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Introducing Selene: Modern Fit, Classic Style
Selene’s Story
-Haley
On my first morning in Paris last autumn I stepped onto the intricately tiled sidewalk in front of my hotel, my stomach begging for food after an early morning flight.
I started to make my way through the chilly and charming cafe lined streets of the 2nd arrondissement in search of food — specifically I needed a burger. As I walked I allowed myself to become captivated with the city that surrounded me, and I began to notice that the rumors seemed to be true — every woman who passed me seemed so effortlessly dressed in flattering skirts, silk blouses, and well-tailored coats, all paired perfectly with well-appointed accessories.
I was instantly smitten with the city’s seemingly inherent fashion sense, and felt a bit out of place in an outfit that would normally be considered stylish in Portland.
As I spent time wandering and observing the street style of Paris, I became determined to infuse more French fashion into my own wardrobe while maintaining my own distinct fashion identity.
I wanted more fine fabrics, fitted jackets, and form fitting pencil skirts. After all, I reasoned, putting on a nice dress in the morning is just as easy as putting on my usual uniform of skinny jeans and a button down.
And that’s where the idea of Selene was born – an effort to fuse my love for Parisian and American street style.
The plain front of version 1 and the tailored welt pockets of version 2 are perfectly suited to be spotted on any cobblestoned, cafe lined alleyway of a major European metropolis.
Version 3 invites a bit more of an American sophistication with the notched menswear inspired angled pockets. All three versions are designed to become wardrobe staples that you can wear year round in any city, so you’ll never feel out of place.
Learn These Skills
Version 1: The Simple Classic
Show off your love for vintage-influenced style in a modern pencil skirt that boasts classic details.
Selene combines a contemporary silhouette with timeless details such as a lapped zipper. Take advantage of the simplicity of version 1 by using a gorgeous floral or bold stripes.
Version 2: The Tailored Classic
Welt pockets are a classic, tailored detail that look stunning on jackets and skirts alike.
Flex your sewing chops by sewing version 2. With its single welt pockets, this version sews up beautifully in wool. Or sew up a version in linen for an effortless look ideal for sunny days.
Version 3: The Modern Classic
Who doesn’t love pockets? Version 3 features diagonal seamed pockets with a menswear inspired notch.
This version is ideal for color blocking. Go bold by using a high contrast fabric for the side panels and pockets, or try using a contrast pocket lining for a more subtle color pop.
Selene looks great in…
Selene is a truly versatile skirt. It looks just as stunning in a dark wash denim as it does in a lush tropical wool.
Get 15% Off + Win!
Can’t wait to start stitching this versatile skirt? Lucky for you, Selene is 15% off through April 19th! No promo code needed, just add Selene to your cart and the discount will be applied at checkout.
In celebration of Selene, we are also giving away three hand-picked Selene kits. These gorgeous kits include all the fabric and notions needed to make Selene (pattern not included).
Kit One Includes: 1 3/4 yards of 60″ wide wool gabardine in lipstick red, 2 yards of 45″ wide tone-on-tone pin dot lining, 1 yard lightweight fusible interfacing, 1 matching 9″ zipper, matching thread, and 1 trouser clasp.
Kit Two Includes: 2 yards of 60″ wide dark wash denim, 2 yards of 45″ wide acetate polkadot lining, 1 yard lightweight fusible interfacing, 1 matching 9″ zipper, matching thread, and 1 trouser clasp.
Kit Three Includes: 1 3/4 yards of 60″ wide cotton rayon yarn dyed suiting, 2 yards of 45″ wide pink rayon lining, 1 yard lightweight fusible interfacing, 1 matching 9″ zipper, matching thread, and 1 trouser clasp.
Leave a comment below sharing which kit is your favorite for a chance to win! Three lucky winners will receive their favorite kit pick. Winners will be announced here on the blog on Tuesday April 19th.
Find Selene Locally
Support your local shewing shop. Check out this list of retailers from all over this globe.
Comments
Michelle
April 12, 2016 #
The denim kit is stunning! What a beautiful pattern!
Liz Harges
April 12, 2016 #
I love the denim fabric. As much as I love the other two this one fits my life style. Can’t wait to make it.
Helena
April 12, 2016 #
Definitely kit 1 with welt pockets. Would look great with a silk popover at job interviews!
Haley
April 13, 2016 #
There is something about the effortless chic style of Selene that makes me want to sew up several silk blouses!
Tamara
April 12, 2016 #
I’m loving kit #3. It would make a great skirt for work!
Amanda Kling
April 12, 2016 #
I love kit number three! There is something about gray and pink together that make me think of spring. It is perfect for my office! I have a pink top that would match perfectly, even though no one would know if matched my lining but me. It would make me smile.
Jette Sølvhøj
April 12, 2016 #
I love, love kit nr. 2! I Would Walk a Selene skirt i Aarhus, Denmark ??
