The uniform of the American suburban housewife in 2012 can be accurately described using one completely nonsensical word: Lululemon. Even though I don’t wear workout wear, well, ever, I can’t help but be intimately familiar with their entire line. Why, you ask? Because every single person I ever talk to is wearing it. It could be worse, but it’s a bit like h”invasion of the body snatchers”.
Anyway, Lululemon makes this really cute top that’s longer in the front, shorter in the back, and the back is pleated into a lower band. My eveningwear project is bogging me down a bit, so I figured I would use this top as a starting point for a quick project.
The pattern is based on a Burdastyle pattern from 03. I slashed and spread the back, shortened it, and added the band. Then sewed it up and now I’m wearing it. I paired it with this skirt.
The garment that I based this on has a very loose fit. If I decide that I really like this one, I may make another with more ease built in, in a beefier fabric.
Black is really hard to photograph, so apologies for the photos.
Front View
The fabric has a set of stripes woven in at wide intervals. This stripe set near the top is the only one in the top.
Back view
Rolling in Cloth 
8 Comments
I do wear workout wear to yoga class and this top is a great idea for class. I like that you made it a bit longer in the back than the original. I am always looking for knits that are a little different and yours is great. It’s a great top.
Great top. I do like Lululemon, but can’t afford it. I prefer to wear workout wear to, well, workout in. Not for all day, every day wear. I do think this is one category of clothing that you can save tons of money sewing, but I haven’t yet.
First, I think your top is great!
Um, but, I have a snarky confession to make: me and my non-housewife friends tend to refer to those who do wear that look as lululemmings…
LOL I love that, but can never use it because it would insult my peer group and render me an outcast.
Hah – suburban housefrau in NZ is kinda the same though its more jeans on the bottom and sweater on top (it being early spring here). This top is cool though and I really like the back gather detail ….
That looks fantastic!
Activewear as actual clothes is one of my pet peeves. *sigh* When i go running on the National Mall it is impossible to tell the difference between tourists and fellow runners because we are all wearing the exact same thing. I think they do it to camouflage themselves so you don’t know who you’re going to have to dodge.
The stripes in that fabric are cool, and I like the shape of that top.
Wow, you must be annoyed a lot of the time.