Sewing the Style Arc Palmer Woven Dress – Fabric Ideas for a Casual Shirt Dress
The first time I saw this colorful viscose-linen fabric, I knew immediately: It had to become a summery shirt dress! The vibrant colors really shine with a casual, rather simple cut.
The Palmer Woven Dress by Style Arc had been on my sewing list for a while. With its relaxed silhouette, the pattern seemed perfect for this fabric – and I am really very happy with the finished dress.
The Palmer Woven Dress by Style Arc
The Palmer Woven Dress is a casual shirt dress with many beautiful details. The pattern is wonderfully constructed and was a real pleasure to sew.
Shirts and shirt dresses are among my favorite sewing projects anyway – and this pattern did not disappoint.
I particularly like the unusual hem solution. The front hem is rounded, while the back is cut straight. A small but very effective detail that gives the otherwise uncomplicated shirt dress a special look.
However, I would make one change to the next Palmer Woven Dress: I would omit the pockets. In my dress, they tended to slide towards the side seam and were therefore easily visible through the side slits. I finally secured them with a few small hand stitches – and the problem was quickly solved.
A versatile shirt dress for everyday wear
What I particularly like about the Palmer Woven Dress is its versatility. The loose silhouette makes it casual and uncomplicated, making it a dress that is wonderful to wear every day.
Depending on the fabric choice, the pattern can also have a very different effect: as an airy summer dress made of viscose-linen, as a somewhat more structured shirt dress made of cotton-linen, or in a flowing viscose as a longer version.
This makes the Palmer Woven Dress not only a beautiful summer pattern for me, but also a great sewing project for the transitional season.
Which fabric is suitable for the Palmer Woven Dress?
Unfortunately, the blue version of the viscose-linen fabric that I used for my dress is now sold out. However, there are some other fabrics in our shop that I could very well imagine for the Palmer Woven Dress by Style Arc.
The shirt dress would be particularly beautiful in the fuchsia version of our viscose-linen fabric.
The strong color would give the simple cut a completely different character. At the same time, I also find fuchsia beautiful for the transitional season: In late summer, the dress can still be worn with sandals and on cooler days, it can simply be combined with a jacket or cardigan.
Viscose-linen in Sand with golden dots
If you prefer something a little more subtle, you could sew the Palmer Woven Dress from our sand-colored viscose-linen with golden dots.
The neutral base color can be wonderfully combined, while the small golden dots give the fabric something special. I can imagine a very beautiful, timeless shirt dress that can be worn on many occasions.
Cotton-linen with herringbone pattern
Another interesting fabric choice would be our cotton-linen mix with a herringbone pattern.
The herringbone pattern would fit wonderfully with the clear shape of the Palmer Woven Dress and give the dress a slightly more structured look. Especially for the transition from late summer to autumn, I find this combination particularly beautiful.
The dress can still be worn summery with sneakers or sandals, and later with closed shoes and a cardigan.
The long version made of viscose-crêpe
The Palmer Woven Dress can also be sewn in a longer version – and our deadstock viscose-crêpe would be wonderfully suitable for this.
The fabric has a beautiful drape and a lot of movement, so the longer silhouette would really stand out.
I can also imagine this version very well as a dress for the transitional period: light and flowing enough for warmer days, but equally beautiful for early autumn due to the longer length.
My conclusion on the Palmer Woven Dress
The Palmer Woven Dress by Style Arc is definitely a pattern that I would sew again.
The shirt dress is casual, easy to wear, and offers many possibilities to create your own unique look through the different lengths and fabric choices.
I particularly like that, depending on the fabric, the pattern can be interpreted both as an airy summer dress and as a dress for the transitional period.
Next time, I would only omit the pockets – otherwise, another Palmer Woven Dress is very welcome to move into my wardrobe.