Monday, September 17, 2012

Evaluating September Sewing Versatility - Silhouette first

Happy to have found the mojo and at just over the two week mark for September I've made a few wearable pieces.  Now, before I make more separate pieces, let's look at what we have so far, and how many combinations of sewn garments and existing pieces I can make from these.

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boatneck creme

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McCalls 6571 bateau neckline
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7 pieces - to be worn as follows

The skirt needs a fitted top to be worn tucked in, otherwise it's too bulky for me, so the pairing of the boatneck with the skirt is not going to happen in real life, no matter how cute it looked on the dressform.
The shirt can be worn with jeans and other pants in the closet, so it's the most versatile, however, I'll be saving the shirt to wear with the skirt.  They are made out of the same fabric, and I want them to wear evenly and not find out that through washing they no longer resemble each other.

Even though I think the skirt is limited,  this is how I'd like to dress everyday.  I like the silhouette, and the french cuffs are rolled up here, which is how I normally wear my shirts. This combination doesn't need anything else like a slip or cami to wear it.  I don't have to be careful about which undergarments I have on, so it's really simple to pull out of the closet and slip on.

Butterick 5657 skirt paired with Vogue 2813 DK OOP

The pants are really distinctive, so it has limited versatility.  The tops can be worn with jeans so they are more versatile.... however, now that I see how the navy top works with the pants, I'll be pairing it with the bottoms more often, and saving it for this combination.
Pant combination

The dress will be worn alone, but I would like to have another piece to wear over it, like a sheer knit shrug.
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This skirt has been the most worn so far, and I can wear it with both boatneck t-shirts.  I know another impossibly dark photo of this skirt, trust me it's cute :)

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So even though I've added to my wardrobe, I've actually limited my choices.  The sweater will now only be worn with the striped pants, the black shirt only with the black skirt.  At the end of the day, in practice, of the 7 pieces, we have 3 combinations (pants & sweater, dress, skirt & shirt), leaving 2 boatnecks and 1 navy skirt for combinations- so a total of 5 in this mini wardrobe.  Creating a wardrobe that works well together requires planning, and a strict adherence to silhouette. That's why when you plan a wardrobe you start with silhouette first.

3 comments:

celkalee said...

Multiple points very well taken. First, dark fabrics have to be cared for and worn either always together or never. therefore limiting the versatility originally planned. But in any case, a great mini-wardrobe. That dress is stunning. Your Mojo has indeed returned.

Irene said...

You certainly have some lovely outfits. Your thinking on the black shirt and skirt combo resonated with me. I too, have made matching top and bottom in the past with the idea that they would mix and match with other things, only to end up worrying how they would end up looking together if one piece or the other was worn/washed more often.

ELMO said...

This mini wardrobe business is certainly a challenge. I may have to start over again to achieve a true mini wardrobe.