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!

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.

Handmade Wardrobe Solutions

On my last post, commenters Faye and Elaray made a point that by looking at those garments I could figure out my style; however, that only applies to my handmade clothes. Unfortunately, they do not represent a complete analysis of my style, that you can find on my Pinterest. If I had the means and the time I would love to own more elaborate, colorful, and detailed clothing. However, I'm just not willing to put in the time to make those sorts of items, nor have I the means to afford the quality of materials I would love to use. But, isn't that the case for us all?


12 in 2012 plan in progress* click image to see bigger
I am now participating in Su Sews So-So's 12 In 2012 project. In the last two years I have made an average of 8 garments a year. Well, this year I'm pushing that to 12 total. I also decided that I'm not going to tell you what is coming up next or try to stick to a rigid plan (like I could?!)

However, I am showing you an overview of the twelve-plus projects I would LIKE to finish this year. I will post about them as they are completed. One project you have already seen and two are in slow progress.

Best thing (or worse)? All of this fabric (including the non-assigned ones at the bottom) is already in my stash! **As you can imagine, this means NO new fabric for quite a while.

Those fabrics shown at the bottom of my 2012 plan represent the other fabrics in my stash of which I have enough yardage to make something. There is thin-wale black corduroy, cream twill, deep purple linen, a slightly iridescent cross-weave linen in green and lilac, a blue Flea Market Fancy floral, a lilac jacquard and a pale green satin brocade. One of these days, I'll find projects for these.

Surprisingly, this whole plan falls in perfectly with a recent post on Coletterie, where Sarai writes about ways to use the fabric that you already own. I am following ideas 1, 2, 4, and 5 and trying to initiate #3.

*No, I haven't bought that new Vogue 8787 pattern yet. It looks promising but I'm waiting to see some reviews on patternreview.com first, so those two fabrics/dresses are still on back burner.

Handmade Wardrobe Overview

The past few years haven't really been that bad sewing-wise. Well, not as bad as I thought. Here are the things I have made (AND still wearing) in the past three years. Not bad. Let's see what these twenty-three pieces can tell me about what I sew for myself.

Eight tops

Eight dresses

Six skirts or shorts

One topper

One thing, I rarely make buttonholes and here's proof, the only item to have them is the red vintage Butterick top that buttons up the back. Also there are only five zippers among all twenty-three garments! I seem to prefer elastic, belts, wide neck openings, and stretch fabrics as opposed to conventional fasteners. Therefore, my wardrobe primarily consists of slip-over-the-head tops and dresses. Imagine if you couldn't use any buttons or zippers as fastenings? Well, it would be no problem for me.

My favorite colors (or the colors available to me locally at Hancock and Jo-Ann) are purple, red, and neutrals of black, grey, off-white, and brown. I also like to use patterns, but I have to be crazy about them and they must include favorite colors like red, purple, and orange.

The pattern breakdown reveals which pattern companies I like to work with and that offer things I'd wear: Simplicity for five items, Butterick has four, New Look and Colette Patterns supplied three each, McCalls and the Built By Wendy Sew U book two each, and Vogue, Pattern Runway, BurdaStyle, and SewStylish magazine are all represented with one each.

The groups also show what is missing from my wardrobe, well at least, my handmade wardrobe.

Looking at my wardrobe, it would seem I don't like setting in sleeves. All of my tops and dresses are either sleeveless or the sleeves are cut-on or raglan. I don't think I even have a pattern for a simple collarless top pattern with set-in sleeves. It seems raglan-sleeved Simplicity 3835 has been my go-to top pattern. I guess I need to franken-pattern something together.

I need more knit tops, hopefully in multi-color stripes so they can go with almost any skirt or pant in my wardrobe. However, good striped fabrics are NOT to be found locally, I will have to order those online.

In the last ten years, I have not sewn pants. In high school I had no problem with them and made at least five pairs, some from pretty intricate Vogue designer patterns. However, now I seem to be timid about them even though I definitely need more, some structured, some loose and in prints and colors that are not black. I never used to worry much about the fit (especially not the cr*tch) until this past year living vicariously through the trials of other sewists.

It also wouldn't hurt to have more skirts, in a variety of styles and lengths. These I also want in colorful prints, stripes, and checks, not solids.

Next post I will reveal what I mean to do about this.

Fall Wardrobe Progress Report

I'm done with my muslin of the McCall's 4052 bodice. Though I'm made this dress before, I always though the shoulder and bust area of that one was too loose. So this time I cut the bodice pieces as a size 10 and tapered the side pieces out to a 14 at the waistline. Yep, a difference of two sizes, but it fits perfectly now. I have to figure how to work with this plaid on the six separate princess bodice pieces. I'd like to play with the bias but I'm scared how that might effect the fit. I'm thinking only the middle pieces on the bias and matching the side pieces (on grain) at the side seams. Any advice? Any images that you can direct me to on what I can do with the plaid?

