Trying the KonMari Method - Clothing (A Maker Version)

As the old year* ended, I needed to lighten my load, eliminate the clutter (physically and emotionally), and prepare for bringing light and calm into my life. So, I decided to consult Marie Kondo, the author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. I had watched her Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo earlier last year and felt inspired to go through my clothes. However, I did not follow her tried and true method as written. I gained a bit of space, yes, but there was no real catharsis or clarity.

Recently, I noticed people mentioning a new Netflix show, Get Organized with The Home Edit. I found it more like a commercial for the Container Store. There was no real thought about why they had all this stuff or if you should keep it. Instead, the emphasis was on the cute products to put it all in for visual aesthetics. Watching it, I felt uninspired by some of their storage solutions, especially when they displayed Reese Witherspoon's movie wardrobe and memorabilia. Working in a museum and being familiar with textiles and restoration, their decisions made me nervous. However, it did make me return to Marie Kondo's wisdom and her KonMari method of decluttering.

Confession time, months ago, I picked up her first book at a thrift store but still had not read it. So I originally started this undertaking only knowing the "Cliff Notes" version. The plan was to catch up on my reading as I went along.

According to her book, Marie believes you should move through your belongings in this order: Clothing, Books, Papers, Miscellaneous, and Sentimental objects. 

Clothing is first because, in her years of practice, she considers it the easiest one. Obviously, she has not worked with many Makers! 

Clothing

Initial Observations:

Some of the items in my closet are clothing that my mother or I made DECADES ago!

1. They were made for a high school-size Lisa and will never fit again. 

2. They are no longer my style or in the colors that I wear. I mean, there was an iridescent pink ball gown skirt in there!

3. They were items that I was incredibly proud of and wanted to remember.

When I first started sewing clothes in the 1980s, that's how I spent most of my free time. I was fascinated by clothing construction and frequently attempted ambitious projects such as Issey Miyake and Karl Lagerfeld Vogue designer patterns, lined garments, bound buttonholes, the pad-stitching of a tailored jacket, and working with sheer and silky fabrics. Back then, I didn't know to be scared of doing those things; I was FEARLESS!

For sentimental reasons, those items avoided "the purge" time after time. I would move them from one home to another, and they continued to take up space.

A great point Marie makes in the book that doesn't stand out enough in the media is this:

It's NOT about throwing things out; continually throwing things away to eliminate "clutter" is not  calming, and it will never bring happiness. The goal is choosing what you want to keep in your life (the Does it Spark Joy? concept). It's a way to take a closer look at what you surround yourself with and how it makes you feel.

My personal experience was that I loved most of my clothes, but why wouldn't I? I made them! As a maker/sewist, I could say that about my clothes because they were unique to my tastes and style.

However, I could eliminate some:

1. Things that were several sizes too small, items stretched beyond repair, pilled knits, and others that I no longer felt good wearing. These would be easy to discard.
2. The "slightly ill-fitting item but after losing a few pounds I could fit again" items. Who needs that pressure?
3. Those that may still spark joy, but because of the style, I would not wear them.
4. Things that my late mother made for me over 30 years ago.
5. Things that I planned to alter or adapt that I still hadn't done.

The other goal was to remove these from my home in a way that I felt good about, either by donation of the good RTW stuff or fabric recycling because clothing donation sites don't take kindly to handmade items. (There is no easy way for them to label sizes on these, so I get it.)

There was a small fear that if I got rid of everything that doesn't spark joy, would I have any clothes left? The answer was yes, the ones that matter.

Here is everything in this category that left my wardrobe.

Final Observations

• Outerwear: I gave away five jackets/coats which could not close over my hips. I kept the four that fit; three I bought recently and my handmade Issey Miyake-designed coat.
  
  
• Tops: I found out my wardrobe is 70% tops. I am severely lacking in coordinating skirts and pants.
  
  
• Pants/jeans: I found a well-fitting pair of jeans recently bought (during Covid) that I had lost track of in my closet! I now have four wearable pairs of jeans and two pairs of knit pants.
  
