Christine Jonson Boyfriend Jacket

It’s September and Starbucks has started serving their Pumpkin Spice Lattes – fall is officially here! We decided to celebrate the start of the season by trying out the amazing Christine Jonson #311 Boyfriend Jacket Pattern. We fell in love with this pattern during our Christine Jonson Trunk Show which took place in June. Jonson and her crew were kind enough to send us two different samples of this garment (one in a knit and a woven), and I just knew that I needed one of my own!

This over-sized, Menswear inspired jacket hits at fingertip-length, with one button for closure. It has a cute shawl collar, a one-piece sleeve, dropped shoulder line, and princess seams which add some feminine flare! Bonnie made this unlined piece for me in an X-Small, using our Designer Fleeced Back Sweater Knit in Olive. This snuggle-y, 100% polyester fabric has a fabulous fleecy interior and a slight 4-way stretch! While the sweater-knit gives this garment less drape, it adds an exponential amount of coziness!

The Boyfriend Jacket, unlike many other Christine Jonson patterns, can be made in either woven or knit fabrics. Just make sure that whichever fabric you choose has an adequate heft to it. Voiles or light cottons may cling awkwardly, so we suggest fleece, ponte or scuba knits, heavier linen or linen blends, wool or substantial stretch knits depending on the vibe you’d like to create with your jacket.

Because I have a fairly petite frame, the dropped shoulders in this pattern were a little overpowering. I often joke that I don’t actually have any shoulders; they are just figments of my imagination! At an intimidating five feet tall, I find that I’m sometimes swallowed by my cold-weather clothing. When fitting me for the Boyfriend, Bonnie pointed out how important proportion and balance are to make this garment successful – and not just on short people! The over-sized shoulders and exaggerated length included in this pattern can overwhelm many figures giving them a sloppy or unkempt look.  As such, it’s super important to take the extra time to get a good fit – especially when using a fabric that is thick or without drape.

By taking it in at the back center and side seams (all the way from waist to collar), Bonnie accentuated my waist and kept me from looking like a seven-year old wearing her dad’s suit jacket! She also shortened the sleeves and the hem by quite a bit and placed the button according to my natural waist, for a clean finished look. Additionally, because the fabric was so thick, she she graded all of the collar and neck seams to reduce bulk and found that it was only necessary to interface the edges of the collar for stability’s sake.

I am so happy with the final results of this Boyfriend Jacket! The color of this fleece/ sweater knit is beautiful and so perfect for autumn. We discovered that, because of this fabric’s thickness, it needed slightly more adjusting than a lighter fabric may have required. This look would most likely need less alteration on someone with squarer shoulders and a longer torso. But, I am a big believer in wearing what you want, when you want, no matter who is telling you otherwise!