Army surplus, bringing the cost of this outfit so far to...Sf15?

Hey-ho for sewing! Not everything has to be tasteful or couture, right? I recall the 1961 summer my father moved us to Hollywood. My poor mother, intimidated by all the gorgeous showbusiness women he'd be working with all day, promptly went out and bought herself a pair of leopard print slacks. We kids were stunned. Michigan Mom went shopping and Gina Lollobrigida came home. I never stopped loving her for that bid for instant glamour.

I'm reusing a simple Burda trousers pattern, 108B-8-2010, skipping the back pocket flaps and the ankle zippers. Last time I lengthened the pattern by four centimeters but we'll see what shoes we need for these before the final hemming. I don't want to crisscross Red Square or The Hermitage in stilettos or platforms.