Before I start on the final version of that dress I am first going to do a muslin of the bodice on McCall's 5686. I'm scared that the neckline might be too wide for my shoulders. So then, once I fix any kinks there I can cut out both dresses, finish up one dress, and then immediately move on to the other. Or, at least that's the plan.

However, the very first finished project out of the pack will be a wearable muslin (I hope!) of the Butterick 5429 twist top. I'll be using my wonderful polka-dot gift from Kyle since I want to make these in knits instead of wovens. I think I might make the short sleeve one as I think the long sleeves might be too much polka-dotted goodness on me. So, woo hoo for me, using up some of my stash!

What That Fabric Is For

Fabric!

This fabric is destined for a possible fall wardrobe plan consisting of a duster jacket, two retro dresses, and a semi-peasant blouse. The first three fabrics were purchased recently for only $32 dollars! Even at that low a price I still felt guilty. Go figure. The red fabric is not in that total because it was bought over two years ago, so IF it does finally get made into something I'll consider it free. In fact I already used some of it a few years ago to make a red skirt from a TNT pattern so it's cost per wear is low to begin with.

We will see how this wardrobe plan goes because I still have to finish a dress from last year's plan and a top from spring (hopefully this weekend). After that, or at the same time, the next thing I am going to do is follow the steps in my Cal Patch book and make myself some knit t-shirts. I need a lot of them. While I have plenty pants and skirts I don't have enough tops to go with them and I will also need them for layers in winter. So that's a primary concern.

Then the goal is to get out these patterns below (most of them never used) and create a few pieces to supplement what I already have.

Vogue 7714

I am most excited about this one. It will be my statement piece, a black, grey, and white polka dot moleskin duster jacket. The fabric was originally $29.98(!) but I got 2 yards on sale for $7.49 per yard. It will add some pizazz to my many black items of clothing. Note: must get more white in my wardrobe!

McCall's 4052, McCall's 5686

Two fall themed dresses; the black, gray, and white plaid wool version of this dress and a short sleeved, self-belted dress in this vintage-looking autumnal floral (pumpkin blossom peachskin for $4.99 per yard), both to be be worn with cardigans.


New Look 6836

View A in red stretch suede but with the front petal-like detail of View C. This plan and fabric have been in the works for two years, so it's about time!

Kwik Sew 2529

For night time, I will make myself another set from this Kwik Sew pattern, either the sleep shirt or the tank and boxer briefs. My earlier sets no longer fit and they were so easy to make. Isn't that an incredible flannel design (ripple circles for $2.39 per yard)? So not typical of what you'd normally find.

And if I have more time or more motivation:

Simplicity 2560

An interesting cardigan design in brown, rust or purple to add a punch of color to every outfit. I am truly sick of my simple button-down black one, even if it does go with everything. Oops, I spoke to soon, that cardigan seems to be too small now and not warm enough for colder weather.

Possible dreaming for spring:
A pair of jean-styled boot-cut pants constructed from the pattern included in Wendy Mullin's Sew U book. The fabric was bought last year and is a really nice olive green twill with Lycra.

Simplicity 6529, Vogue 9745

Some full-legged pants using either New Look 6836 (above) or either of these two pants patterns. The Vogue pattern had been made before, in high school I think.

Butterick 5429

At least one of these twisted tops in knits and/or wovens. When I bought the pattern I had assumed the top was for knits, but no.

So, here's the fun part for you, waiting to see when and if I make any of these as planned. Remember, I have a project left from both last fall and this past spring!

WT The Aftermath: The Need to Purge

Well, I started on that closet cleanup and found out something amazing.

In my extremely full bedroom closet, I was only wearing 30% of all the clothes I had hanging in there. All the rest were hanging there waiting for their time in the sun or were never going to see daylight again, at least not on my body. Immediately, I pulled the least likely and placed them temporarily in the living room closet even though it too is bursting at the seams. I seriously need to do something real here, real soon! I hope to bit by bit, day by day, go through this mess and decided what is being donated or what I will try to take to a consignment shop. At this point, any amount of money I can get for a barely worn item will be worth it.

Over the last two weeks, I have worn shoes that I now realize are reaching Velveteen Rabbit-status (how I didn't realize that when doing Wardrobe Therapy is pretty bad. I must have had my blinders on.) I mean, these shoes are not even in a condition to be donated with a good conscious. So why am I still wearing them? Because they are right there whenever I look for shoes. But honestly, if the opportunity or guy of a lifetime showed up while I was wearing them, a part of me (however small) would still be worrying about how bad my shoes look.