Lisa
April 12, 2016 #
Gorgeous – love kit 3
Nathalie
April 12, 2016 #
Nice pattern I would love to make version 3 with the first kit.
Serena
April 12, 2016 #
Drooling over the denim kit….not necessarily due to the denim, which is extremely versatile, but the flirty little polka dot lining. So sweet but soooo sexy peeking out from the denim. Yum!
Serena
April 12, 2016 #
Just hit me….use some of the lining for a piping down those front seams?!
Meg
April 13, 2016 #
That would be such a fun detail! Great idea.
Stephanie Semenok
April 12, 2016 #
I’d love to try any kit but the 3rd is my fav. Thanks!
Robin
April 12, 2016 #
My favorite is kit 1; the red is perfect for a pencil skirt.
Christy
April 12, 2016 #
I am so excited about Selene! Might have to run out after work today and pick it up.
I love all 3, but would choose Kit 3 as it would be harder to track down the great fabrics on my own.
Love!
Michelle
April 12, 2016 #
Guys! As someone who only ever makes the SAME SKIRT PATTERN can I just say how much I love you right now? It’s cining into autumn here and finally I’m excited about skirts and tights again. And pockets! Cant wait go see it!
Love all three kits, but probably kit 3 would be the most perfect for the current season. Thanks!
Sarai
April 13, 2016 #
We really tried to think about BOTH hemispheres on this one! I agree, it’s perfect for fall too.
Pamela Ritchie
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is the one for me. Love the new pattern.
Beth
April 12, 2016 #
I love kit 3!
Cara McLoughlin
April 12, 2016 #
I love the third kit. I have to say I am torn between the welt pocket on version two and the diagonal tailored pockets on version three.
Sarah
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is a perfect fit for me and my spring/summer wardrobe.. I could definitely use some sprucing up a la Paris style!
Nadia Padilla
April 12, 2016 #
Ooh, definitely the red wool!! I’d probably make version 1 with it.
Linda Hobgood
April 12, 2016 #
Love these kits!! And the great, classic new skirt pattern. I would wear all three skirts, so choosing is tough, but the red is calling our to me. So I say Kit 1!
Valentina
April 12, 2016 #
I try to win: My favourite is the first kit, I love that lipstick red.
Beautiful pattern too. Congratulations!
Tracy
April 12, 2016 #
I love the third Kit with the Cotton Rayon suiting and contrast lining! C’est Beau! But Kit #2 comes in a close second – I would also love a denim skirt with polka dot lining!
SanPini
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 3 is amazing!
Bianca
April 12, 2016 #
Denim and polka dots – yum!
Teresa
April 12, 2016 #
Choosing a kit is like choosing a favorite child! How can you do that? LOL
I think I will make a gray suiting with pink lining … first. Thanks for the ideas!
Leah Anderson
April 12, 2016 #
That gray suiting is lovely, and the pink lining makes me sad! So pretty.
Carla Lissa
April 12, 2016 #
I really like the red wool, but is not suitable for whereI live, so I will have to pick the denim kit. Thank you for such generous giveaway
MelodyJ
April 12, 2016 #
I like kit 2. Denim and polka dots.
Justyna
April 12, 2016 #
A blue one, definitely!
JessieB
April 12, 2016 #
I’ve been looking for a pencil skirt pattern that is just-so, and it appears Selene has hit the nailhead! I’m excited for this release, and will probably start with a Version 1. Kit 1 would be absolutely perfect!
Wallis
April 13, 2016 #
Can’t wait to see your finished skirt!
Catherine
April 12, 2016 #
Kit #2 is gorgeous! The polka dots! The tailoring! I can’t wait to try it.
Audrey
April 12, 2016 #
Absolutely love the denim kit – would love to use it to make version 3. I’ve recently lost lots of weight and this would be a perfect addition to my new slimline wardrobe. :)
Jessie
April 12, 2016 #
They’re all beautiful, but kit 3 is calling my name!
Lori
April 12, 2016 #
I love them all but can see myself wearing #3 I live in Ontario Canada which has a few cool seasons and I would get tons of wear out of the beautiful material. Thanks for the new pattern I’ve been patiently waiting!!!
I enjoy all of your patterns and they are easy to fit my shape . Many thanks
MARY F CHEW
April 12, 2016 #
My favorite kit is absolutely the RED!!!! Nothing like a little red to spice up your wardrobe. Penny
Theresa Holland
April 12, 2016 #
That denim kit 2 is lovely! And just right for a full-time mom…
Bianca
April 12, 2016 #
So love the skirt and would love to sew all three styles. It would look fantastic in navy, Kit number two is my favorite.
Valérie BASSEVILLE
April 12, 2016 #
I love your SELENE model. My preference is for the kit 2. Do you plan to make explanations in French ?
