My mornings all start the same. Wake up. Take dog outside. Feed dog. Make coffee. Go upstairs to shower and get dressed. Stand in closet for 5 minutes realizing everything I want to wear requires pants that I don’t have anymore.
I’ve steadily been purging my closet of pants, skirts, and dresses that no longer fit. (Watch out, curves ahead! hehe.)
In light of my closet culling and style cultivation, it was time to take another hard look at my closet and drawers to see what garments were cluttering the space, which were within the style parameters but lacked outfit options, and what is frequent repeats.
Goodbye trousers that don’t fit. I just can’t feel professional, adventurous, or comfortable when I’m constantly tugging on the crotch seam to make room in the seat of the pants.
Goodbye underwear that doesn’t fit. Seriously, I can’t believe it took me this long to realize that those panty lines go away when you wear the next size up.
Goodbye clothing items I picked up for free or at thrift stores with the phrase “why not?” or “I bet I could make it work”. You don’t really match the other parts of my wardrobe.
Garments on notice:
For all handmade garments, there is a honeymoon period. At least for me.
The euphoria of completing a garment makes me love it, unless it really doesn’t fit. I am excited to wear it and will usually excuse minor issues. But time is the real test for garments. Do I go back to it? Do those small issues become deterrents from future wearing.
I think I have been able to make this particular Catarina Dress look good in photos. But just wearing it around, it is not very flattering in the lower half. I am reluctant to give it away completely, because the fabric came from a friend. So for now I’ll hold onto it but take it out of work-rotation. The fabric is very translucent. I don’t feel that comfortable wearing it to work. I does work really well as a travel dress when I got to warm climates.
With regards to this Camas Blouse, I love the garment and the cut. This fabric is cheap and is looking quite bad. I’ll keep wearing the shirt is casual settings but it is likely going to become a rag when the fabric dies.
I’ve never worn this. I cannot find the right outfit for it because it does not belong in my wardrobe. I am going to frog it and use the yarn for a hat to match my starshower cowl.
Fall is almost over and I haven’t started any of my Fall sewing projects. I was talking to someone recently and I think I’ve been mourning the loss of my sewing companion more deeply than I had realized. But with this closet purge and my recent fabric stash decluttering, I feel like when I do sit down to sew, I won’t be as paralyzed by options.
The Fabric Alchemist 
The Camas blouse turned out really well, and this way, you’ve proved it fits and it’s wearable so you can drop the next level up of money on the fabric. Now finding that perfect fabric…..well, that’s the hunt.
For that dress, do you think a full slip would help? I find that slips do wonders to smooth lines, prevent wrinkles and help with any see ethnography through fabric. I got a couple of great ones at a vintage store years ago.
I need to do this with my underwear drawer. It’s hard though, I feel like I should make the replacements, but I don’t have time to do it, so I just soldier on with suboptimal underthings.