Get in step with Out of Line's sporty, feminine fashions for fall

Ballard-based designer Beki Wilson has hit the perfect note with Seattle shoppers since she started designing locally under her label, Out of Line, in 2006. Now, Wilson is busy readying the launch of her new line of evening wear, called Jessie David, while her fall Out of Line collection -- pieces with fresh design embellishments that are easy to wash and wear -- hits stores.

Wilson's Out of Line designs are wearable, mix-and-match skirts ($68-$120), dresses ($140-$198) and tops ($68-$88) in natural fabrics like cotton and cotton Lycra. While the fall silhouettes are simple, Wilson's characteristic finishing work adds complexity.

Her new pieces will pair sporty design elements with girly embellishments. Feminine topstitching -- a Wilson trademark -- will decorate racerback shirts; and athletic-inspired details such as color blocking will work alongside voluminous skirts and puffed sleeves. Wilson is exploring new textures too and is working in cotton sateen, cotton velveteen and brushed canvas for her skirts and dresses.

One characteristic and eye-catching piece from the Out of Line collection is the Folded Top, which pairs puffed sleeves with detail-rich, folded topstitching along the yoke. "I wanted to use the folded topstitching in a very free-form way," Wilson says of the top that will work well with a high-waist skirt or jeans.

In addition to infusing her nearly decade-old line with a fresh perspective for fall, Wilson was recently recognized as a finalist in Seattle Magazine's Seamless in Seattle competition for her new line, Jessie David. When I asked her about exploring new territory with Jessie David designs, Wilson replied that "that's just my personality, honestly; I need to switch things up now and then." After experiencing over nine years of success with Out of Line, Wilson expects that working on different lines simultaneously will "be good to have two things to balance back and forth -- to not get stagnant."

Fans can expect refined event and evening wear from Jessie David, with a wealth of cocktail dresses ($198-$350) hitting stores in time for the holiday season. Working in black, blues, and greens and accenting with reds and lavenders, Wilson is revising her signature detailing for evening by exploring new ways of folding, quilting and adding floral decorations. Since wearability is of paramount importance in any garment Wilson designs, she's ensuring each Jessie David gown has an impeccable fit.

Wilson's Out of Line designs are available at Velouria in Ballard, Frock Shop in Phinney Ridge and online. Jessie David dresses will be available at Velouria in October. If you're looking for custom work ($25/hour), contact Wilson through her etsy site.

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