Spring/Summer Wardrobe Staples

Simple knit tees and skirts with shorts define a Summer wardrobe | The Inspired Wren

Last Spring I recreated one of our favorite hand-me-down outfits. All Summer it was the first outfit we reached for every time it was clean. This year, I made two more.


Sewist in the blogiverse talk about their TNT patterns, the "tried and true" patterns they reach for over and over again. Hands down Muse of the Morning's Practically Perfect Tee and Go To Pattern's Go To Leggings are my TNTs. These are patterns I make repeatedly with little alteration beyond embellishment, because I know they fit well and sew quickly. I even sewed them up as PJs! Plus, The Peanut loves to wear them, which is really where it's at!

Living Summer in simple knit tees and skirts with built-in shorts. | The Inspire Wren
Tee with the cap sleeve option.


I love the casual, yet feminine nature of a knit skirt (with under-shorts) paired with a well-fitted girl's tee. The Peanut can climb and bike ride and dig for bugs and stay cool through the Summer in these outfits.


Living Summer in simple knit tees and skirts with built-in shorts. | The Inspire Wren
Tee modified with pin tucks and sewn with gathered sleeve option.

I opted for bright colors and, yes, even pink for these clothes. Kindergarten has taught my blue loving, dinosaur playing, 6-year-old, budding engineer that pink and dolls and dresses are for girls. (I am simultaneously a little sad to see her lose the unisex world view, and a little relieved she's finally picking up social cues. So, there's that.) But of course we're encouraging her to be true to herself, so I'm giving The Peanut clothes in her new-found desire for pink and her beloved blue. It's my own little experiment to see which she reaches for as Summer progresses.

Delicate pin tucks and gathered sleeve caps add feminine charm to a simple knit tee. | The Inspired Wren
I totally cheated the pin tucks -- I sewed the fabric before I cut out the pattern piece.
Pattern

Tee: Muse of the Morning's Practically Perfect Tee, size 5T (modified to add pin tucks)

Skirt: Go To Pattern's Go To Leggings, size 4T with added length



Fabric
Tee: Pink -- Sew Classic Knit Solid (Joann's Fabrics); Striped -- Striped Cotton Jersey Knit- Green/Yellow/Blue (G Street Fabrics)
Skirt: Striped -- Striped Cotton Jersey Knit- Yellow/Purple/Green (G Street Fabrics); Blue -- Sew Classic Knits, Royal Rib Knit (Joann's Fabrics)



Note

The tee is fitted and long and fits The Peanut without alteration (a rarity these days). I added an inch to the length of the skirt (but not the shorts) but otherwise used the same pattern pieces from last spring.



Love
Did I mention these are my two TNT patterns? I love the shorts built in to the skirts, the speed with which these patterns sew up, and the ease of wear (and washing), too.
Living Summer in simple knit tees and skirts with built-in shorts. | The Inspire Wren
It's all fun and games until the background falls on your head. Then it's just silly.


Flowers by Jessica Cardenas and Eugen Belyakoff for the Noun Project.
Ren Murphy writes for The Inspired Wren.

___________________________________________________
   
You should really see all that goes into each project!
From my marathon sewing sessions, to all that I do when I #shouldhavebeensewing catch daily updates on Instagram (and Flickr) of works-in-progress. Get that behind the scenes view you’re looking for, and sneak peeks of upcoming tutorials, too.
___________________________________________________

The Inspired Wren is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.