Chloe Read
April 12, 2016 #
The rayon suiting is lovely! Great pattern :)
Johanne Decary
April 12, 2016 #
I just love #3, it has a little vintage feel. What a great pattern!
Donna
April 12, 2016 #
I like all three kits, but I would get the most use out of #2. Lovely pattern!
Melissa
April 12, 2016 #
Third kit is my favorite. Beautiful skirts!
Naomi P. Johnson
April 12, 2016 #
I would love to make Selene Version 2 in Kit 2. I don’t have to dress up on a regular basis, but I like to look polished and stylish. I can’t wait to try my hand at the welt pocket. I wear lots of classic silhouettes in comfortable, washable fabrics. A dark-wash denim can go from the 1st grade classroom to dinner or the monthly staff happy hour with ease. A denim Selene can be worn throughout the year because it will pair well with sandals, ballet flats, and boots! I’m excited about the versatility!
Lauren T.
April 12, 2016 #
What to choose, what to choose — I love them all — but if I have to pick just one, I’ll go with the denim. My only previous experience with denim was in high school when I transformed an old pair of jeans into a jean purse. Hey, it was big in the early 00s!
Gia
April 12, 2016 #
Selene looks wonderful and that denim fabric Kit Two with the polka dot(!) lining looks soooooo good!!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Maddie
April 12, 2016 #
Love love love the grey! I’ll have to find the fabric and make a look-alike if I don’t win :)
jennie
April 12, 2016 #
Lovely pattern. I love kit two. Can I ask what size the model is wearing please.
Haley
April 12, 2016 #
We custom fit the pattern by grading from a 12 in the waist to a 14 in the hip, meaning I can fit into the photo sample. With my previous experience in RTW this is VERY exciting to me. I adore having the freedom to choose models that are representative of the women I know and admire.
Jennie
April 12, 2016 #
Thank you that’s really helpful. I bet so nice to have clothes fit you and not the other way around. I always struggle finding a waist small enough whilst allowing for my bust and derriere growing up I never ever could find clothes that fitted so I was always hid in baggy clothes, its so much better now I can sew clothes to fit me.
Pam Woo
April 12, 2016 #
I adore Kit#3. Such a great but neutral pattern and cute lining!!
I’d make version 3 with those cute pockets
MaryAnn Shoup
April 12, 2016 #
Definitely Kit Two, I would love a dressy, yet casual, skirt such as this. I am a schoolteacher and it would be great to wear to work.
Anna
April 12, 2016 #
I love them all!! So hard to pick just one but I’d get the most wear with kit 3. Grey & pink – my go-to colors.
Megan
April 12, 2016 #
Fabulous looking pattern! I love the contrast lining on the kits, too. The third is my favorite.
Amanda Shuler
April 12, 2016 #
Love the dark wash denim!
Karen Rarich
April 12, 2016 #
Love a skirt with pockets. I’d love to win the kit with the denim (#2).
Mary Ann
April 12, 2016 #
I love them all but kit 2 most of all
Emilee
April 12, 2016 #
How exciting! I need to create more office staples for work, and so many of these design features are on my list of sewing techniques to master this year!
Marlana
April 12, 2016 #
What I great skirt! I love the denim kit.
Deb Cameron
April 12, 2016 #
Oooh la la Kit 1 screams Parisienne style to me, I’d pick that one please! Gorgeous new pattern, so very versatile yet always chic. ?
Leslie
April 12, 2016 #
I love how different all three would be, but I can’t resist a bright red- #1 for me!
Krystal Reynolds
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 3 is perfect for this simple yet elegant pattern! It’s beautiful!
Jen S.
April 12, 2016 #
Kit #3 is my choice! I have very few local fabric choices, so it can be difficult to assemble fabrics for a garment like this. Kit #3 contains some of my most flattering colors, and it’d be the perfect set for this new pattern!
Heather Dawson
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is my favorite kit – it was what I wanted to make as soon as I saw Version three! Imagine how awesome the top stitched notched pocket would be!
Also – Thanks for making this pattern go to a size 26!
Julia
April 12, 2016 #
I love all the kits (and the pattern) but I think the red is my favorite.
Rebecca T
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 3! I like the version with the notched pocket the best.
K
April 12, 2016 #
All the kits look eminently wearable, but kit 1 is the most exciting, I’d go for that.
AmandaT
April 12, 2016 #
I love the lipstick red pack of Kit One! It’s my perfect colour.
This is such a great skirt – just what I’ve been looking for to replace a skirt I wore until it fell apart.
Megan
April 12, 2016 #
Love the new pattern! I like them all, but kit 3 is my favourite.
Brandi
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2. Loving the polka dot lining!
Amanda Brandenberg
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 looks awesome! I’ve been dying to replace my staple RTW pencil skirt, and this pattern will be perfect.