  
• Scarves: I had several but never wore them. ALL GONE.
  
  
• Underwear: Two sad bras are now gone, and I replaced some worn underwear and socks.
  
  
• Purses: I thought I had maybe 6-7, but I had SIXTEEN bags! How did that happen? I now plan on storing the bags that I kept in a way where I will see them and use them more.
  
  
• Shoes: There were so many that I no longer wore. I lost five uncomfortable or worn pairs. The others will be stored so that I can see them and wear them more often.

Here's an example of decluttering I found on the Interwebs from Wild We Roam. It isn't the KonMari method, but I felt this experience was very similar to mine.

Coming up next, more of the KonMari process...

*The year that must not be named.

A Possible Problem When Wardrobe Culling

My current situation gives me a different perspective on movements like Wardrobe Architect and an older version I once used, Wardrobe Therapy. Some of these are only about eliminating unworn, ill-fitted items from your wardrobe while others are about curating your wardrobe to reflect your life. After reading a few updates on bloggers choosing to attempt this I thought...thank god, I'm not doing that one!

In my case, a wardrobe that reflected my actual day-to-day life would have me stuck at home with only fleece lounge wear and padded slippers and my work wardrobe as black or khaki trousers, navy blue button-down shirts, and Dansko clogs.

I feel the most important part of a wardrobe life reflection-type project is that the process start before you look at your wardrobe. Begin with looking at your life. Before making your wardrobe reflect that life, make sure that life is the one you want to be living.

• If you create a wardrobe of clothes that are uncomplicated, casual, and exist within a self-imposed  color palette, will you find yourself envying others that dress with creativity and mystery?

• If you want to be more dressed up in your regular day, why not start wearing the clothes you want despite the random people asking you "why are you so dressed up?"

• If you want to wear pretty frocks when everyone else goes casual, always wear the pretty frock. 

I remember attending college parties in thrift store vintage dresses similar to the type that Mod Cloth sells. So what if other girls were wearing band t-shirts, cut-off jean shorts, and Doc Martens? I felt comfortable, like myself, and I wasn't comparing myself to anyone or following anybody's lead.

So, this was all to say that even if I cannot wear what I want to wear right now I am keeping all my stuff (well, the stuff that is still well made and in good shape) because I will be living that better life again!

Battle of the Bulge

WOW, I really didn't mean to disappear for so long! It was a combination of illness and procrastination. I also had a few mending projects to do for a friend, and then made a spectacularly failed UFO.  In fact, that UFO revealed a problem that I apparently had been ignoring for quite a while.

A few months ago, I had to buy a new pair of work pants because I had outgrown the first ones. The thighs were straining and the stitches were about to give up! I also, for the first time experienced my thighs rubbing together when wearing my summer skirts. I was SO not happy.

Since I moved here two years ago, apparently I have gained a large amount of weight and didn't really notice. To put it the only way I can at the moment, I found out that I am now 11 and a half stone. A stone, a unit of weight measure in Britain, Ireland, and Australia; is equivalent to 14 American pounds. It's just easier for me to say it in stones. This is 15 lbs more than when I was weighed 2 years ago.

I was a very thin child in my teens and always susceptible to anemia. In high school, I hated being skinny and in particular did not like my arms. Around that time, I became aware of female bodybuilders like Rachel McLish, Carla Dunlap, Cory Everson, and Gladys Portugues through the 1985 documentary Pumping Iron II: The Women and that resulted in a subscription to Strength Training for Beauty (1984-86) magazine. I ended up purchasing an 110 pound weight set and remember arriving at college with what could be called a decent "six pack."

More than 20 years later, I am now battling a tummy and love handles, along with the aforementioned rubbed thighs and some unattractive underarm flab. There was a warning sign last May when I tried on this muslin and saw this:

 

I noticed I was bustier than I had ever been and had a visible roll of blubber right below my belly button. That was a year ago and obviously I have gained more weight since then. As a result, my body image is completely different than it has been for the past 95% of my life. This is hard to reconcile. 

