Break the Rules: My Playsuit Fitting Journey

The Playsuit is a romper, featuring bust pieces that wrap around and meet at your center back. The bottom has options for cheeky, high cut briefs or shorts (that still show plenty of thigh). The bust pieces are lined and you can choose from either a single tied strap in the front or a corset option. Either is super easy and beginner friendly. The straps can either be fixed or adjustable with a slight difference in construction. The bottom options aren’t lined so they come together so crazy quick – and there’s even an included “fun and games” hack for the shorts!

Now, all that said… it took me a few tries to get my best fit. Why? I’m an experienced sewist, it’s not hard and there’s not …much…. to fit. Well, we’re so accustomed to checking our measurements but as someone who does a lot of testing I know them well. So I didn’t check them before starting. I’m pretty aware of my measurements and since I make basically all of my clothes, I can tell if my size is changing based on the fit of my clothes every day. No big deal, they didn’t change… but I’m not wearing a bra with this romper. Insert facepalm moment here. This is why there’s a note added in the instructions about measuring without a bra. I kept having gaping right at the underarm, I felt like I had even less support than everyone else and I didn’t have the intended sideboob that others were seeing.

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I finally realized that I was using measurements based on wearing a bra, and if I don’t wear a bra those ladies take a bit of a trip south.. so my sizing is different! My first for the test I made with a pale pink rayon spandex lining from Sly Fox and floral mesh for the outer that I got in destash. It fit and was really comfortable, but I could see the gaping right away. This was made at my usual size, so the upper bust area is way too small, probably more so because of my narrow shoulders.

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For my next make, I used a polka dot dbp from The Fab Clique and sized down the top half of the bodice. I smoothed out the curve between the two, finishing at my normal size for the waist. I still had gaping! It was better, but it still felt loose no matter how tight I tied the corset. Plus, I still had so much excess on the outside of the chest.

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I decided to try again for romper month and this time graded the top of the bodice 3 sizes down from my bust size. I gently curved the slope back out like the last time, so that I would have the needed width for the waist. For this final make I used another mesh for the outer and then a powernet I picked up from Surge (with the discount code!) as the lining. This one… this one is perfect! I finally am getting that peak of side boob. and the upper bust area fits as it’s supposed to, the center isn’t too close for ties. I used lingerie elastic to add the three straps in the front. This isn’t actually an option in the pattern, I waited until the Playsuit was made and then tried it on to decide on placement and topstitched them in place, I also did my normal full belly adjustment on the bottoms, though I didn’t get a shot. I am really loving on these. The mesh looks so much better over the powermesh than I ever could’ve imaged and with the fit perfected – LOVE.

Have you decided to make a romper, yet? Rad Patterns has one more option, though I haven’t had the chance to make it yet, the Guernica. Hopefully I can change that this summer, I just didn’t have enough time for this month! Also, don’t forget about the Rad giveaway and discount code that end tonight! (Plus, there’s a Fabric Mart giveaway still running, so check the Sweeps page to enter there, too)

Links
The Playsuit | The Guernica
The Fab Clique DBP | Sly Fox Fabrics | Surge Fabrics (referral link)
All Romper Posts | Rad Romper Posts | Sweeps Page