Passiflore Dress Coat Review | Deer and Doe | A Self Covered Button
Passiflore | The Review
Back in mid-April, Deer and Doe contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing their latest pattern, the Passiflore and, when I saw the prototypes, I jumped at the chance! Deer and Doe have provided me the pattern for free, in exchange for my honest opinion on their pattern. What reads below constitutes my very honest opinion. I’m delighted to say that I am enthusiastically and honestly recommending Deer and Doe’s Passiflore!
Pattern Details This newest addition to the Deer and Doe stable fits perfectly with their strong aesthetic. A classic double-breasted coat dress, the pattern comes with three different length variations (top, mid-length dress and maxi-dress) and two sleeve options (short-sleeve and long-sleeve) making it a pattern that will keep on giving. I’m a huge fan of Passiflore’s older sister, Luzerne, which I made last year, but Passiflore has a versatility that’s been a breath of fresh-air in my work-from-home life. Since I finished making her, I have really put Passiflore through her paces.
Fabric The recommended fabrics lean towards fabrics with drape: tencel, rayon, silk, cotton lawn and so on. I had, in my stash, a length of tencel, which was just perfect. However, I have seen this pattern already made up in a Dutch Wax Print by @melissasouad and it’s glorious! I think it could very easily handle being made up in slightly more heavy-weight or structured fabrics, so if you’re imagining it in something stiffer, why not give it a go?
The tencel twill I used was from Blackbird Fabrics, and I purchased it a while back, when there were fewer options for buying tencel in New Zealand/Australia. This lush substrate is making its way to our shores and appearing in more local fabric shops, and I couldn’t be happier. Tencel has worked really well for my Passiflore, but I’m super curious about trying it out in different fabrics now. I bought my buttons and D-rings from Miss Maude Fabrics who, incidentally, has some lovely tencel in stock…
I used less than the 3.10 metres required for my size (I actually only had 3m on hand, but was pretty certain I could get away with it), but I’d be reluctant to recommend getting less than that. You could maybe do some pattern tetris and get away with 2.75? But generally, I go with what the pattern company recommends and then have fun with planning an extra garment from the scraps (usually by adding to my troop of Scout Tees).
Version Given New Zealand is in the middle of autumn, I made the mid-length version with long sleeves. Strongly resembling a traditional trench coat, but with far more functionality, I’ve been truly delighted with the myriad ways this garment has slotted so easily into my wardrobe. I have worn it as a dress, over stockings and with boots, and I’ve even more frequently worn it as an open duster-type layer, over pants and shirts, as well as over a jumpsuit. I can see myself easily wearing it over skirts as well. Although I’m less attracted to the shirt version (this is totally personal preference for my style and shouldn’t be read into beyond that), I can see a maxi version with short sleeves in future summers.
Size At the time of making, I measured 36” bust, 30” waist, 40” hips, which placed me between a size 40 for the bust and 42 for waist/hips. The pattern has a good amount of ease through the waist and hips, but I really wanted good, not-gapey bust coverage so I chose to prioritise that measurement in my alterations. So that I didn’t disturb the trickier parts (collar, sleeves, princess seams) I cut the front pieces, sleeves and collar at a size 40. I graded out to a 42 between the waist and the hips only on the side seams. And these alterations worked well: I feel like I’ve got a comfortable amount of ease all round.
Modifications I’m a little under 5’4”, and Deer and Doe drafts for 5’6”, so I over-confidently shortened my version by 2”. However, I forgot that the Deer and Doe patterns can be drafted slightly shorter than what I usually go for! As it’s drafted, the mid-length dress stops a bit above the knee, so that’s worth paying attention to if you prefer something a little longer. I’m running with the length mine is, though, and as a top-layer, I think it benefits from being a little shorter. I also took some length out of the sleeves through the very haphazard method of holding the pattern piece up to my arm and trying to guess how much to take out. This worked out okay, if a touch short, but I wouldn’t recommend it as an ongoing method!
Pattern Direction I found Deer and Doe’s construction method for the Passiflore pretty intuitive: there weren’t any moments of, “wait, what?” as can sometimes happen. Deer and Doe rely a lot on clear diagrams over text-explanation, which suits me very well. I will acknowledge that in the past there have been moments where I’ve felt their patterns have suffered from a lack of written descriptions (like the button placket on the Melilot), but I didn’t have any issues of that sort with Passiflore.
The pattern is geared towards giving beautiful internal finishes. With the exception of the side seams and sleeve seams (which are easy enough to French seam—as I’ve done) everything is enclosed, giving it that versatility of being worn as an open duster.
Passiflore is pitched at advanced makers, but if you’re a confident intermediate maker, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go! Take it gently, and you’ll get there :-) There are some thoughtful construction methods that would give a good stretch to the skill-base.
Final Word Fortuitously dropping just before Me Made May, I’ve had a really good chance to test out her chops. In the past two and a half weeks, I’ve worn her five times, washed her three times, and—quelle horreur!—she’s already had to go into my mending pile due to hard-wearing! But I see this as a sign of how much I’m enjoying her presence in my wardrobe. From the internal finishes, to the classic style lines, from a chic dress to a playful duster, I’m so enthusiastic about the Passiflore! It’s been just the addition my wardrobe was wanting: the stop-my-heart-dead elegant housecoat for lockdown life.