My measurements have obviously changed but in cutting out my last sewing project, Simplicity 6145, I hadn't grasped that fact yet. While I altered the bodice of Simplicity 6145, combining it with the fit of the Grainline Scout, I still thought I would need to engage some darts in the back to accommodate my swayback. Trying on the basted muslin was such a shock! I could barely shimmy it on. I had not once thought of enlarging the waist area and below. 

So for the last few weeks, I have put off sewing and more importantly taking new measurements for the future. I have succeeded in losing 5 pounds somehow and would love to know that I could remove the other ten just as stealthily but alas diet and exercise must rear their heads for that to happen. I seriously could handle getting used to this "new me" however, I have a wardrobe of delicious clothing that I can't afford to replicate or that have adequate seam allowances for me to alter to fit.

So my dilemma is: sew new clothes in the new size or wait and see? What would you do?

Future Goal: Repair Wardrobe Disconnect

I used to keep an actual scrapbook of fashion clippings that I pasted the looks I liked. Of course, I now have Pintrest and Flickr to record my favorites.

Scrapbook images from the Tweeds catalog.

The funny thing is how the items and looks have stayed consistent over the many years even though the items still don't currently exist in my wardrobe. I don't know when I will be sewing again, but my future plans include creating the life where the wardrobe I have always wanted will exist. Believe me, when I reveal the wardrobe you won't be shocked, in fact, you'll probably wonder why I haven't put it together before now. You're not the only one wondering that... Perhaps I didn't think I deserved it yet?! Yes, yes, I DO have issues...

Striped knit tee shirts, crew, boat, and v-necks
Same type shirts put in silkier matte fabrics for dressier occasions
Similar shaped fine-gauge sweaters
Slim flat-front ankle-length pants
Carrot topped pants with fullness at top from gathers or pleats that taper to the ankle.
Long-sleeved shift dresses
Fit and flare dresses, with darted bodices and full skirts
Full skirts in above- and below-knee lengths
Collarless duster jackets and cardigans
Simple beautiful pieces incorporating drapery and unique twists

So when I get back to sewing this is hopefully what you will be seeing. Luckily, the projects currently in my sewing queue fit in this group and I have already taken a step in that direction. My eldest sister gifted me some holiday money and I just happened to check out the Mood Fabrics website and bought myself some striped ponte knit goodies for that top entry on this list in jade and brown and in mustard and jade!

Does anyone know where I can get a wide striped red and white knit like that second example? I can't find any that are not see-through.

The Rundown - Color, Pattern, And Fit

While taking this time off from the blog, I have found myself thinking about my wardrobe quite a bit. Since I wear a uniform the majority of my days now, when I get to venture from it, choosing what I wear becomes more important. It might just be escorting my father to one of his many medical appointments; however, what I'm wearing reveals a bit about me and what I like, right?

Here is the majority of my handmade wardrobe. Let's dissect it, all right?

8 Florals
Looking at my wardrobe in these pictures reveals that at least in my wardrobe I am attracted to florals more than graphic angular prints and patterns. which surprises me, as I stayed as far away from florals (and pink) as much as I could as a child/teen. In addition, a lot of these florals are very dainty and delicate (V9772), though there are some bold (S3835/V8392) and/or abstracted (B5429, Paprika Jade, NL6939, M5042) ones too.

10 Non-Floral Prints
The few abstract prints are the black & white Ikat Grainline Scout, the gingham and polka dots of my Sorbettos, Burdastyle boatneck stripes, the confetti dots of B5429 and the One-hour dress, and the gorgeous madras plaid of M6712. I would love to buy more exotic prints but most of my stash stills hails from either JoAnns or Hancock Fabrics. Who knows what would happen if I were let loose at Mood, Britex, or Gorgeous Fabrics.

