*grumble* On Clothing
I hate clothes shopping. I hate jostling with other people to pick over poorly made, poorly designed clothes that I don't like and that don't flatter me. I hate trying to shop online and figure out whether something that looks good on the carefully lit and photographed size-6 model has a prayer of not looking like a clown suit on me. (Not to mention the joys of returning the things that don't work out.) I hate not being able to find styles that suit both my body and my taste, because they're not currently fashionable.
And so I do my best to avoid clothes shopping at all; and therefore every few years I find myself in the predicament that faces me now: utterly sick of the few standby pieces that fit, are work- and weather-appropriate, and aren't visibly worn out.
Of course the ultimate answer is to go back to sewing for myself. When I only worked 2-3 days a week, way back when, I did. A few years ago I managed to get a handful of simple short-sleeved, jewel-necked blouses made, and those are nice. I have wool and gabardine laid aside for skirts and pants. But now it's a struggle to get one simple dress or tunic done for an SCA event - the chances of re-kitting myself out completely for everyday wear are slim to none. (And let's not talk about the dubious joys of buying underwear or shoes.)
If I had the resources, I'd commission a wardrobe made to measure, in good quality fabrics.
...A girl can dream...
And so I do my best to avoid clothes shopping at all; and therefore every few years I find myself in the predicament that faces me now: utterly sick of the few standby pieces that fit, are work- and weather-appropriate, and aren't visibly worn out.
Of course the ultimate answer is to go back to sewing for myself. When I only worked 2-3 days a week, way back when, I did. A few years ago I managed to get a handful of simple short-sleeved, jewel-necked blouses made, and those are nice. I have wool and gabardine laid aside for skirts and pants. But now it's a struggle to get one simple dress or tunic done for an SCA event - the chances of re-kitting myself out completely for everyday wear are slim to none. (And let's not talk about the dubious joys of buying underwear or shoes.)
If I had the resources, I'd commission a wardrobe made to measure, in good quality fabrics.
- Five long-sleeved, cotton or linen button-front blouses (black, white, three other solid colors)
- Five short-sleeved, cotton or linen pullover blouses (black, white, three prints)
- Five fine-gauge, long-sleeved, round- or shallow v-necked sweaters
- Five assorted long- or short-sleeved t-shirts or short-sleeved sweaters (black, white, three other solid colors)
- Five pairs of tailored, lined wool or gabardine trousers (black, brown, grey, tan/khaki, blue)
- Five straight or A-line lined wool or gabardine skirts (black, brown, grey, tan/khaki, blue)
- Two tailored, lined jackets (black and tan/khaki)
- Two knee-length, short-sleeved, princess-line sheath dresses (one solid, one print)
...A girl can dream...