Dear readers,
I am so excited to finally share the Giselle Shirt with you.
I've been thinking about this pattern for a long time. If you've followed me since my early blogging years, you know that I have a thing for shirtmaking. I love shirts, I love making them, and I love wearing them. When I still worked every day in an office environment, they were my go-to, and they still are on the rare occasions I need a more corporate look. It feels strange to have taken 8 years to release a shirt pattern, but it felt important, and I wanted to design a shirt I truly loved: first, it needed to be timeless. Not many items of clothing truly are, and I feel like a relaxed-fit shirt is the exception. But second, it needed to be interesting, because I'm not one to release basics.
That became the guiding idea behind Giselle.
Giselle Shirt at a glance
Style: Relaxed-fit shirt with three back views
Views: Open tie back, adjustable tie back, and classic full back
Sizes: 34–60
Formats: A4 / US Letter, A0, and Projector
Includes: Cutter's must, order of operations, and detailed illustrated instructions
Launch offer: 15% off for one week only
Ready to sew your own Giselle Shirt?
Sizes 34–60 • Three back views • Instant download
The Front
From the front, Giselle is exactly the shirt you're picturing: a structured shirt collar, front placket, chest pocket, long sleeves with one-piece tower plackets and cuffs, and a curved hem. Everything is where it should be. In all three views, you can also leave the front buttons open below the waist to create a distinctive V shape. It's a small detail that changes the entire feel of the garment.
The Three Backs
View A is the one that started it all. The back is split into two sections: a cropped upper back and a separate lower back piece that wraps around and ties into a knot at center back. It creates a subtle sliver of skin at the waist, and if you're working with a stripe or a check, the opportunity to play with pattern orientation between the two pieces is genuinely very satisfying.
View B uses the same cropped upper back, but layers it over a full lower back with two adjustable back ties. You can cinch the waist as much or as little as you like while keeping full coverage. A little more discreet than View A, and honestly just as beautiful.
View C is the classic version: a full back, clean lines, nothing extra. If you want a timeless shirt that will live in your wardrobe for the next twenty years, this is the one.
Fabric
The cover sample is sewn in striped cotton oxford, which is one of my favourite fabrics for a shirt. It presses beautifully, has just enough structure, and the hand feel is wonderful. For this pattern, I recommend light to medium weight wovens with structure and some drape: cotton poplin, voile, chambray, shirting, linen and linen blends, and silk.
And yes, if you're working with a stripe or a check, please do consider View A. It's just so much fun! I couldn't resist sewing both samples in wide stripes.
Sizing
The Giselle Shirt is available in sizes 34 to 60. The pattern comes in two size ranges: 34 to 46, drafted for a B/C cup, and 46 to 60, drafted for a DD cup. This second range includes a bust dart. Both ranges are drafted for a height of 5'5" / 1m65. It's a relaxed fit with significant ease, so if you're between sizes, I'd suggest going with the smaller one.
As always, if your measurements fall outside the size chart, I grade at no extra cost. Just get in touch.
Our Samples
I'm wearing the striped oxford cotton View A and the cotton gingham View C, both in size 34 with no alterations. Lilli (@frocksandfroufrou) is wearing View A in a green stripe linen and View C in cotton poplin, both in size 52 with no alterations. Pauline (@sewuthinkucan) is wearing the chambray View B in size 44, with lengthened sleeves and a bit of additional waist ease.
What's in the Pattern
The Giselle Shirt is an instant download and includes:
- Layered PDFs in three formats: print-at-home (compatible with A4 and US Letter), A0, and projector
- Cutter's must
- Order of operations
- Detailed step-by-step illustrated instructions
Seam allowances are included in the pattern.
Launch Offer
To celebrate the release, the Giselle Shirt is 15% off for one week only, no code needed.
If you're a newsletter subscriber, you also get an extra 15% off your entire order with the code JUSTGISELLE. Just make sure to check out with the same email address you use for the newsletter.
The launch discount is available for one week only.
I can't wait to see your Giselles. Tag #JPGiselleShirt and @just_patterns so I can find and share your makes.
Happy sewing,
Delphine