ooobop! review: Burda Style August 2013

Burdastyle Magazine August 2013

Well hello August Burdastyle Mag with 16 Free Patterns. So very pleased to receive you!

This month veers completely away from the beach and heads into Autumn with a whole range of styles. Heaven knows how the Burda team keeps it up each month. It’s as much as I can do to come up with one style that I wan’t to actually make!

Neo Romantic a la Downton Abbey, makes a dramatic entrance with chiffon and ruffles. Very reminiscent too of my 80s New Romantic phase. I’d have killed for a neck ruffle like that back then… and actually maybe now! Don’t ask me about the Michael Jacksonesque lace blouse though. I actually don’t have words. But I did use to have a dress very similar to that white one, top right. Though mine didn’t look like I was wearing pants over the top!

neo romantic burda august 2013The lace dress in the centre is lined with silk. A fitted bodice and three quarter length sleeves make for a very special dress indeed. I don’t reckon I could carry off the Hong Kong Phooey look, alongside, though.

Bottom row left corner, coat is a very simple but stylish design and I might have considered it had I not have accidentally on purpose purchased a good looking coat pattern just recently 😉

I like the pinafore dress though. Very much. But it’s odd that the chiffon sleeves are joined on. I would defo leave them out and have the option to wear my own blouse under or not.

And that jacket, bottom right is really cute. I would defo have worn that in the 80s and I might be persuaded now. Leather puffy sleeves or not!

Described as having graphic inspiration from the 20s, I get an 80s vibe too from this next section: Form and Style. I don’t dislike anything from this section, I just don’t think it’s my thing. It’s a bit too ‘blocky’ and casual for me. I’m aware that it’s completely away from my colour palette (kidding myself I actually have one) and as much as I try and envisage the styles in a teal or a red or a black or an orange, it’s still not working for me. The skirt, top row centre, is quite interesting though.

Form and style section

And then enter the Style Icons!

Swinging London, rock ‘n’ roll meets bohemia. Now that’s very much more up my street.

I have had a blouse like the first one on my list for such a long time but the leopard print chiffon brings it up a line or two. I love the idea of leather drainpipes but might have to rein myself in a bit there! The jacket top centre is a very sleek chic sort and there’s a great step by step tute included for this one too.

Check out that cape! Kind of commands a big floppy brimmed hat to carry off the whole dramatic look and I might be inclined to add a pair of thigh high leather platform boots. (Woahhh…..there I go again!)

One of these days I will run up a maxi. I’m sure I won’t look back. I love the whole floaty nature of them but I just can’t seem to get going on one. Too busy eyeing up the leather pants and fitted jacket look! (bottom right)

style icons section

Am I just fickle or is the next ‘All in Red’ section the best? Am I blinded by one of my favourite colours or are all of these styles indeed strong, sophisticated and stylish, red or not?

all in red sectionOk, ‘all’ might be a bit of an exaggeration. The peplum is still hanging around. Just to annoy me. I got vaguely interested in creating something with a peplum at the beginning of the year. I toyed with it in my head and for whatever reason, now it just really annoys me. There is a ridiculous amount of volume in the front of this one too. I don’t need that kind of volume placement, I can tell you!

But I do like everything else. That gorgeous dress top left is made of washed silk. Red washed silk! So cool and soft and luxurious. I love that massive bow. But I dislike the pockets. I think they are too much for a fabric so delicate.

Red silk velvet for the dress 3rd one along top. I would make the front opening a tad more discreet but I do love an empire waistline. The collar stands higher at the front than at the back and again I love the three quarter length sleeves. Teamed with some 60 derniers and some Docs, I would be happy as some Larrys in that cheeky little number!

The coat is lovely but not as lovely as mine! 😉

The jacket bottom and bottom right is the one that has a supporting step by step tute. Such a versatile shape. Teamed with strides or a skirt. Dressed up or down. But properly bringing some class each time.

