I have resisted the Shacket with all my might for the last couple of years. Although I liked the look of it, I always baulk at anything that “everyone’s wearing”. It was the super trend a couple of years ago and my problem is that I like to be in fashion but I don’t like to follow fashion. Also, I’m so slow to decide whether I like a thing, I’m always late to any style/trend party and usually by the time I buy into it, it’s over.

I like the shacket, I like it in wool, I liked it in denim, I liked it when it crossed over with the puffer jacket trend and I liked it in all the incarnations it has popped up in. However, they are everywhere! When I was in Portugal earlier this year it seemed every other person was wearing a wool shacket either in pale beige or buffalo check or they were wearing a puffer shacket in black or beige. I hate the idea of looking like everyone else. At the same time, I like it when what I like coincides with what is in fashion.

It would appear that the Shacket is here to stay, so if I were to make one I won’t be out of date when I’m still wearing it years from now.

This part of my trio is a shacket and this inspiration pic lead me to dye some of the linen from Fabrics-store.com which I bought a year or so ago.

My pattern is a TNT = tried and true, that I have made 3 times in the past, so it was a nice trip down memory lane to remake it. I needed to upsize of course but I’m used to that now with reused patterns from the 90s.

I didn’t do any fancy finishes with this shirt, I overlocked all the edges and then sewed it up in the standard way. Rather than a yoke at the shoulder, the shirt has a two piece back with the join at about waist length which gives an interesting view. Patch pockets give some focal points to the front but it is quite understated. It has a two piece stand collar and the cuffs have a simple fold-over slash opening. I now think I would try a tower placket on a future version.

This pattern is very straightforward. An easy sew even for a beginner, I think. It also suits the linen very well. Having made this previously in light-weight fabrics, I had been wondering whether the linen would be too bulky – but it’s perfect for this purpose – it is a Shirt-Jacket after all. 

Oh my goodness! Why did I do this to myself? I love how it’s come out and remember that I felt the same when I made the originals. This shirt is the perfect amount boxiness for an over jacket, but can bexworn as shirt as well.

If I had remembered this pattern sooner, I could have saved myself the agony of the “make it- don’t make it” dilemma that I subjected myself to. Even without the other pieces, I am very, very happy with this shirt/jacket – Shacket.

Do you follow fashion? How do you think I did?

Thanks for dropping by,