SewShape project

White Denim Jacket

Striped elastic solved a fabric shortage and gave my white denim jacket its bright 1980s sportswear character.

Working with less denim

I wanted a crisp white denim jacket for summer, with the confident, sporty character of the 1980s. I had the pattern, the white denim and a clear idea, but not quite enough fabric for every conventional finish.

I started with my Women's Denim Jacket pattern in sizes S-M. It has the familiar structure of a denim jacket: a collar and stand, front and back yokes, a panelled body, two-part sleeves, pocket flaps, cuffs and a hem band.

Striped elastic for the finishing

The striped elastic began as a practical answer to the fabric shortage. I used it instead of the denim hem band, traditional cuff construction and pocket-edge finish. This saved fabric and made those parts much easier to sew.

Repeating the elastic around the jacket made the substitution look intentional. Its turquoise, green, white and red stripes bring the white denim to life and carry the sporty idea through the whole garment. A small flash of colour inside the collar continues the detail near the face.

White denim jacket with open cuffs, striped elastic finishing and silver star-shaped buttons. — Open cuffs reveal the striped elastic construction, with the same finish repeated at the hem and pocket edges.

The silver stars are ordinary sew-on buttons bought from AliExpress. From a distance they resemble metal snap fasteners, but their playful shape gives the jacket a more personal finish.

The result felt unique and drew attention. What began as a way to work with less fabric became the detail that gave the jacket its character.

The skirt in the photographs

My white denim jacket came first. I designed this skirt to fill a gap in my wardrobe, guided by my personal style and the colours that suit me. It had to work with the clothes I already owned.

Before I cut the fabric, this skirt had to work with my white denim jacket, the ruffled blouse and the rest of my wardrobe. I wear it with different tops and shoes, from the airport to breakfast by the sea.

Wearing my white denim jacket with its collar open. — Wearing my finished jacket, with another flash of striped colour inside the collar.

A sewing idea to keep

Running short of fabric does not always mean buying more or abandoning the project. Look at the elastic, braid, contrast fabric and hardware already in your sewing space. One well-chosen substitute can use less cloth, simplify construction and make a familiar pattern feel completely different.

The key is repetition. Here, the same elastic replaces the hem band, cuff construction and pocket-edge finish, so the result looks considered rather than improvised.