No little retro number for me to harp over this issue but there is a special Designer Style a la Wolfgang Joop. I had a ‘quick’ Google of the Wunderkind label and was pleasantly surprised. This dress pattern, though tamer than most of the dramatic styles I saw, is an attention seeker nonetheless. (Would be even moreso in red!) And oh how I love that style of fashion drawing. Going to teach myself how to draw like that one day.

Wunderkind dress

But it’s the Plus Fashion section that captures some fine vintage styling for me. I love all the styles apart from the crazy wide cut silk trousers. It would take someone special to carry them off. I’m getting closer in my quest to grade patterns, having just dipped my toe in with my latest dress. So I’m taking more notice of the bigger sizes with the hope that one day my grading skills will be enough to start with any size and make it fit me just so!

plus size burda august 2013

And so the Children section wraps up this issue. But not in such an uber dramatic way. The coat is lovely but Little Miss Ooobop didn’t look overly impressed. And both of us agree that the skirt looks more like a sewing fail than anything else! I’m sure the T-shirt pattern will come in handy at some point but hey. I’m not complaining. I could do without a small person adding more to my list!

burda kids august 2013Any faves? Any already made up? Do tell. x

25 Replies to “ooobop! review: Burda Style August 2013”

  1. This issue looks lovely! The latest issue was hideous and there is absolutely nothing I like but this one has me twitching! I love that red jacket, it’s simple but striking. I think I needs me a statement jacket…

  2. Oh, I love all of these! Definitely picking up this issue! Thank goodness we’ve got a spot of winter left 🙂

  3. With you re the 80s comment, I made and wore most of that white lacy stuff in the 80s, before moving on to the colour blocking. It’s a snapshot of my teen/early twenties wardrobe really. So therefore it is unlikely I’ll be wearing them this time around! I do enjoy your reviews, thank you for the efforts.

  4. Some interesting designs in this issue. I might have to collect it even though I have never sewed anything from my Burda magazines before! It was fun reading your review.

  5. i scouted it in smiths but didn’t buy. i felt like a lot of it was quite dated – 80s and 90s, and not in a good way! burda also go for collarless jackets which isn’t a look i like. but the plus section is gorgeous! the spotty dress and the side neck tie blouse are lovely. however i don’t love burda and instructions (or lack of!) enough to buy it and grade!

  6. I am with you all the way re the red section. The red blazer + trousers are calling my name rather loudly. And I might even try the green leather “cardigan” (that’s what they are calling it in the German edition.. Has anybody ever heard of a leather cardigan, I wonder??), but with some rather chunky knit that has been languishing at the very bottom of my stash.

  7. The reds and plus are certainly the best. I hate those damn peplums too. Not flattering on anyone, maybe on a very small dog, but not on any womn!

  8. There is far too much 80’s influence in this issue for me to be overly interested, although I look at the ones you like and see them on you, and you’re badass enough to carry them off with style and glamour to spare!! 🙂 I agree, though, that leather biker jacket with puffed sleeves is adorable… I’m pretty sure you are now required to make it, since they included it just for you 🙂

    So glad I’m not the only one who is prejudiced against peplums. I really hate them. I’ve tried to like them, but the thought of making or wearing one makes me feel ill. LOL.

  9. Hmm, I like quite a few of these patterns (especially some of the jackets and coats) but I’m not sure if I’d actually make any of them!

  10. I liked the blazers, and also a lot of the Marianne Faithful story. There wasn’t anything I wanted to make right away though. I bet I come back to it though.

    Oh and just so you know, I am now humming the Hong Kong Phooey theme tune…number one super guy…

  11. I have this issue too – I’m in love with the red jacket (with the full tutorial) and can see it in black or navy. Who knows if I’ll find time to actually trace the thing though…

  12. Thanks for your review and comments, you really have made me look at some of the items in this issue in a whole new light! I suffer badly from lack of imagination I’m afraid….

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