  

 

1. Grainline Tank, 2. Vogue 9772, 3. New look 6977, 4. Burdastyle "Twist Again", 5. Grainline Scout, 6. New Look 6838, 7. New Look 6977, 8. Burdastyle 02-2010 112A, 9. Grainline Scout, 10. Grainline Scout

 

 

1. Simplicity 3835/Vogue 8392, 2. New Look 6807, 3. New Look 6838, 4. Butterick 2564,

5. Butterick 5429, 6. Butterick 5429, 7. Colette Sorbetto, 8. Colette Sorbetto

Color
I love color, and finally my handmade wardrobe reflects that. When I was younger, my mother always moaned that I didn't wear "happy" colors, however, if she could see me now she'd be overjoyed. Check out the bold colors; the blues, purples, reds, and mustard yellows. Strange, but some of my favorite colors are still not represented, a great forest green and pumpkin orange. For those I will need to start frequenting online fabric stores because Hancocks and JoAnn are not big enough fans of those autumnal shades.

Neutrals
You can see how some of my earlier makes were more neutral and my wardrobe became more colorful over time. Surprisingly, mostly when it came to items for my lower half. I'm very proud of the bright red pants and the blue, teal, and purple skirts...but just wait for the next one. My final Moss skirt will not be sunshine yellow like the muslin but the color is just as eye-catching.

1. New Look 6216, 2. New Look 6977, 3. Vogue 2747, 4. Vogue 2532,
5. Simplicity 2152, 6. Sew U skirt, 7. Paprika Jade skirt, 8. Grainline Moss muslin #3

 

 

1. Simplicity 5914, 2. Simplicity 8126, 3. Sew U skirt,

4. Pattern Runway, 5. Vogue 2883, 6. Sew U skirt

Loose-fitting

However, I will always love a good drapey, Japanese-inspired garment such as those in books like the Drape Drape series and the such. I also love a good shift or a-line dress such as the Burdastyle Anda, B4948, or M6712 because they can always be cinched by a belt, if desired.  My Burdastyle Anda is no longer worn only because the fabric (a mystery one) has pilled beyond repair. I must make a replacement soon because I love the easy shape. The M6712 is a bit awkward to wear bra-wise so unfortunately doesn't get much wear in summer. But I could fix that by making a coordinating racer-back tee (MUST get on that for next summer!).

Fitted
I used to wear a lot more fitted clothing when I started sewing decades ago but the joy of easy fitting and weight fluctuations as I got older brought about a love for more flexible fits when it came to tops and dresses. The Colette Oolong is on the tight side in the chest and is more of a special occasion dress. I'm not even sure if it fits now, which is a shame because it took me forever to get it to fit decently. However, my Paprika Jade skirt makes me think I need a few more fitted items in my wardrobe, maybe even a real femme fatale dress in my future?

 

1. Simplicity 5190, 2. New Look 6939

 

I no longer enjoy the fit of these two ample dresses above and they will both be altered. S5190 will be picked apart and become the bodice of either New Look 6968 or Vogue 8787 with a slim skirt made in a coordinating stretch gabardine. NL6939 will receive back darts for more waist shaping, going from a shift to a sheath.

 

 

1. McCall's 5042, 2. Burdastyle "Anda", 3. McCall's 6712, 4. Colette Oolong,

5. New Look 6939, 6. "One-Hour Dress", 7. Butterick 4948, 8. Simplicity 2406

So, that's where my wardrobe is now and this is where it's going: more color, more pattern, more fitted silhouettes, and definitely more pants!


All composite images created with fd's Flickr Toys

Uniformity Blows

I have never worn a uniform before*.

The kids across the street went to private school but I never envied them their uniforms even though school uniforms are supposed to not only be a pop culture fetish but also a fashion look that comes back every once in a while.

In any retail job I've ever had, the only clothing rules I followed had more to do with how messy you would get at the job - when I was a coffee barista, I had to worry about oil stains from the coffee beans - or how cold you would get in typical office air conditioning. Otherwise, what I wore was my own choice. Even my non-retail, corporate jobs have been office casual and I pretty much wore what I wanted.

