Dear Bisque trousers: I hate you but I kind of love you too.

 So the problem arises, when a pattern is taken on by paid/influencer/instagram career/etc types - that it's *really hard* to know what you are going to think because nobody is being honest. 

One great post on this pattern is here. She compares the Bisque to the Miller and covers a lot of potential fit issues.

However, it doesn't help me much.  I'm in the standard size range. My waist is 27, my hips are 37.  Sounds like I should just....go by the size chart, right?  However in the small print you note there is 7" ease at the hips, partially created by the front pleats.  Hm. ok. 

I went by the size chart and made a size 6 in this lovely drapey rayon blend. I've used it before, it's from The Fabric Shop, decent to work with, and quite cheap when you are in Auckland.  (No online sales, sadly.)  Now, one pattern in that batch of A0s was printed incorrectly.  It was just one sheet - an A3 that hadn't been corrected and was printed as A0 or something.  So since naturally I never learn and had NOT measured my size box, I figured I must have gotten this pattern at the wrong scaling too.  The shop was super kind and reprinted the messed up things so I had a second copy of Bisque to try again.  

Here's that first attempt:

So I went with size 6 again. (Yes, I measured the box.)

I used a really fantastic Japanese chambray, a great match for this pattern.  And I started to feel creeping concern as I got near the end and HMMMM I guess the first pattern was printed to size after all.  FML.  But also, what's with the advertising of a pattern worn on a designer in a very fitted way:  

photo taken from designer's website

 

and the assumption that you would get the same fit by using the size chart. 

Ok version 2: 

Deep breath.  So I size down to a 2 because it's just a bit narrower than my hips at the waist and I think I'll be able to houdini into it.  I have one last piece of fabric for this experiment, and I'm mildly cheered on realising I can cut the pattern down, just printing out a new pocket on A4.  Also, the shit instructions are getting more tolerable now that I'm on the third time around. No, scratch that.  They are no less annoying and in fact I got a bit lazy this time around, with slightly less perfect results in the pocket area from not getting my pleats quite flat and long enough.  On some thought I think all my fit adjustments might also have caused a slight curve change at the pocket. 

OH? Fit changes?  Right.  So I shortened the pants 1" at the lower line, 1cm through the entire rise (front and back), plus I took out a wedge from the front rise of about an inch.  This is easy, you cut the pattern from the crotch to the outseam seam allowance and overlap it, just smooth out the crotch line when cutting.

The fabric is a truly sumptuous Italian wool suiting.  It was more slithery than the chambray, which was a delight to sew with, and less precise cutting, pressing, etc probably resulted.  I think I was getting a bit bored with the pattern.  

 

Pattern instructions include: irritating changing seam allowance, confusing pocket instructions, and a heavy dependence on the contradictory statement: "Press seam open...to the centre front" (which means press the seam to the centre front).  

Overall, if the designer is going to sell the pattern as fitted (when she is the model, wearing the pattern you are buying) but describe it as loose, she needs to add in some explanation of which fit you'll get when you follow the instructions.  If you want that fitted look, as others have mentioned, you better not have a waist/hip ratio difference too big because you won't be able to get the pants on.  That means this pattern is being sold with a picture that not everyone can achieve and it's not obvious up front since the size range is relatively large. 

Making a size 2 is the smallest I could have made. I can indeed get my hips into these pants, just barely.  With fit adjustments, the pants fit me in a pleasing way, but they still don't create quite the same fit that the designer is selling.  If you want a pair of elastic waist pants with nice pleats and pockets, and you want them to be loose fitting - this pattern will make you happy.  But if you want something quite fitted, like the designer here is wearing in her own advertisement, then I think other patterns are probably better.  

I like these pants, but I'm not sure I'd make them again when I could make a pair of Pomona pants instead.  I especially notice it when I'm pulling them on and the elastic literally has no stretch because the waistband is basically the size of my waist without needing elastic.  Once on they are comfortable and the pockets are delightfully roomy, so I might do an about-face at some point.  I mean, the hard fitting work is done!