Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 3

yay to the v-neck, nay to the turtleneck

Exploring Shapes

When I was little I remember having to wear turtlenecks in the winter. I grew up in New Hampshire, so winter spanned from October to March. I hated it. I was always pulling at the stupid polyester top in hopes of freeing my small confined neck. It felt so strangling. I will admit, it is a bit of a dramatic reaction to merely a shirt, but none-the-less I hated turtlenecks. After completing the next step in my road to my new wardrobe, it was clear (even after many, many, many years!) there is still no love lost between us.

The third worksheet in the Wardrobe Architect, if you haven't already guessed, is to figure out what shapes you most lean towards. Colette created a chart where you rank the shapes, or style lines, of particular garments to see what you feel good in and what you don't. The scale was a typical 0-10 comparing aspects like: ease, length, waistline position, sleeve options, and fullness. The categories were: skirts, dresses, pants, tops & blouses, jackets & blazers, cardigans, and outerwear.  Then we rated necklines and sleeves. These worksheets were finished in about twenty minutes. This was the one exercise that was pretty easy to do. So, what did I find out that I loved and hated?

Loved (rated a perfect 10):
Dresses: somewhat fitted, a-line, knee length, natural waist
Skirts: mid thigh, natural waist, a-line
Pants: somewhat fitted
Cardigans: above hip length
Neckline: v-neck and sweetheart

Now, on to the stuff I hated.

Hated (rated an absolute 0):
Dresses: very loose, no waistline
Skirts: midi-calf length
Pants: very loose
Tops: cropped/midriff length
Jackets: very loose
Neckline: strapless, and (surprise!) turtleneck

Left Vogue 8896: Yes! Right Vogue 1372: No. No. No.

The rest was a mish-mash of above and below average. Not too tight, not too long, not too short, blah blah blah. It was interesting what my gut rated as absolute 10. I tried to not over think it. You can imagine how hard that was for me! As soon as I put down a number, I wouldn't change it. Of course, but now that I look at this...

Honestly, I think this was a bit easier for me as I think I do have an idea of what I do and don't like to wear when it concerns shape. It was still fun to see it on paper and look at it in an analytical sort of way. We know for certain now that I won't be headed for a very long loose sack of a dress anytime soon ;)

Do you instinctually know what you like to wear? Or what you don't like to wear? Do you also feel that turtlenecks should be banned forever and ever? I should start an anti-turtleneck movement ;)

Ciao ciao!

Finished: Scout Maternity Hack

We talk a lot about selfish sewing out here in the sewing-blog world. I love to sew for myself, don't get me wrong, but sometimes it is fun to do it for others. Sometimes. Sadly since I sew at a snail's pace, it usually ends up arriving way past the original due date. 

Finished: Whiskey River Archer

Hey, my first Archer, from Grainline Patterns! And my first long sleeve button-down for myself, first western shirt and my first Willie Nelson concert. So many firsts with this shirt, just wait!

Blog Hop + Bop(py)

Blog Hop: One fun blogger nominates two other fun bloggers to participate by answering a bunch of questions and then forwarding it on to two new bloggers. A way cooler version of a chain letter.

Boppy: A U-shaped coaster for holding your baby so that it does leave a water mark on your coffee table. Or something like that.

Let's start with the baby stuff first:

Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 2

perhaps an unknown start to my style from Rome 2011...

Defining Your Core Style

This week's exercise was about taking all the answers from the last excercise and boiling them down to a few words and images. I thought this would be pretty easy since I thought I had really narrowed it down with the last exercise, but I was (again) wrong.

Finished: Knitted Baby Blanket

How cute is that? I have one sweater, one cardigan and one hat all on different needles, but look: I made a blanket! It is only a baby blanket (read:small), but still it is done and from these pictures, badly blocked. Hah!

Does Willie Nelson like pink?

You would think that I love to punish myself. I am, yet again, giving myself another deadline before a vacation. I am leaving on Tuesday for San Antonio to see my sister, but while I am there I am going to see...can you guess? Willie Nelson! I bet you smarty-pants probably figured out by my super mysterious post title. I can't get anything past you.

Now. Let's talk Western Shirts.

Wardrobe Architect: Worksheet 1

both my grandmothers in their early 20's

Making Style More Personal

Taking my history, philosophy, location, body issues and culture into consideration is the first week's exercise for the Wardrobe Architect by Colette. This, as I assume will happen with most of these worksheets, was much harder for me to do than I thought. Since all my answers would take a super long post, I am only going to share a couple of my answers. You're welcome :)

A Door Closes....

from our trip to the Banfi Estate in 2011

I am no longer a cheesemonger.

A Thoughtful Process: Wardrobe Architect Project

Unless you are an avid reader of sewing blogs like I am, it is possible that you missed this great series on Colette earlier this year, the Wardrobe Architect. I read it every week inspired, yet wasn't able to find the time or the steam to actually see the project through. Then this happened this morning:

I woke up. Showered. Went to my closet. I stood there looking at the clothes that hung and even though there are lots of choices hanging, nothing made me excited to wear it. Lots of options but nothing that I wanted to wear.

Butterick 5970: Hook & Eye Hell

It has been awhile since I last posted. Sigh. You know, I seem to start a post with that sentence so much that it almost doesn't need to be written anymore. You good with that? Good. Here we go.