The Orange Lingerie Esplanade bra sewing pattern is one of my favorites! I like to wear it not only as a strapless bra but also on its own as a top. There are so many ways you can use this pattern!
With summer season (a.k.a. Esplanade bra wearing season) in full swing, I thought I would share some of my favorite lingerie-inspired fashion styles which can easily be replicated starting with the Esplanade bra pattern. I selected a range of aesthetics to illustrate the versatility of this bustier base from day to night.
STYLE 1: SHORT BUSTIER / WITH OR WITHOUT STRAPS / BLEACHED OR TIE & DYE DENIM
LEFT: singer songwriter & model Dua Lipa wearing an unknown designer (photo credit: Andrew Nelles)
RIGHT: Brielle Blue Tie Dye Denim Bustier by Pretty Little Thing (photo credit: unknown)
I love this choice of splotchy denim for a short bustier. It makes the look summery and fresh, easy to wear during the day, with a fun nod to the 80s and 90s (and what about these matching trousers?!).
I would recommend finding a thin, soft denim for maximum comfort, with maybe a tiny amount of stretch.
STYLE 2: LONG BUSTIER / NO STRAPS / ALL WHITE LOOK
LEFT: model Victoria Kosenkova at the Olivier Theyskens fashion show (photo credit: Luca Tombolini)
RIGHT: Heart Shaped Bustier by Olivier Theyskens (photo credit: unknown)
This gorgeous long bustier is both sober and sexy, and pairs wonderfully with pants and blazers. The choice of white-on-white makes the corset effect very subtle. This particular piece is made of a silk blend fabric covered with tulle lace. The boning is accentuated by topstitched ribbon or casing of the same color as the base fabric.
STYLE 3: LONG BUSTIER / NO STRAPS / SEQUINS
LEFT: model Merle Bergers wearing an unkown designer (photo credit: Leo Krumbacher)
RIGHT: Rose Gold Sequin Mock Corset Top by Charlotte Russe (photo credit: Torie Richter)
This fully sequined beauty will make you sparkle come nighttime. Glittery fabrics can look extremely elegant in solid muted colors such as beige, black, grey, rose gold, bronze, navy, etc. Some even have matte sequins.
If you are working with non-flat sequins fabric, remember to cut your pieces with the sequins all facing the same direction, one layer at a time. You may also want to remove the sequins that fall on the seam line to ease the way for your machine. While sequins can make topstitching difficult, this look is totally worth the effort!
STYLE 4: LONG BUSTIER / NO STRAPS / PLAY WITH TRANSPARENCIES
LEFT: singer songwriter, record producer, director and dancer FKA Twigs (photo credit: Sarai Mari)
RIGHT: Cabaret Peach Bustier by What Katie Did (photo credit: unknown)
This super feminine piece is fully embracing the lingerie / corsetry aspect of bustiers, through the use of sheer fabrics in some areas, and the highlighting of structure by means of topstitching ribbon or casing over the seams, underwires and boning channels.
For the translucent areas you could use sheer nylon, power net, and maybe even organdy and organza. You could also experiment with colors more or less close to your skin tone, and add lace trims and/or ornaments. I really like the tone-on-tone thing this one has going on.
STYLE 5: LONG OR SHORT BUSTIER / WITH OR WITHOUT STRAPS / SHINY SATIN
LEFT: singer songwriter, record producer, director and dancer FKA Twigs wearing an unknown designer (photo credit: unknown)
RIGHT: Blush Satin Bustier Set by Shop Luxe Life Boutique (photo credit: unknown)
This is the ultimate silky lingerie look. I don’t even mind the creases, as they emphasize the shine of the satin. This makes for an extremely soft and comfortable bra, on top of the incredible light play!
For this effect I recommend using silk or polyester satin weaves such as charmeuse.
Coming up in the next post I will show you how to alter the Esplanade bra sewing pattern to get these looks! In the meantime, if you want more Esplanade bra inspiration, I have more beautiful examples from ready-to-wear in this post plus I collected some great examples of what other people have made using this pattern. You can also check out my new and expanded Pinterest board!
