Evolution of the Brown Plaid Monogrammed Pumpkin Ruffle Top Skirt with Matching Suspenders

With the huge success I had from the Turkey Ribbon Dress in my first year open, I wanted to replicate the same idea of a seasonal inspired dress but in a different design. At the beginning of the new Fall season last year, I quickly came up with a picture in my head of exactly what I wanted, and it turned out pretty much how I imagined. 

My initial sketch

 

I knew I wanted plaid, I just had to have plaid for some reason. Before I even sketched a design, I had settled on a plaid cotton-weave fabric choice. If I remember correctly, I had been watching a lot of Anne of Green Gables (as I do every year during this season), so I'm sure that influenced me greatly!

 



Brown Plaid Monogrammed Pumpkin Ruffle Top Skirt with Matching Suspenders

 

I kept the same idea of a personalized monogram, but I didn't want it just anywhere. I felt the plaid was too busy to have a monogram randomly placed somewhere. I had already found the plaid fabric I wanted to use, and it has the most beautiful colors in it. I think it is the perfect Fall fabric without having falling leaves or pumpkins all over it like some typical Fall-themed fabrics. Plus, it has such a lovely vintage-inspired feel to it, I really must have been watching a lot of Anne, because I can imagine her wearing this skirt!

 

 

I wanted to highlight a dark pumpkin-color that was in the plaid, and my brain just followed with the idea of making a pumpkin applique. It takes the theme up a notch, and it was a sweet background for an initial. It occurred to me to keep the ribbon aspect going from last year's dress, so I attached a simple brown ribbon loop at the top of the pumpkin as a whimsical stem.

 

 

As much as I loved the plaid fabric, I felt it needed a complimentary pattern to break up the lines. Polka dots will probably always be the answer to, "Which patterned fabric should I use now?" I love the sweet cream and brown colors that soften the skirt up a bit. I had been experimenting with tiered levels, and I love the way it looks so I kept the design idea for the skirt. I think the tiered polka dots underskirt really brings the design to another level.

 

I kept the suspenders like in the original drawing, but I used the same plaid fabric instead of my initial idea of the pumpkin-colored fabric. I didn't like the way it broke up the skirt visually. I crossed the suspenders at the back for a bit of nostalgic whimsy, and the ruffle top will always be my favorite detail with an elastic waistline.

 

The very first person to purchase the skirt was Angie Goff over at Oh My Goff, and she sent me such adorable pictures of her daughter modeling her new outfit! I think she looks so sweet and adorable in it, and I love that she chose the skirt for a special outing to the visit the train! You can see more of her precious pictures on her blog.