So, obviously, these items need to disappear from my sight so that I no longer wear them. I would write out a plan here and now, but many of my plans have fizzled. I will let you know what happens when it happens.

Wardrobe Therapy Inspiration

The Wardrobe Project*on Flickr, found via Casey's Musings:

I followed this link to something that I think might help a lot of us still dealing with more clothes than we can deal with. Here is what Johanni has to say:

I have lots of clothes I never wear, so I thought I'd make a project of using them. I will go through my wardrobe one garment a day, build a great outfit around it, and take a photo. When I'm finished I'll have a bunch of photos for inspiration whenever I feel I have nothing to wear. And I'll know what I should get rid of.

Now, I will not be photographing mine, but I will adapt this idea for my closet culling project. I will try on one item a day and see if I can easily, (and only visually) put it together with other items in my closet to make a cute outfit without having to buy or make anything new. If not, it immediately goes in the outbox (with its' days numbered.)


* Johanni's project is also fun because of the drool factor involved in viewing her retro-fabulous clothes!

WT Week 6: Accessories

I decided to handle accessories by writing about the pieces that I actually wear instead of tackling the large group of jewelry I've been hoarding for those "oh so special" occasions 'just around the corner.' What I actually have worn in the past six months:

• Silver and moonstone ring (on pincushion) that I bought for $8 or $10 on my first trip to New Orleans in 1997?

• One pair of silver hoops from a VERY cheap group of three varying sizes that I bought on a whim from Target for $5! Real silver? I doubt it. I bought these because I have lost one of every pair of earrings I have ever bought, resulting in wearing NO earrings for the last year. With my short haircut and the fact that I forget to reapply lipstick during the day, I think I need to start wearing them again for the femininity factor. Therefore, cheap earrings.

• Red bead necklace from an Etsy seller. Luckily, I have never failed to wear this when it works with the outfit.

• My Kryptonite-green pendant that I bought cheap from Forever 21, I think.

• My chime bell necklace that I bought on my 1st trip to New York. It was purchased in a New Age shop on Christopher Street.

On occasion or on the weekends when I have time in the morning I might pick out and wear something a little more interesting such as these. I like that these are a bit unusual and stand out when I do wear them.

• A rope of wooden beads a friend brought back from Liberia. I wear it with a knot in it like this for added interest instead of just one long strand.


• A necklace with ruby colored beads and a two-stone drop. I can't remember where I got this from.


• A braided cord necklace I got from New York & Co years ago. Unfortunately, the brown color is coming off the capiz-like discs.


• Silver charm bracelet from the Limited (see a cheap trend developing?) which includes sewing scissors, a Vogue magazine, cats-eye glasses, a high heel shoe, handled mirror. I have no Macro lens on my camera so this is as good as it gets. Trust me, it's beautiful.

• Hopefully you can see the detail of this necklace. They are little Milagros-like charms, horses/dogs, birds and little men. I wear this doubled up like you see and always get a compliment or two. It's very delicate and sometimes comes apart (I have little segments everywhere.) Therefore, I only wear it when I can keep track of the pieces if they fall off. No concerts or street fairs for this piece!

When I have time to think about my outfit, my earrings come from this group. The only ones missing from this photo are a set of rhinestone studs, also from New York & Co.

• Here are two moonstone and silver earrings to go with my moonstone ring. They were bought in New Orleans at the same store as the ring. LOVE these.


• Metallic bronze hanging "chandelier-type" earrings. Again, I wish you could see the detail, lovely.


• Fabulous and fun painted enamel earrings with green Peridot drops.

Update: Lusting after some of these by Krista Peel to add to my collection. YUM! My stash and one still unworn Peridot and silver ring However, just like with my clothes, I still have more jewelry in my possession, waiting for what, I do not know. Just a few worth mentioning: Bracelets: A antique white enamel floral one that I really like but never think of wearing. A silver hinged one that was my moms. Jewelry sets: A topaz and gold set and a lavender and pink iridescent bridesmaid set that I actually picked out and the bride bought for us.

Take a cleansing breath...

Well, after getting this far with Wardrobe Therapy, I realize that I have far more clothes in my closet than I need or wear. I have so many "one day I might wear that" and "if A happens, I will need to wear B" outfits, it is ridiculous. Because, for years, A has not happened and B just sits around and mocks me. Or more correctly, A's have not been filling up my social calendar and those many, many B's are hanging in my closet taking up space.

I have lived on so little money for so many years that I think I am now scared to give away all of my "make-do" clothes (and furniture) for fear that I will ever be able to afford nicer replacements.

Yes, I know that may come off as sad and pathetic. However, if I were really o.k. with living on less (and with less) that would not be a problem, would it?

