Testing, testing: Sew Liberated Arenite Pants

Today I've got a fun new pair of pants to share with you: the Sew Liberated Arenite Pants!

If you like pockets, comfort and generally looking like a stylish bohemian, the new Arenite Pants from Sew Liberated are for you!

This is my tester verson of the Arenite pants, which are a slouchy, but still high-waisted woven pant.

The pant legs are constructed from 3 separate panels sewn together with flat-felled seams. The side panels have cool, oversized, exaggerated pockets that are impossible to keep yours hands out of...

Of course you can barely see these cool details because of the black fabric I chose, some Nicole Miller lyocell I picked up off the clearance rack at Joann. After working with it and loving it, I went back for more, but they were out of black. So I bought some of what they had left, which was a peachy pink. Project TBD for that cut of out-of-my-color-comfort-zone fabric!

This lyocell is not dissimilar from tencel twill, although maybe a bit lighter weight. But that same sandwashed silk look and feel (which, again, is impossible to see in these photos- sorry!).

I'm really delighted with the fit of the Arenite pants: slouchy, and yet not oversized (except those pockets!). I'm wearing them with a casual outfit here (Union St. Tee and Blackwood Cardigan), but I thought they looked pretty awesome dressed up with heels, too. I've tried them with my go-to wedge booties and my summer time go-to clog/sandal things, both with great success. 

And Meg at Sew Liberated has paired her Arenite pants with all sorts of layers, from casual to more dressed up. She is the queen of creative layering! Layering goals, right there. Go check out her Instagram feed for ideas.

I'll admit that I was apprehensive about the oversized pockets, worried they would look strange on me since I am well blessed in the thigh/hip department and my saddle bag zone is something I'm self-conscious about. But upon wearing them and looking at these photos, I think it's clear that the pockets are intentionally exaggerated and oversized. No one is going to mistake that volume for my hips. 

I also want to give a hearty shout-out to Meg at Sew Liberated for a pretty expansive size range. I hadn't sewn her patterns before and I wrongly assumed that they had the typical narrow indie range. But I was pleasantly surprised to see her patterns go up to a size 24 (48.5" bust, 51" hip), which is not too shabby! 

This pair is a size 18 and I'd say the pattern is true to size. 

To sum up up: the Arenite pants are fun, stylish and comfortable to wear. Furthermore, they are a delight to sew, as they are beginner friendly, but use some construction techniques that will keep a more advanced garment maker's attention!

Thanks to Meg for having me as a tester!