Pattern Union has recently released another really unique add on to the Phoebie collection and it’s the Phoebe Flares, which I am completely besotted with, and which I’m seeing popping up all over the place, so I’m thinking that others are in love with them too.

I haven’t seen any other pattern that looks like this one and in a world where patterns all seem to be morphing into each other I love something that is distinctive and unique.

They can be made as flared pants on their own, or added on to any of the Phoebe Tops to create a jumpsuit. The pants feature gathered side inserts placed just below the wide point of the hips which gives a pleasing illusion,  and they include front pockets. There is a waistband supplied with the Phoebe Flares or use the waistband from the Phoebe Freebie (the awesome free pattern in the Pattern Union stable).

I loved this pattern from the moment I saw it, and just needed to find the right sort of fabric. This is deadstock from a Morrison sale and it’s soft and drapey and perfect for summer (and yes, it’s winter here!)

I feel as though the Pheobe Flares have a kind of 1930s glam, and I’ve played about with tops to show the versatility – they work as well in the day as in the evening. Here they are with my, yet to be blogged, Pattern Union Molly tee and a Pattern Union Sobi belt. Are you seeing a theme?

I did try them with my refashioned wool scarf as well.

The Sobi belt ties the whole thing together. I love the effect of these trousers when I walk.

I’m standing here hoping for a heat wave so I can start wearing them on a regular basis.

When I’m standing still I almost look as though I’m wearing a skirt.

I played with a different top and the Pattern Union Beverley Wrap made from Chanel tweed fabric which had been sent to me by a lovely follower. 

The cape seems to add to the ’30s vibe

The back view. These are  the high waisted version of the pattern. I might make the low waisted version to see what effect that has. These are quite long in the crotch, but they are so comfortable and they don’t look like they have a dropped crotch so I think I’ve got away with it.

These are a relatively simple make. They have an elastic waistband and Sarah provides instructions for sewing the elastic to get a really professional finish. The pants could be hacked into any length and I’ve seen both shorts and cropped versions on Instagram.

When I initially showed Mark the pattern he said he thought I wouldn’t suit them at all, and now he’s a complete convert; I’m always so happy when he has to eat his words!

One of the things I love about the Pattern Union patterns is the fact that Sarah has a long term goal of making her patterns more environmentally and goes the extra mile to  layer her patterns which means that I only need to print my size (or sizes if I’m grading) saving lots of ink. She also lists which pages to print for the various options, which is so handy. She’s also considering nesting the pattern pieces (like Burda and the Japanese sewing books) to save paper, but I’m not sure I really like this idea. They are also really easy to tape together, so I don’t mind using the print at home option for instant gratification. I also like the optional envelope design which, when printed off and glued to an A4 envelope makes storage easy and I can instantly see the pattern and how much fabric I need. There is a link to an instructional video embedded in the instructions  to assist sewing the pants, which was most useful. The pattern comes in a large range of sizes from 6 – 20, but they would probably fit a couple of sizes either side of this range as they are fairly roomy.

The pattern is currently on sale at the reduced price of $6 (Australian), which makes them ridiculously cheap, so if you’re at all tempted, now is the time to buy it.