Review: McCall's m7577, View A - The Girliest Romper for Women

This romper is a uniquely designed piece. Make and wear this romper to feel like a carefree teen again!

Pattern: McCall's 7577; Fabric: Polyester print (thrifted); Lace fabric and trim: Spotlight; Shoes: Fordham, Miz Mooz.

What to love about this pattern

At 25 I'm getting a little old to be wearing a romper, but age should go out of the door when an outfit makes you feel cute and confident. This romper has many unique features which you don't often see in easy patterns. I feel that the designer put extra effort into making this pattern as simple as possible.

This romper has a lace panel at the back which is great for showing off your shoulders and ventilates on hot days. The neckline cleverly uses a narrow facing which looks neat through the lace. The elastic that clinches the waist isn't a separate waistband, but is sewn directly into the seam allowance. I think this is a great design feature that keeps the romper streamline.

What I don't like about this pattern

Do not make this romper out of delicate material. It's not easy for me to get my shoulders into this romper, and I don't know how the lace will hold up with time. I suggest using study material with an ever-so-slight bias (45 degrees from the selvage) stretch, such as rayon. The fabric also needs to be heavy enough for the frilled shorts to stay in place. 

You may want to increase the length of the bottom frills… let's just say this romper shows off as much of your legs as possible. Be prepared to shorten the sleeves. I also had to cut off more than 5 cm (2") to uncover my hands.

What I could have done better

I think I gathered the frills on the backside too much? They puff out a tad too much.

Difficulty

The sewing techniques in this pattern won't be too difficult for amateur sewers. You'll need to know how to attach sleeves into armholes and how to make elastic casing. Luckily the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

Also looks great with a blue demin jacket!

The Verdict

If you're looking to sew a cute and easy romper for summer, then this is for you! This outfit was really fun to sew and introduced me to design details I hadn't seen before. This pattern is also highly reusable because it comes with a range of designs, including a jumpsuit and a frilled sleeve option.

• Instruction clarity: 4/5. The instructions are good, but the pattern piece could have been arranged better on the paper. The romper shorts are not on a separate pattern piece from the pants for the jumpsuit. Since the shorts are curved, it is difficult to cut out the fabric without ruining the pattern. You'll need to trace off this pattern piece.
• Fit: 4/5. This romper designed to be loose fitting, luckily the elastic clinches the waist nicely. The neckline could have been elasticised to help with getting in and out of the romper.
• Design Elegance: 5/5. Round of applause for creating a pattern with many unique features, yet simple enough for amateur sewers.
• Final Product: 4/5. I love wearing this romper, but it can be impractical at times. It's best saved for the heat of summer and when toilets are easy to access.
• Overall: 4.3/5. This is definitely a pattern I would repeat. I think I'll make View B in red for a flamenco look.