Megan Yamanaka
April 12, 2016 #
Since I consider red a neutral, kit number one all the way for me! It’d be great in view 3, I think.
Blair Barrows
April 12, 2016 #
I love the 3rd option!! I’m a teacher and always on the look for skirts that reach my knees and are still cute!
Lori Gee
April 12, 2016 #
Love the pattern, casual but yet dressy too. Really like choice #3! Really makes a difference when you see a picture of the item made, not just a sample of the fabric.
Catherine Carey
April 12, 2016 #
Kit number 3, so gorgeous and perfect for us down here in the Southern Hemisphere going into winter right now.
Leslies Stoyer
April 12, 2016 #
The New Selene skirt pattern ROCKS!!! I would choose them ALL!!!! However, I am partial to kit #1 because it is classic and understated.
Love it!
Laurise
April 12, 2016 #
I’ve just purchased a pair of aubergine ankle boots for winter and have now found the perfect skirt in Selene – (Kit No.3) would rock it!!! Thanks for the opportunity to win this gorgeous package
Jessie Johnson
April 12, 2016 #
The red wool gabardine is my pick, but I’d definitely do the notched pockets… love ’em!
Juliana
April 12, 2016 #
wow, such a classic, indeed! super modern indeed!
I love you Colette people.
My favourite is the denim style, as I am nowadays again going to university and I find it easy and practical. Plus, I could wear it with many of my cropped tops.
Can’t wait for the weekend to start stitching!
much gratitude and love
<3
Virginia
April 12, 2016 #
Kit Three!! Would make version 1 or 2. Great pattern!
Helen
April 12, 2016 #
I’m lovin kit number 3!
Amy
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is beautiful!
Carlee McTavish
April 12, 2016 #
Ooooh kit three is super cute!!!!
Kathryn Cota
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is for me. I love blue.
Teri
April 12, 2016 #
I think all of the kits are gorgeous! I think I would pick #3. It’s such pretty fabric!
Tina Briggs
April 12, 2016 #
Great pattern, love the pocket variations! I think I would get the most wear out of the grey patterned suiting…
Hedda
April 12, 2016 #
Oh, kit 3 is absolutely perfect. Everything I want in a skirt.
Selene is right up my alley as well, and I loved the storytelling aspect of the launch. Always fun to know a little about the inspiration behind a creation.
Emily Audette
April 12, 2016 #
I love the red kit! I need a red pencil skirt!
Kate
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 1. The red is gorgeous and striking. That colour combined with the Selene is the perfect mix of serious yet slightly sexy work skirt.
Congratulations on the new release!
Katie Proctor
April 12, 2016 #
I love them all, but red has been my favorite color since I was old enough to have an opinion so that would definitely be my choice!
Kallie
April 12, 2016 #
Beautiful pattern! I’ve been wanting to sew up a skirt like this for ages – finally, just the right pattern!
I would absolutely love kit #2! It would be perfect to wear any day of the week. Kit #3 would be my second choice ;)
Jessica
April 12, 2016 #
Great pattern! Most of the pencil skirt patterns I’ve looked at don’t come with instructions on how to line, so loving that aspect. All of the kits are lovely, but I’d have to Pick #3 as my top choice!
shannon
April 12, 2016 #
Loving kit #3!
Victoria
April 12, 2016 #
Kit two is my favorite because dark wash denim and polka dots!! Two of my favorite things!
Lindsay
April 12, 2016 #
Love kit #2! This pattern looks great!
Mary
April 12, 2016 #
I have some fabulous wool I bought in Germany several years ago and it would make a wonderful skirt. Any of the kits would be grand and I’d make version 3. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Robin
April 12, 2016 #
I have wanted to add some new skirts to my selection of work clothes. I have not sewn in quite a while. This pattern has inspired me to dust off the sewing machine. I love the red kit.
Erica
April 12, 2016 #
Kit 2 is great-denim and polka dots is a fun combo. This pattern looks very useful!
Katie
April 12, 2016 #
Love Selene! I am starting an internship this summer at an office and it’d be a great skirt to wear! However, I gotta go with Kit #2 to fit with most of my lifestyle needs!
Bekky Bush
April 12, 2016 #
I love the denim, the dotty lining is just so cute and fun. I’d make version 1- the simpler the better, I love pared back style
Renata Tombleson
April 12, 2016 #
So exciting a new pattern. I would love kit 2 please.
Pam
April 12, 2016 #
Great skirt for work and casual. Kit two is more my style.
Ty
April 12, 2016 #
I really like version 3 of this skirt and can see kit 2 making it pop especially if contrast piping is added! I would love to win kit 2.
Kay
April 12, 2016 #
My favourite is the denim kit and I’d make version 3. I see it working for casual Fridays at work.