A Tale of Two Shoes


Here we have both styles of brown shoes that I own. I also wear both styles (at different times) to work. Sometimes I'll wear the heels and then change into the flats if I happen to be digging around in the scenery/props storage closet or climbing on scaffolding or jumping rope in the gym or whatever strange thing you might find me doing at school. This only becomes a problem when I'd like to wear the same pants with either pair of shoes.

Which is precisely what I intended with this new pair of pants. I found an old muslin in the closet from last fall. I fitted them and cut out a pair with the new pattern last week. I made the same protruding front thigh alteration as I did with the Marfy's, but no other alterations, which I was pleasantly surprised about. The pattern is Vogue 2925, and I've made every other piece in this wardrobe (something I've never done!), so why not the pants too? The pants are very simple - two pieces, front and back. There are front and back darts, grosgrain finished waist, and a back zip. That's it.



At any rate, from the front:

From the side/back:

Anyway, back to the variable hem issue. To solve this problem, I made an adjustable hem. I made a narrow 1/2" hem to the length that I'd wear the pants with the platform heels. I then made an in seam buttonhole (in it's simplest form, just a hole in the seam with either end of seaming tied off) right above the hem line, large enough for my button (these are 5/8" buttons). I then tried on the pants with the flat shoes and pinned up the hem. That determined where to sew the buttons. The buttons are sewn to the seam allowance only so they don't show from the right side.

Hem let down to full length:

Hem turned up to shorter length, you can see the button coming through the buttonhole:


Shorter hem:

You might be able to do this with snaps, too, if you could attach them so they don't show and the snaps are secure and won't unsnap.

Now, for the disclaimers. This might not work if your pant leg is extremely wide; the larger distance between the side seams means there's nothing to support the hem in the middle when the pants are the shorter length. If I were wearing these like this all day, I'd just give the hem a quick iron, otherwise I might need a hook and invisible (from the right side) thread loop at center front and back. This also might not work if your fabric is really heavy or drapey - too heavy and the hem won't stay at the centers without help, too drapey and the hem won't stay either or you'll get a shirred curtain like effect. Which isn't bad unless you like your legs to look like Austrian blinds.


Tomorrow I'll introduce you to a new friend I made last week, and it is SWAP sewing day!