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PATTERN REVIEW: Zina Shirt Dress In Midweight Linen

PATTERN REVIEW: Zina Shirt Dress In Midweight Linen

September 1, 2022 by 6282 3

FS ZIna Shirt Dress Made With FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Midweight Linen

A few seasons ago, a certain slow fashion brand had designed a long sleeved, slightly oversized white shirt dress with multi-colored buttons — it was outside my budget but I COVETED it. (Shout out to #statethelabel!) Simple but whimsical, the style I like to strive for. Classic without being on the nose, veering a little left of centre. I waited for it on resale sites, but it never popped up in my size. When I saw the Zina Shirt Dress pattern, I decided to pay homage to the original and sew my own.

I started my sewing journey during the pandemic, and a shirt dress like this would have been a seriously intimidating threat 2 years ago. Collars stands? Buttons?? CUFFS?

FS ZIna Shirt Dress Made With FS BLEACHED Signature Finish Midweight Linen

When I received the beautiful instructions for the Zina, encased in a tube and in full color, I was nervous to try it. I put it off for a while, to be honest. There seemed to be so many pattern pieces and so many steps.
But! As I read through the booklet and plunged in one over-confident day, I was grateful and surprised by how clear and thoughtful the instructions were. I have made many garments via many different patterns at this point, and it has to be said that some patterns leave a lot to the imagination, may feel rushed, whereas others are technical and gracefully written. The Zina pattern fell in the latter category. I learned how to do a collar and cuffs through the diagrams and steps, and it felt simple to achieve.
I cut a size 4/6, based on my measurements, and it fits just as it should. For an oversized look, I wish I had actually cut a 8/10 but I have a bad habit of cutting into patterns without tracing first — so I can’t size up for my next! Don’t make the same mistake as me. I do think a nice touch with this pattern would be to include an option for a digital file as well, in case of situations like this. As for the pattern they send, a huge positive is that it is printed in color so it was so much easier to cut the size I had chosen, vs. when I usually cut a random assortment of black lines and pray for the best. I omitted the belt because I tend to prefer more shapeless silhouettes these days.
The fabric I chose was the IL09 FS Bleached Signature Finish White linen. It has a lovely weight and is a bit sheer, so I will wear nude colored undergarments with the dress. The white is a perfect white — not a stark white, and not an off-white. The linen was soft from the get go, and has softened still as I wear this dress.
The Zina will be a welcome addition to my wardrobe (cover-up at the beach! a dress for a hot day!), and also will act as a duster and look professional during the work week.

Related Products


IL019 100% Linen BLEACHED FS Signature Finish


IL019 100% Linen BLEACHED Softened


Zina Linen Shirt & Shirt Dress

About Author

Joann Liu

A lover of slow fashion and sewing. Mama of 2. Living in the Pacific Northwest.

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3 Comments

  • Linda Hamilton

    September 1, 2022 - 10:03 am

    I love the different colored buttons on that dress. I think it looks great on you the size you made it. If you made it up a size, it wouldn’t fit well through the shoulders and might look sloppy rather than oversized.

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  • Alexandria Feeney

    September 1, 2022 - 6:10 am

    Thank you for your encouraging sewing post. I like the variety of the buttons on this dress. It is a great detail that makes the white dress pop,! I was also thinking that the Zinna dress is adaptable and so wearable wherever you need this style. Best Wishes, Alexandria

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  • Patti Romero

    September 1, 2022 - 5:25 am

    The Zina looks fabulous on you! Thanks for sharing your experience.

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