5.07.2014

ooohh nettie...

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You guys had to know this was coming.  There was no way I was going to let a pattern designed by one of my all time favorite people, and inspired by one of my all time favorite people pass my little ol' blog by!! Yes, this is the Nettie bodysuit from Closet Case Files.

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I'm sure a lot of you can relate to my rather sordid history with bodysuits. I believe I had some fun flowery numbers that I wore as a preteen in the grungy 90's (accompanied by an awesome choker, no doubt). But then full on puberty happened and I grew some boobs, and things just kind of changed all over and there was no way I was going to be caught dead in skin-tight anything!

Fast forward a few years, and some body-confidence-building later and I was ready to try bodysuits again. I had a job as a bartender at a questionable corner bar in Philly and relied heavily on my male customers for tips (hey, it ain't glamorous, but it's the truth!) So I bought one of those American Apparel bodysuits and wore it with mini skirts. To this day I regret that look! That bodysuit somehow managed to hug me in all the wrong places!

So after that I just sort of assumed that bodysuits were better left to the preteen set, and the svelte ballerinas among us. No harm, no foul.

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That is, until I met Nettie. When Heather told me she was making a bodysuit pattern I admit I was skeptical as to whether it would be for me or not, because, as I said, I'd been burned before! But because I have implicit trust in Heather, I went for it.

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To say I was pleasantly surprised is a total understatement! You guys, I was stunned!! Like, pick-my-jaw-up-off-the-floor-stunned! Not only does this bodysuit hug in all the right places, but I swear it actually makes me look curvier through some sort of Heather Lou voodoo! 

Plus, it was a super fast sew with lots of different sleeve length/neckline options which makes the possible variations of this pattern virtually endless! I went with the scoop front and medium back so I could wear my regular bras with it, but still get a little sexy back action, and the short sleeves because summer is coming.

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I made the size 8, in boring, basic, black cotton lycra (I bought this stuff from Girl Charlee - it only took one yard!!) because I'm always looking to add basics to my wardrobe (and because I still wish I was a svelte ballerina). This fabric has great stretch and recovery, and was softer and drape-ier than I expected. I love the fit I got with it - tight, but not too-tight. I actually love the fit so much, I'm planning a couple of pattern hacks to turn it into some easy, feminine dresses for summer.

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Heather is such a clever minx and designed this pattern using self-fabric bindings for the neckline and leg holes. This gives a nice, clean finish, and the bodysuit hugs your bum without giving you that dreaded "quad-cheek" look. My bodysuit actually fits a bit differently through the hips and butt than what is pictured on Heather. I get a bit more butt cheek showing (I think this might be because my bodysuit is a smidgen more roomy in that area than intended). I'd post a picture, but it would be NSFW (wink).

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She also includes instructions for adding an optional snap crotch, which is freaking brilliant!! Not only do I not have to get nekkid every time I need to pee (which is a lot, by the by) but I also giggle at the thought that I'm basically wearing a giant baby onesie! Joy!!

However, I feel like I need to just come right out and say that my snap crotch turned out... fugly. Let's call a spade a spade here, folks. Blame it on the fact that I was sewing late, and fiddly pieces of silky fabric was just beyond my motor skills by that point, but whatever. Let's just say I'm glad that part is hidden where, literally, no one by myself will ever see it (and now the entire internet. crap.)

But heeyyy,  check out those nice, even bindings, whydontcha? I will be the first to admit that sewing with knits are not my strong suit, but Heather's awesome instructions for attaching the bindings resulted in what is quite possibly the best looking bindings I've ever stitched! So, hooray! 

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So far I've just worn my bodysuit as you see here, with my jeans, and I'll throw on a cardigan when I'm indoors. However I'm excited to try it with different skirts in my wardrobe. I think it will probably be most flattering with skirts that hit at my natural waistline.

Well, what do you guys think? Are you bodysuit lovers? If you're unsure about the look I definitely suggest you give the Nettie a try - she made a convert out of me!

xx

38 comments:

  1. Ha! Svelte ballerina indeed! You look fabulous in this!

    I haven't worn a bodysuit since I quit showing horses at age 13. I'm just not sure I could do it, but all of these that I've seen have been extremely flattering (and I love the back scoop!) that it's tempting even with all those terrible memories....

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  2. You look absolutely gorgeous in that bodysuit!

    I think I’ve managed to suppress any awkward bodysuit memories I might’ve had, at least I can’t currently recall any. My boyfriend, however, is highly sceptical. I don’t care, I really want the Nettie pattern! I think it would be awesome for autumn/winter in particular, no more exposed waist when I’m already cold!

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  3. You are a babe!! Get thee to a Pantene commercial shoot in that first photo! Sheesh!!

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  4. I'm sitting on the couch reading this post, wearing an old black tank top with a maxi skirt. My tank is so old I have to keep an eye on the neckline--it tends to droop lower than appropriate when out in public. I so need a black bodysuit!!! You look fabulous.

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  5. Totally gorgeous! Well, you've sold me on the Nettie. I'll be honest and say I was going to bypass it, based entirely on my first and last experiences of the old bodysuit, aged 14 years. I'm still scarred.

