The Bob Pants are Back

Hello, I’m back with a new pair of black pants. But isn’t there something more interesting to make than a pair of black pants? Probably, but these are Style Arc’s “Bob Pants”, which are pretty cool (well, IMO). Yes, I have a good selection of black pants, but these are a welcome addition with such a different vibe.

Wearing them to the theater to see “The Roses.” They go great with a cropped cardi, black silk tank top, tri -colored Kate Spade crossover, and black ballet flats

I will talk a little about the techniques I used. However, I’m mainly showcasing a few ways that I’ve been wearing these pants. My gut feeling is that they are going to be worn a lot this fall.

This is not my first go-round with The Bobs. I made a pair of Style Arc’s Bob Pants last summer, by up-cycling an old linen dress. You can read about it HERE. Ever since then, I knew that I would be making another pair in the future.

The illustration from Style Arc, gives a better idea of the architectural lines of the Bob pants.

I may be wrong about this, but I think The Bobs came out in 2018, which I think was quite before barrel legs went mainstream. Their shape is not extreme, which is why I think they are still relevant and a shape that I will always enjoy wearing.

The Fabric

Like many of you, I’m sure, I went to Joannes many times this summer to say goodbye. That was a hard one. I may not have bought a lot of apparel fabric there, but they filled in a lot of other sewing needs.

My Bob’s pattern and fabric came together on my last visit when I found some black 100% cotton poplin that was loomed in Korea.

I knew that the finish and weight of the fabric would make the perfect Bob pants; pants that would hold the shape nicely.

Wearing my black Bobs with Brigitta Helmerson’s zero-waste tie blouse. Both of these pieces went with me this month to Scotland. I made this top last year and talked about it HERE. I also like that you can see the front band here-notice there are almost no gathers!

Since I made these pants last summer, I knew what I had to do to make them fit. The only pattern adjustment I really made was shortening the center back. This is what I usually have to do to most pants, so the Bobs weren’t any different on that point.

The Waistline & Other Stuff

One of the draws for me with the Bobs is the waistline. These pants are so comfortable, and that is because they have an elastic waist and use 1 1/2 wide elastic. Even though it’s elastic, there aren’t a lot of gathers in the waist. This could be because my waist isn’t a whole lot smaller than my hips. The smaller the waist, the more gathers, I would think.

Truthfully, I’ve always been a bit prejudiced against elasticated waists, thinking they were just not as stylish as a set waistband. The Bob’s threw that theory out the door. I’m on a quest to find comfy pants that are stylish (with some ideas on how to deal with waistbands).

As usual, I went with French seams, including the pockets.

My last outfit with the Bob’s a little sporty. I added a Calloway golf shirt, a Zero Waste Daniel top, and my Onisuka Tigers.

I have quite a few black pants, but they have always been what I consider a background piece; something to help tie the more dramatic pieces together. But the Bob pants have their own vibe, and I put things together that go with them. I don’t know if I will make another pair since I now have two. Also, I’ve purchased Vogue 2051. When I make them, I want Japanese denim.

Extra Note

These aren’t the only black pants that I’ve made. Back in October 2016, I made a pair of Palazzo pants to wear to a fashion show. Those pants still lean heavily into my rotation for dressier occasions. They are a Vogue pattern and if interested, you can read about them HERE.

That wraps up today’s post. These are a fun pair of pants to wear, and if you want to make and wear something a bit different, I highly recommend The Bob.

There’s going to be a little break from sewing. My next two posts are all about knitting.

Until next time

Sew On!