Crazy for Zadie! A pattern review on the Zadie Jumpsuit by Paper Theory

I have never met a jumpsuit I didn’t love and Zadie by Paper Theory is no different! It burst onto Instagram with a quickness and for once in my existence I was not late to the party. Zadie is definitely everything and more! It’s flattering, forgiving and the design and wear ease are perfect!

But first let me get to the meat and potatoes of this make. My fabric is a navy blue linen from Harts. I prewashed it, which of course made it softer, but I’m so glad that it kept it’s rich deep blue color. This linen is by no means stiff -it’s more lightweight and I felt totally comfortable (not sweaty) taking photos on the Lake Murray Waterfront.

I purchased the pattern on Paper Theory. There are about 2-3 sizing charts that you will need to make note of when you begin looking up yardage requirements and sizing.

Let’s talk a little bit about the sizing. I actually made 2 different muslins before I even cut into my linen. My first muslin was a size 12 for the top and bottom. My second muslin was a size 12 for the top and a size 10 for the bottom. What can I say, I’m a little more blessed on top.

Remember I said everyone was making this on Instagram? Well, one blogger in particular, Sylvia from the Ravel Out was very transparent (thank you) with her modifications. So while I was in my own muslin situation, she shared what she did to make the pants fit more. I followed her lead and took an inch out of the rise and tapered my pants using this quick guide. I did not take an inch out of the bodice -although I probably should have. I chose a more tapered pant because wide leg cropped pants can really make me look stumpy. Sorry, I don’t know another way to describe it.

However, I made my own slight modification to the bodice. Remember I made a 12 on top and a 10 on the bottom. And because of that the bodice was slightly larger. Granted the bodice and the pants have pleats, I still had too much fabric in the bodice and my side seams and pleats were not matching up. So I actually evenly gathered the bottom of the bodice (2 rows of basting) and made sure that my side seams and pleats matched. Now I don’t know if that’s how you properly match a top and bottom, but it worked for me and it by no means changed the silhouette of the jumpsuit.

So all in all, I learned a lot and made a lot of firsts with this suit. I don’t think I’ve ever taken my time so much to really tailor pants to flatter my figure and height. I’ve heard a lot of people say they would go a size down, I’m not sure I would do that in this instance. The ease was just right for me. I think if I made it in a jersey knit (perhaps loungewear?) I would consider going down several sizes.

Would I make this again? Honestly, yes. Especially now that I know my size. How do y’all feel about a sweater zadie for Fall?