So, over this summer, I am really going to use the outbox concept of the original Cure and items like these are going to come out of my closest. I had been putting them to the side but it still makes my wardrobe look vast. I will now deal with just looking at the clothes that I deem wearable and that I actually wear. Everything else will go into the outbox (which I hope to hide this time) and await judgment at a later date.

Any thoughts?

WT: A Peek Into My Closet

See my new shirt in there?

See this? I'm so happy because that's a big swatch of my wardrobe and though dark, there is barely any black in that picture. There are more reds, blues, greens, and browns. I am getting closer to making the color black an accent in my wardrobe instead of the basis.

After I took that picture above, I decided to photograph some of those dresses I wrote about before for Wardrobe Therapy but didn't photograph. I still wasn't feeling up to modeling them but this will no doubt give you a better idea of what they look like.

Here is the linen and lace garden party dress. See how the lace lays in a downward curve on the skirt? Imagine that going to full-length with the skirt getting wider as it gets longer. When the dress fit, it fit wonderfully with no gathers, just a bias sweep to a full swirl-able skirt.

Next, the bronze (faux) velvet dress. This one does have gathers at the empire waist and then tapers down to about twenty inches or so around the ankles. In my choice of fabric, the effect is more pronounced than in the pattern sketch, more like a 1915-18 hobble skirt, in fact.

The green cotton strapless dress. This picture shows how the fabric is woven with two different colors, in this case, blue and yellow in a vintage sharkskin effect to make this almost iridescent green. They now call it shot cotton. I still have two yards of a similar fabric; in a blue and lavender weave, for a sundress I never made.

I probably would not remake this particular dress, but it was constructed very well. Unfortunately, I have no idea what happened to this pattern or which company made it. Update: It was McCall's 9403. Um, by the way, I can no longer keep the bodice up like I was able to in that picture. That was at my heaviest.

Finally, the BCBG satin dress. I think this picture gives you a good idea of the shape. Pretty unusual in the horizontal banded bodice and the vertical gored skirt. It truly does fit like the example I showed in the original dresses post, very tight under the bust and then...whoosh with the tulle underskirt showing from underneath. Oh to have such an occasion to wear this!

Here is something I forgot to include in my Wardrobe Therapy purses round-up. My favorite purse of all...my sparkly beaded Hello Kitty evening purse! A reminder that a wardrobe does not have to be serious all the time, no matter what age the person.

WT Week 4 (Am I done yet?): Purses

1. Torture Devices.
   None.
   
2. Velveteen Rabbits.
   A purse/convertible backpack I love that is fast falling apart (top right). Ideally, I would draft a pattern from it and make a replacement. However, with three tiny zippers involved in its construction...yeah, right.
3. Superstars.
   Liz Claiborne mini-backpack AKA my "concert purse" I can carry a mini-wallet, lipstick, tissues, pen, my keys, and if I push it, my cell phone.
   
4. Stalwart Staples.
   
   Liz Claiborne shoulder bag (right in photo above) The top cinches up and you wear the strap over your shoulder with the bag over your back. Located beneath the strap is a vertical zippered pocket.
   Amanda Smith black textured purse (top left in 1st photo) with dainty handles and detachable shoulder straps.
   
   
5. Same Time, Next Year.
   
   
   Target by Mizrahi ruffled evening purse with chain (in middle of 1st photo)
   
   Handmade:
   Lavender taffeta wrist purse with beaded trim (middle of this photo). This was made to go with my bridesmaid dress.
   Mint green linen tote bag (right) that was made to go with matching strapless dress. This was to be my go-to wedding ensemble. These were worn once, to a Gold Cup steeplechase event, not a wedding.
   A wristlet that I made from a Target tablecloth to go with this dress.
   
6. Sentimental Journeys.
   Patent leather "camera purse," the perfect size to tote any one of my cameras in. (Not shown)
   
7. Mysteries of the Lost Shopping Trip.None.

Misc:

I lot of my purses have come to me as gifts from one of my sisters or my friend Linda. Some were specials from Spiegel (see Velveteen Rabbit, bottom left above, and bottom right in 1st photo) that you receive with a catalog subscription or ones received when the giver bought me the same one that she bought for herself.

My latest tote bag (middle above) came from BooksAMillion.com (BAM) when I signed up for a special discount card. Very good tote bag.

In 2002, I commissioned a felted knit hat and tote bag (top left in 3rd photo) from Another Regan Original in a bright Mediterranean blue yarn.

Sewing Therapy 2008:

• Three bias tape totes from Belle Epoque's instructions since I have the fabric and they seem so easy and cute.

• This Indygo Junction pattern from some barkcloth fabric in my stash that I've been scared to touch for years. I just saw this pattern made up here.