The clothes I'm wearing for this job I would normally only wear at home. The shirt is one I actually stopped wearing in public years ago when I realized the knit is so off grain that the button placket eventually pulls diagonally across the body and needs constant adjustment. However, it happens to be navy blue, so it's the right color, and the only piece of clothing in this color that I own. I've been trying to make myself buy some fabric to make a better substitute but all the navy fabric I've seen in Joann's and Hancock's were dull and uninteresting. Also, the thought of making something that I don't really want to be wearing in the first place is depressing...like sewing my own hospital gown...why do that?

Note: I just went out and bought two navy t-shirts from Old Navy on sale, $8 for both! You can't beat that.

I now see how important clothes have been and are in my life. No one can see ME now. I have become my uniform, my graying hair (can't decide if I grow it out or not), and my sensible shoes (worn b/c standing on my feet all day).

Anyone else out there wearing a uniform, or am I the only one, in this sewing community, that is?

Has it done anything to your self-esteem?

*Except for a few months in the Brownies/Girl Scouts.

The Magic Of The "It" Jacket

For the last two months, I have been thinking about a jacket. You know, one of those jackets that make every outfit look sophisticated and put together. In junior high, I had a Laura Ashley long black blazer with a nipped-in waist that I wore until I outgrew it.
 

Only slightly similar to this gorgeous jacket by blogger Boodely.

In college, I had a dark plum Anne Klein jacket of my sister's, this one was cropped, square with slight shoulder pads and a peter pan collar. I wore that until it was taken at a nightclub when I put it behind the counter with others. At the end of the night, they handed me the only jacket that was left back there. I put my arm through it and immediately knew it was wrong. How come the girl who took mine didn't notice? She never called the club to inquire about hers so I kept it. It was similar in the fact that it was boxy but it had a squared off collar and was more like a business suit jacket; therefore, it did not have the same feel.

1987-88 party wear.

I then moved on to oversized men's jackets, first a plain black one and then a 1960s sharkskin, both worn with the sleeves rolled up. The sharkskin was a unique color combination of spring green and brown that resulted in a bronze-y hue. It was extremely oversized; however, as looking back at pictures proves, the look worked. Probably in large part because I wore it with confidence and feminine vintage thrift store dresses with nipped-in waists. My waist was tiny then and I flaunted it with full skirts whenever I could, even sometimes with a pair of men's cordovan wingtips.

Similar to these.

I also wore this masculine jacket with vintage 1930's lace-up patent leather high-heeled oxfords, like the ones above. It looked cool at the time.

About six years later, I bought a khaki linen-blend jacket for $16 at a shop at Potomac Mills Outlet (it was Papaya!). I loved this summery jacket. Instead of buttons, it had copper snaps down the front, a waist yoke that nipped in with a bit of flare below, and interesting seaming and gathers at the bust line. It was finished with a crisp collar that looked great buttoned all the way up and snapped plackets on the long sleeve cuffs. Luckily, I have a picture because it was snatched up by someone in a coffee shop. I realized as soon as I got home but the shop was closed. When I called the next day, they said it was gone. I am still mad. Get your own cute jackets (since I obviously must have excellent taste) but leave mine alone!

I hope to use Simplicity 1781 to recreate it one day, mixing and matching the pattern's elements. However, before that I need a more universal jacket that will span the seasons and go with all my skirts and the new pants I intend to make.

Great unique jackets have been popping up everywhere I look, at Zara, Madewell, Mango, and by upscale designers. To see some of the jacket styles I am personally contemplating, check out my Jacket Inspiration group on Pinterest. In addition, versions of another possible style can be found by using the term "waterfall jacket". In the next post, I will show examples of sewing patterns available to create your own "It" jacket at home.

Don't You Love Saturdays? I Do.

I haven't seen much writing about this line, so here goes.

Have you seen Kate Spades' more affordable new venture, Saturday? It's a unique retail and social media strategy, each Saturday they release online another "collection" of a hundred or so new pieces. Some of these are completely new items while others are their staple clothing designs that continue from one "collection" to the next done up in new colors, fabrics, and patterns. Their goal is to keep customers engaged and coming back.

