Autumn: White Pants Reveal, ya know, 'cause I'm a Jean-ius that way.

So, just in time for my favorite season, here is my completely unseasonable pants reveal!

White pants!

I think we can all take a moment to praise the sewing goddess for the existence of the aptly named Kenneth King.

I stole this pose from Tanit-Isis.

I'm pretty thrilled with these pants, even if they are out of season by a few weeks. I keep hoping for Indian Summer so I can wear them, but alas, it doesn't look like it's in the cards. Here are the finer points.
 
If you have RTW pants that you really like, KK's Jean-ius Pants Class on Craftsy is well worth taking. While my pants aren't 100% perfect (I'll get to the flaws in a minute), they do fit really well. I made a few fit improvements over the RTW version in the muslin and basting phases of this project, so these pants are even better than the pants they are modeled after.

Front view

As for the flaws, there is still a little bit of wonkiness around the darts on the back side. And the crotch isn't perfect. There were a few shots (not posted) where there was some distinct rippling thereabouts. I think that pinching a little out of the crotch on the next version will fix things.

Back view

One of my pet peeves is any kind of show-thru on white pants. It kills me when you can see pocket bags or panty lines. So, I used a pretty heavy cotton which has a visible woven pattern, and I lined it in bemberg. The fabric has some stretch, but is not flowey/drapey. Fabric Mart would probably say the fabric has a "wide cone" drape that will "stand away from the body". (Close-up of the fabric here.) This may have contributed to the dart issues. That said, since white pants can go wrong in any number of ways - most easily when they cling where they shouldn't - I think my fabric choice was pretty right-on.  (Update: I've just identified when and where I bought this fabric: it is Calvin Klein white cotton in a waffle weave that I bought from FabricMart in Sept 2010.)

Face it: my pants rock

Another improvement that I would make to a future version is that, although I tested the waistband/waist fit, in the end there is still some gaping in the back and the pants started scooching down a bit as the waist stretched. Honestly, I'm too curvy around the mid-section for a straight waistband band. So, a contoured waistband will be an enhancement for next time. Also, I omitted any pockets on these pants, simply because I hate the show thru and because I wanted a very simplified first version.

Final thoughts?  Yes, I have a few.

Yaaay pants!

First, I need to get Phin to take me somewhere warm so I can scuba dive and wear white pants in Autumn. (Phin, are you listening?) Second, I need a photo shoot location with better light. But those are besides the point. I really am tickled with these pants - my first white pants ever! Obviously, there are a few things I'll improve on for next time, but I would not put these in the wearable muslin category by any stretch of the imagination - they are way better than that. Let's call them a pilot version.


My final thought is that KK's Jean-ius pants class is fantastic.  Not only did I learn a method for knocking off RTW clothing, but it really is chocked full of great tips and tidbits. I had several "aha" moments, plus there are some great construction methods and fitting techniques for pants - like the fly front instructions. This will now be my go-to method. So, two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Next up, since it's Autumn, finishing my leather jacket is the top sewing priority...