Sailor shirt
The sailor shirt is inspired by the deep blue sea, symbolizing adventure, endless possibilities and above all else, life. I wanted this garment to feel comfortable and free, closely mirroring the type of people that inspired it. When ideating for this garment, I found myself looking at old maritime stories and movies, during this time I fell in love with the styles and looks of this time. In my awe I decided that this would be my primary goal, the shirt resembles an older “pajama” style shirt that in tandem with its rigid construction and material bleeds an effortless yet respectable style.
Inspiration
My mood board for this project largely reflects my inspiration coming from the ocean but also from indigo. Indigo as a creative tool has a long and rich history and it was something driving me to create something that I though embodied the values that indigo brings to the pieces where it is used spirituality, mystery, tradition, and calm.
Fabric Story
With my inspiration in mind, especially coming from the influence of indigo not only as a material and as a resource but as an influential color in general, I found that denim was the clear choice
In specific, I opted for an 8oz deep indigo denim, something that wasn’t so thin such that it would feel poor quality, but not too thick as to be uncomfortable as a shirt.
Pictured on the left is the exact denim I used for this project.
With my inspiration and my fabric both ready, I began to work on the figures and flats to accompany my sewn garment, below are some of my very first sketches accompanied by my final colored renders
I went over multiple sketches for this project before choosing my final product, I experimented with fit and function until I came to my final design, a simple cropped shirt with a single pocket and a notched collar. Simple and relaxed, and yet demanding of respect and dripping with a calm and cool air.
Fabrication of the shirt
Easily the most difficult part of the process, cutting a sewing this shirt together took countless hours of trial and error. pictured below are some action shots of the creation of the shirt itself
Final product