These are basics with a clean design and unique details that keep them from being boring. Designs that would make for a great wardrobe on their own made up in different types of fabrics, colors, and prints. The fabrics range from graphic black & white designs, brightly colored solids, wild oversized florals, pixelated prints, photographic prints, painterly abstracts, to Spirographic circles.

These multi-category collections include everything: clothes, shoes, accessories, handbags, tech accessories, and even travel storage pieces. These clothes are perfect for weekends and going on vacation. The Saturday line is meant as the more casual and lower-priced complement to Spade's namesake line. Think of this as fun clothing for purely fun times.

There is one particular dress I would love to have this summer, the Let Loose Dress:

A gathered tunic dress with cap sleeves, 1/2" elasticized back hem, removable self-tie belt, and hook-and-eye back zip closure. Made in a stretch poplin of 97% cotton with 3% Spandex. As seen below, this belt can be worn around the entire dress or just laced through the slits and tied either to the front or to the back.

Let Loose Dress $170

DIY version:

I found a few patterns that could be easily altered to make a version of this dress; Simplicity 1620 view A, Butterick 5356, view B lengthened into a dress, and probably the best choice of the bunch, Simplicity 2147*, view B. A knit version could also be made with a few alterations to Kwik Sew 3559.

Simplicity 1620 - Butterick 5356 - Simplicity 2147

These three already share the mid-chest yoke, cut-on sleeves, and gathered body of the Saturday dress. Alterations that will need to be done to all are:

• Slash and spread the width of the body portion to create fullness and allow for more gathers.
• If the pattern has a straight or yoke-less back, alter the pattern piece to mimic the front.
• If neckline is large enough, you can omit the zipper completely.
• Create slits at the side seams to allow for a 1 - 2 1/2 inch wide belt.
• Place 1/2 inch elastic in the back hem only. 

Images: Kate Spade Saturday

*There is a fabulous version of Simplicity 2147 here by Jenni of Simple Beans.

Fashion In Film: Amber Holt's Emerging Taste

Parenthood (2010-2015)
Peter Krause, Lauren Graham
Costume Design: Diane Crooke, Laura Goldsmith

Who? Amber Holt, the confused old-before-her-time daughter on NBC's Parenthood, that is.

The character, played by the amazing, incandescent Mae Whitman, is dressing with style and has now worn two dresses that I desire.

1.

The Rodarte for Opening Ceremony Fall 2011 dress that Rooney Mara wore while promoting The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The dress is a lovely, color-blocked frock with a flippy skirt, exposed shoulders, and a mock-turtle sleeveless yoke. LUV!


Obviously, the wardrobe department went for beauty over reality because there is no way that any of the Braverman family could afford that dress (orig. $800) or they lucked out on finding a knock-off. If so, Emelia Rivera, please tell me where you found the knock-off?!

2.

Here's a link of to an NBC interview of Mae wearing THE dress.

This one took my breath away. I immediately recognized this dress because...I Have It In My Own Closet! Yes, it is unbelievable, but Amber's little black chiffon dress with a double row of cream lace flowers along a wide V-neckline is the same vintage dress that I own! See?




Undeniably, the same dress!

I bought mine back in 1989 at Halcyon in Richmond, VA when I was in college (the first time). This was my go-to dress for parties. I always felt great in this dress and it highlighted the teeny tiny 24-inch waist I had back then. Unfortunately, I can't get it past my upper thighs now but I can't see giving it away. The memories are too good.

3.

Here's another item of clothing that Amber could not possibly own, unless she's racked up a lot of credit card debt off-screen. This top is a Lyell creation from their Fall 2008 collection and thankfully, NBC decided to line this top, unlike the runway version.

All of these outfits make a statement about the character and the growth she experienced throughout season three. Now that Amber has a job that she loves (and may also be IN love) her clothing is stylish and more defined. Hopefully, there will be a fourth season for this show because just imagine what she might wear then?

Images: NBC (2), Red Carpet Fashion Awards (2), NBC, my own photos (2), NBC, WWD (3)