Welcome to the Concord T-Shirt sewalong! Luckily for all of us, sewing t-shirts is quick and fun so you’ll learn how to stitch up your new t-shirt wardrobe in no time. The sewalong will take place over 5 days, from April 20 – 24, so it really is short and sweet. If you have questions during the process, don’t hesitate to ask.

Today, we’re going to chat about inspiration and fabric suggestions. The Concord T-Shirt is very customizable, which means there’s tons of opportunity to create a range of looks – and t-shirts most definitely don’t have to be boring. I pulled together inspiration from some of my favorite plus size fashion bloggers, who you should totally start internet stalking if you don’t already…

Blogger Inspiration

You can’t go wrong with some basics: Gabi and Callie style their solid V-necks for a totally chic causal look. I’m particularly in love with that gorgeous wine colour…

Wearing t-shirts with skirts in the summer is one of my favourite things – I often start with a really bold skirt, then whip up a t-shirt to go with it. Tanesha‘s gingham statement skirt looks awesome with a simple white top, and Hayley‘s signature bright pink skirt pairs well with a crop length t-shirt (totally do-able at any size, in my opinion!)

This look from Tanesha is super chic – extend your Concord T-Shirt into a tunic (a tutorial will be following soon!), and layer over a sheer shirtdress. I also love Nicolette‘s pairing of a simple black tee with graphic trousers.

Finally, I think Allison‘s styling of a classic Breton shirt is really cool – that oversized vest is everything! And Hayley‘s a fan of the unexpected – layering a skinny-strapped summer dress over a contrast tee is so fun.

Concord T-Shirt Fabrics

Now for fabric. The Concord T-Shirt should be made from knit fabrics with at least 20% stretch. Classic t-shirt fabrics would be cotton, rayon or viscose jersey but there are lots of other possibilities…  You can easily adapt the Concord to be more like a sweatshirt by using ponte, terry or sweater knits – just remember that if the stretch is less than 20%, you may want to go up a size or two for fit. If you want something really luxurious, you could even try a silk jersey.

Here are some great options from our stockists:

You can’t go wrong with stripes! From left to right: model Tencel jersey; rayon/poly ecru stripe (sweatshirt weight); coral bamboo mariner knit.

Neutral solids are a great basic for nearly any outfit: navy cotton knit; grey terry (sweatshirt weight) ; speckle jersey.

Or why not have fun? We’ve got foxes, Liberty floral and elk!

Finally, there are still some fabric Concord T-Shirt kits available from yours truly, sourced from high end designers. Right now there are four available: black, navy, black/white jersey stripe, and larger striped ponte (more are coming soon!). Check out the kits here.

Which fabrics are you going to use for your Concords? Do you prefer neutral or novelty? I ping back and forth between the two, myself… Come back soon for the official kick off of the sewalong!