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  6. I admire your willingness to take the bodysuit plunge!! They can be scary! But this looks fabulous!

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  7. You look hot! I love me a sexy pattern, which this definitely is. Also, literal LOLz at the grungy bodysuit plus choker of the 90s. Oh man, that takes me back to some of my *terrible* sartorial choices.

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  8. Already downloaded! The basic black looks good on you.

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  9. Gorgeous Sallie!!! It is ridiculously good looking on you :) I have a wedgewood blue rtw top that is EXACTLY the same cut as your bodysuit and the elastic has just given out in it... I think I need to sew a replacement for it after seeing this!

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  10. hello, gorgeous! looking fab in your nettie, girl!

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  11. Sallie It looks amazing! I can remember lusting after bodysuits in the 90's I don't think I have the body for it. But I'm loving all the amazing Nettie's and yours is so flattering!

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  12. What a great basic! There's not much it wouldn't work perfectly with.

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  13. I've been writing the same comment for just about every Nettie I've encountered so far... which is, how am I liking bodysuits so much? This looks great! I just can't wrap my head around it...

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  14. Stunning! I must muster up the courage to make on. :)

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  15. Hawt.

    I also used to wear bodysuits as a pre teen in the 90's. I didn't think I'd go there again but after seeing the hawtness of you, maybe I will...

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  16. This is so gorgeous on you! I love love love the way you've paired it with jeans- it looks super hot! I've made two so far and planned to wear them with full skirts to sort of tone down the HOLYSHITIMWEARINGASUPERFORMFITTINGSUIT look, but I'm *almost* ready to try them with jeans now that I see your look.

    Oh, and I had to scrap my silk crotch lining- I just couldn't get things pressed down evenly, so I just used similarly-sized ribbon.

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  17. Thanks Sonja! I'm actually wearing mine again today with a full skirt and I feel so pretty! Might be my favorite way to sport the bodysuit - though wearing it with jeans does make me feel a little 90's Baywatch-y/90210...

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  18. i pretty much made the exact same gertie. black is always best in my book. Just need to get around to blogging it.

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  19. oops I meant nettie. weird brain of mine.

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  20. carrieinstitchesMay 8, 2014 at 5:46 PM

    You look beautiful! As always so stylish and I love your photos. I am planning to make one too to wear with full skirts. I was/am nervous because I have 2 kiddos and a less than perfect midsection but you praise of the figure flattery powers of the nettie have me feeling even more excited to make it, yeah!

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  21. Ooooooh Nettie indeed! You are totally rocking this bodysuit like it was 1992. I'm so close to getting this pattern, the more I see it. Though it was never something I would have considered wearing if it hadn't popped up in the blogiverse. High waisted skirts it would look amazing with.

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  22. Yeah baby! I woke up this morning thinking "I DIDN'T COMMENT ON SALLIE'S NETTIE!" This is how my brain works. G wants to snuggle and I'm like, I FORGOT TO COMMENT. You look so lovely. Still giggling at the idea of honking red necks.... I think my bodysuit covered more cheek because it was SUPER stretchy. In reality when walking around there is more cheek on display, but drafting wise you can't really avoid that unless you turn them into boy shorts....

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  23. Oh my god I've done the same thing!! I'll wake up all in a panic, like, "I know I saw that AHMAZING post from Heather, but DID I COMMENT?!?! I MUST GO COMMENT NOOOWWW!!"

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  24. Just stunning and awesome and rocking all the way. I have bad bodysuit memories as well (I had ones that were lowback and couldn't be worn with a bra which made me too self-conscious) but this pattern is on my table right now too!

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  25. Oh damn, hot damn.. What else? I think you are about to break my internet. SMOKING!!!

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  26. This looks great on you! Love this pattern.

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  27. A Stitching OdysseyMay 11, 2014 at 3:59 PM

    You look so hot in this Sallie, the low scoop back is really sexy! Plus, your mermaid-like hair is sooo pretty!

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  28. Did you just say MERMAID-LIKE HAIR?!?! Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh! I've been waiting for that compliment my ENTIRE LIFE!!! You just made my decade!!

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  29. Wow! You look amazing! Great body-suit!

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  30. What they all said! Truth be told, I wore mine four days in a row. I really need to get on the ball with some basics because obviously I want to live in them. Those jeans still look amazing, too!

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  31. Well it's no surprise you look stunning in this, Sallie... I'm pretty sure the ballerinas all wish they looked like YOU ;) Also, I'm pretty sure if anyone is noticing your fugly snaps, they have no business being that close to where the snaps are so who cares? LOL


    Not sure I'm brave enough to enter back into bodysuit territory (I have some bad memories of my own, obv LOL) but if anyone can convince me, it's you... girl, you could sell snowballs to an Eskimo, as long as you modelled whatever you made out of them ;)

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  32. Love your short sleeved version. I made the scoop neck, med back too. Fabulous pattern. Fits like a dream and it makes this 56 yo feel pretty dang rocking.

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  33. Looking good lady!!! You can still rock the bodysuit :)

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  34. You can never have too many basics and this Nettie looks fantastic on you! Thanks for the link back to us!

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  35. I love this and the snaps are totally brill. You look like such a sexpot in these photos! You get more beautiful every day sis!

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