As many of you know from my past posts on capsule wardrobes, I have been struggling to build a useful wardrobe that meets all of my needs but most importantly, feels like me. I have continued to become more disenchanted with the merchandise available in the stores, due to inferior quality, poor fit, and currently available styles; thus, sewing my own clothes has become even more important to me. However, sewing is not without its own set of problems. Many sewists fall into the trap of buying fabric and patterns just because they look so lovely, regardless of whether they truly reflect the individual's tastes, body shape, or lifestyle. I confess that I have done this, too. What to do?
Like any project, the more a person plans her sewing projects, the better the outcome will be. I have been following along with Colette Patterns' Wardrobe Architect project on the Coletterie blog. As suggested, I started a pinboard on Pinterest to collect my wardrobe inspirations.
http://www.pinterest.com/ghhmstd/wardrobe-architect/
It has been extremely interesting to go through the exercises. Some of the outcomes I already knew about myself and others I only recently discovered. For example, in developing my Core Style Words, my final choices were not ones that I would have immediately made; however, they perfectly describe me and the look I desire.
To expand, here's what these words really mean to me.
Elegant - Looking put-together, coordinated; timeless; appropriate
Soft - No harsh lines, colors, or prints; applies to color, shape, and texture
Shimmering - An overall "pearlescence," low-contrast and blended colors and prints, think of the sea, abalone shell, or a foggy landscape; could also be in the form of jewelry or cosmetics
Shapely - Lines that follow my shape, nothing boxy or loose-fitting; also applies to my favorite prints: florals and paisley
Vintage - Using elements from the past; can be actual or aesthetic, such as estate jewelry or clothing styles/shapes
Another activity involves determining my color palette. I found this one to be relatively easy. I have finally settled into the Soft Summer palette, with an occasional touch of muted olive or peach from Soft Autumn.
My main neutrals are:
Other colors that work like neutrals:
Accent colors:
I think the most difficult aspect of this series is determining my preferred silhouettes. I have general preferences about my clothing styles and shapes but I am not sure I always think about that with an overall sense of wardrobe versatility. I think this is the root of my wardrobe woes. It really makes sense, though. Not every style of blouse looks good with every style of skirt or pant. A loose tunic shirt will look better with slimmer leg pants than wide leg pants. It is all about balance; if you have a looser fit in one area, you typically want a slimmer fit in other areas to balance it. In order for "every top to go with every bottom" as is often advised in capsule wardrobing, one has to be consistent in choosing shapes. Keeping all of that in mind, here are some design elements I know work well for me.
It can be extremely helpful to set boundaries. By developing Core Style Words, limiting my color palette, and being more selective with my clothing shapes, I can build a more useful wardrobe that accurately reflects who I am and fits my lifestyle.
Like any project, the more a person plans her sewing projects, the better the outcome will be. I have been following along with Colette Patterns' Wardrobe Architect project on the Coletterie blog. As suggested, I started a pinboard on Pinterest to collect my wardrobe inspirations.
http://www.pinterest.com/ghhmstd/wardrobe-architect/
It has been extremely interesting to go through the exercises. Some of the outcomes I already knew about myself and others I only recently discovered. For example, in developing my Core Style Words, my final choices were not ones that I would have immediately made; however, they perfectly describe me and the look I desire.
To expand, here's what these words really mean to me.
Elegant - Looking put-together, coordinated; timeless; appropriate
Soft - No harsh lines, colors, or prints; applies to color, shape, and texture
Shimmering - An overall "pearlescence," low-contrast and blended colors and prints, think of the sea, abalone shell, or a foggy landscape; could also be in the form of jewelry or cosmetics
Shapely - Lines that follow my shape, nothing boxy or loose-fitting; also applies to my favorite prints: florals and paisley
Vintage - Using elements from the past; can be actual or aesthetic, such as estate jewelry or clothing styles/shapes
Another activity involves determining my color palette. I found this one to be relatively easy. I have finally settled into the Soft Summer palette, with an occasional touch of muted olive or peach from Soft Autumn.
- Charcoal
- Medium Gray
- Ivory
- Oyster White
- Muted Navy
- Dark Taupe
- Light Taupe
Other colors that work like neutrals:
- Burgundy
- Dusty Green
- Silver / Light Gray
- Dusty Plum
- Pine Green
Accent colors:
- Faded Teal
- Mauve
- Lavender
- Silver Pink
- Muted Peach
- Slate Blue
- Seafoam / Dusty Aqua / Mint
- Muted Yellow
I think the most difficult aspect of this series is determining my preferred silhouettes. I have general preferences about my clothing styles and shapes but I am not sure I always think about that with an overall sense of wardrobe versatility. I think this is the root of my wardrobe woes. It really makes sense, though. Not every style of blouse looks good with every style of skirt or pant. A loose tunic shirt will look better with slimmer leg pants than wide leg pants. It is all about balance; if you have a looser fit in one area, you typically want a slimmer fit in other areas to balance it. In order for "every top to go with every bottom" as is often advised in capsule wardrobing, one has to be consistent in choosing shapes. Keeping all of that in mind, here are some design elements I know work well for me.
- Princess seams in blouses, jackets, skirts, and dresses
- Bias-cut skirts and dresses
- Wide and flare leg pants and jeans
- Cardigans that button; no open, waterfall, or loose cardigans
- Shorter jacket lengths
- High-waisted skirts and trousers
- Knee and midi length skirts
- Skirts in straight, A-line, or gored shapes; no overly slim pencil skirts or gathered dirndl-type skirts
- Faced or banded waists; no elastic waists
- Princess-seamed dress
- High-waist trousers with fitted sweater (can add shorter jacket)
- High-waist gored skirt with fitted sweater (can add shorter jacket)
- High-waist trousers with princess-seamed blouse (can add shorter jacket)
- High-waist skirt with princess-seamed blouse (can add shorter jacket)
- 1940s style suit: trousers, skirt, & jacket
It can be extremely helpful to set boundaries. By developing Core Style Words, limiting my color palette, and being more selective with my clothing shapes, I can build a more useful wardrobe that accurately reflects who I am and fits my lifestyle.
Yes, using a small number of silhouettes/shapes is key to a small versatile wardrobe. I look forward to seeing how you develop your ideas.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment. I admire how you have been honing your look using the same patterns repeatedly.
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