Shacket Season
Move over, Sweater Weather. I'm here for Shacket Season.
(But don’t go too far, my dearest sweaters. I love you, too.)
You might not love the term shacket, but (I DO and) these oversized shirts that double as jackets are here to stay. It seems every ready to wear brand has a shacket in their fall collection. (Don’t you love targeted ads as sewing inspiration?) Here’s just a few examples from from Nordstrom, Madewell, and Old Navy-
Flannel, corduroy, and wool! Oh my! Just about any textured or plaid fabric goes. I’ve noticed some shackets have a collar stand, like a typical dress shirt, while others have a “convertible collar,” (no stand, which is going to be easier to sew in heavier, bulkier fabrics). I’ve made both versions with patterns from a couple different designers.
Here’s a quick look at a few of them-.
Almost three years ago, I described smooshing together the Cheyenne and Brunswick patterns to recreate a ready to wear look. I recall being incredibly proud of this top, but I don’t think I saved my pattern adjustments in a form I could use to repeat the same make.
Thankfully, we have the Fairmount (Hey June Handmade) pattern now!
I was having a bad face day. Ignore my expression.
The construction of the convertible collar often throws me for a loop, but Adrianna has a detailed blog post for that portion of the assembly and it’s very helpful.
The only change I’ve made here was to add a little height to the cuffs (about 1”) and elongate the slit (lengthening the binding by double that amount), to make the cuffs easier to roll up.
I made one from a rather thick woven when the pattern was released.
I even added a welt pockets to that first Fairmount. I’ve since been too eager to finish my make than to take the extra time to add that feature.
This fall, I also altered the Lauren (StyleArc) pattern to make a plaid flannel shacket.
The first time I made Lauren, I found her signature cuffs too fiddly (not staying folded, and being too long when not), so I’ve since sewn her with a more “standard” shirt sleeve.
I lengthened the front to match the length of the back and vented the hem at the side seams. This flannel shacket is so soft and cozy. (StyleArc’s Logan would be a better base, but I don’t own that pattern.)
Lastly, if you’re interested in a rather unique take on oversized shirt (or dress!), check out Olya (Paper Theory). The front features a yoke that becomes the sleeve and the pockets are not a typical patch pocket. They arise from the seam between the yoke and lower front portion. My version was made from a sturdy flannel in January 2021. Oh, boy is that flannel showing the wear! Looking back at my IG post, it seems I didn’t think heavier fabrics were well-suited for Olya, though corduroy, drill, and light denim are listed in the recommended fabrics section for the pattern listing.
The moral of the story? Go ahead and hack any shirt pattern you already own or snag a specifically designed shacket pattern. Shacket Season is upon us!
I don’t know I missed another very versatile indie pattern that you ought to consider for making a fall shacket. (We’ll blame the fact that I’ve just started pulling my colder weather clothes from storage and haven’t gotten to all of the jackets yet.) At any rate, the Cozi (Pattern Scout) has a collar and pocket expansion! While I made a shorter collared jacket, Casey created a fabulous plaid shacket, which she shares on her YouTube channel.
