FRIDAY STYLE DIARIES with Elisabeth Joy | @elisabethjoy__

In this blog post, we are sharing the wonderful maker Elisabeth Joy, who's style we really love. We set Elisabeth with the challenge of making a Friday Pattern and to show us how to style it. 

Make: The Ilford Jacket 

If you had to use 3 words to define your style, what would they be? 

- Eclectic 

- Themed 

- Dainty 

I say Eclectic because I find myself using a mixture of vintage and modern in each look, most of my pieces are a combination of second-hand, reworked, and me-made items from fabrics from the past. I love to think of my style in characters for the day I am about to have, therefore I feel very themed as I leave the house. And lastly, I would say the touch of “elisabeth” that I end up adding to different looks is usually a dainty piece of jewelry, a ribbon on my shoe, or maybe even a fresh flower for my purse or car. I love something that’s a touch feminine and unexpected. 

• Where are you finding inspiration these days? This could be art, movies, music, nature, etc. 

I am so inspired by illustrators, specifically ink and watercolor illustrators. I find their use of color so thrilling and fresh to me. It helps me pull together items by color rather than by design, and I love leaning into something a bit “off” that ends up bringing out a color you wouldn't normally spot in a fabric. 

In the same way, illustrators inspire me with the color wheel, they also inspire me to play with very structured items, as if my outfit was a drawing. Boxy, wide, stiff, yet roomy pieces feel so fun to me! 

• What Friday Pattern have you chosen to make and why? 

I picked the Ilford jacket because I love the structure of the piece, and it is so versatile! I immediately knew I would love using a thin quilt to make this pattern to make the perfect all-season chore coat. I think the softness of the quilt paired with the boxy silhouette of the jacket is the most chic combo and I know I will keep this piece for a lifetime. I also loved the big pockets for practical use. This pattern will be one I use over and over.

○ Where would you wear these looks? 

For look one, I was heading out to coffee and some outdoor park time with my kiddo. I wore some wooden clogs and brought my basket purse for picking flowers, sticks, and rocks on our walk. It has been feeling like Spring here, but a little too chilly for no jacket, so this was the perfect light coat to keep me comfortable. Of course, I also love showing off a new piece I’ve made, and the park was the perfect place to take it out for its first debut. 

For Look Two, I was headed to an early dinner date at a rooftop patio. I leaned into the “ballet-core” vibe which I adore and paired the jacket with a pleated skirt and silver shoe and purse details. I was so comfortable, yet felt a tad dressed up and fun. I love the uniqueness that the jacket brought to this look. 

○ What is the inspiration behind your styling? 

I really leaned into letting the activities inspire my looks for both of these occasions. I like to play dress up as if I were a character in the day I am about to have. I was also inspired to wear fresh flowers as part of my outfit after watching 101 Dalmations, watching a city scene with bikes cycling by with fresh fruit and flowers, it felt so Spring! And I am actually wearing my sisters ballet shoes for look 2, from her most recent performance in The Beauty and The Beast for her school play. I love wearing things that are not specifically meant to be in the look. 

○ Do you have any tips and tricks for styling? 

My best advice is to lean into the hunch or the “dream” version of your look. I often feel hesitant to play with my wardrobe, but when I do I feel the most like myself. One tip for when you’re feeling stuck styling a look, start with the piece you KNOW you want to wear, maybe it’s a fun piece or just a comfort item. Build from there. Starting with something you are confident about will help the rest of the process feel less intimidating. 

• What is a song that you have on repeat right now? 

Oh gosh, Kacey Musgraves New Album Deeper Well, specifically “Too Good to be True” And one I have to mention because it is a vibe, “Eye to Eye” by The Dip 

• Where can we find you on socials? 

You can find me on Instagram at @elisabethjoy__ or on TikTok as @lisjoy Come say hi! I love seeing fellow sewists ❤️