Saturday, June 09, 2012

The Wrap Up and Moving On...

I know that I've bombarded you with posts about the wardrobe, as well as, a ton of pictures...but hey we took over 150 of them and I edited down the final selection alot before sharing with y'all...so a few notes and yes, more pictures before I move on...


One of my favorite pictures from the day...
The Little Prince kept getting in the shots!


Wearability Factor ~
I've worn the straight skirt and the dress from the wardrobe to work this week. They both performed well and I even managed to make it through the day without staining them...a major concern when wearing such a light color!  I received compliments all week long because the light color really stood out in the dreary weather we've been having here on the East Coast.  Along with the rain and drizzle, it's also been quite cool so these pieces were perfect for the spring-like temperatures.  I won't be wearing them when the temperatures start to soar again but for now they work really well.


I also finally wore the light green plaid dress this week.  It too performed well and will be worn again.  However, most people did not see the waist definition because I wore a ltwt. white sweater with it due to the cooler temps.  


And if I looked a little trimmer and well endowed it's due to the new foundation garments that I recently purchased.  I highly recommend this piece because you can wear it with the bras you already own:


Maidenform Shapewear


Sadly, they only show them on slimmer women but I can verify that after wearing this shapewear all week, it was very comfortable, it did slim me down a few inches and it helped lift my sagging bosom to where it should be!  *LOL*  I also developed a bathroom routine after the first day so that I wasn't doing gyrations in the bathroom stall...oops, was that an overshare!  Well if so, put on your big girl panties and deal with it!  *LOL* 


There were a couple of questions~
1.  Gaylen asked for more information on the ribbon band that was part of the Burda 8869 cardigan.
*First the ribbon was 1.5" wide.  
*Next the neckline and jacket front was serge finished. 
*I just placed the ribbon next to the right side of the jacket and stitched it down using a 1/2" seam allowance.  
*The seam was pressed against the jacket front.
*The last step was to take the two tucks in the front of the jacket and stitch them flat.


2. There were several questions about my closet and storage methods.
Let me assure you that I have a regular sized closet - actually smaller in this home than in my previous apartment.  However, I do have a lot more drawer space so all of the cardigans, tops, etc. are stored there.   


But mostly I'm a huge purger.  Things that haven't been worn lately, have gone out of favor or are stained/ruined in some way get donated and/or tossed.  I think if you have a consistent in & out system in place, you won't be overwhelmed by the amount of clothing that you have.  


Finally I try to wear everything I have...if I don't there is a problem with it and I will have to decide if it needs to be purged.  Right now I have a shopping bag full of clothing sitting in a corner of my bedroom waiting to be donated.


Here's a shot from my bedroom floor...




I pulled out quite a few pairs of shoes, purses and jewelry to use during the photo shoot.  My daughter laughed when she walked in saying that it looked like the set-ups she saw when she did hair (yes, she's a hairdresser) at video shoots.


Finally, all the photos of the wardrobe can be found in my Flickr album.


What's Next...
Dresses, dresses and more dresses!  ...and quite a few of them...
I ended up digging around in the collection and finding an orangy fabric to use for the base of the Vogue 8805 dress.  




Thanks to everyone who left a comment and shared your opinions, they were appreciated. However, I've decided that I'm going to "copy" the designer dress just as it's sold.  I will be working on that this weekend, hopefully I'll reveal the finished dress soon.


After that I'll be starting a series called, "Ye Olde Familiar" which will feature dresses made from my TNT dress pattern.  The hook will be the fabric choices.   I've been collecting some amazing fabrics and pulling some from the collection to make several beautiful summer dresses - if I say so myself!  *LOL*  Hopefully you will agree with me!


Well there's sewing to be done and I hope that you get the opportunity to sew a little something this weekend too!


...as always, more later!



















20 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your photo shoots; styling them worked really well.
    Love the colors you chose for the dress. The orange gives it the pop that the other combos didn't have. I have one planned as well. It will be interesting to see how this pattern works.

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  2. I really enjoyed scrolling through all the posts around this new wardrobe, and am glad to hear the weather cooperated so you could get lots of wear out the pieces. It's a lovely wardrobe! I'm always amazed how much shapewear does to smooth and streamline a figure. I often wish I wore the 50's undergarments on a daily basis because the silhouette is so pleasing (to my eyes, anyways). But I don't have the energy to dress up every day! And thanks for the info about rotating through your wardrobe. I'm with you on the keep/purge system, since I don't have a lot of closet space in this house!

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  3. The BR comment wasn't TMI, actually I'm wondering how one would use the facilities when wearing one of these holder-upper-sucker-inners!

    I really love this wardrobe, purse and shoes also, and admire your perseverance in completing all of the pieces.

    The ribbon dress is my fave.

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  4. Carolyn, you're such an inspiration. I love when I check to see if you have a new post and there is! The wardrobe and the shoes look fabulous.

    ~Sewjourner

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  5. I enjoyed all of your photo shoot and the information you shared. I always enjoy the "wearability" factor you provide. That to me is the number one factor with a garment I make. Happy sewing.

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  6. Nice! I have enjoyed seeing all of your wardrobe pieces, and when you make that many garments, you should certainly be able to show them off in many different posts.

    Very excited to see your upcoming summer dresses!

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  7. I love the blue and yellow you've got lined up. That's my fave combo! And I've wondered how that style of shape wear works. It seems practical for those of us trying to trim the middle, without having to worry that the bra part isn't going to fit.

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  8. Great collection of your shoe closet! I'm a big purger too...unfortunately my laziness recently has caused me to lose my passion! I have to find a way to stay out of this "sewing funk" if you know what I mean!

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  9. Ooo I like the look of that shapewear. Takes me ages to find decent bra's and sometimes I don't have the cash to keep them to attention all the time, as the Bronte Sisters run large and bra's aint cheap Lol.

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  10. I loved seeing how your new pieces fit into your wardrobe and learning how you accommodate so much wardrobe in a small space. I admire your ability to let stuff go! Shapewear - I have been intrigued but never tried it because of the bathroom issues as I drink lots of water so there are a lot of bathroom visits. Maybe you could actually share more? *G*

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  11. Hi Carolyn,

    I've been reading your blog for over a year now and I really enjoy it. When I first found it, I spent hours reading backwards.

    You have such a terrific sense of co-ordination and your clothes always fit beautifully. I read that you went on a fitting course so I guess this has really paid off! I've always made to the pattern and had a few disappointments. Skirts not so much, but tops are tricky for me.

    I so envy your choice of fabric stores - especially the "M" word (I am a massive fan of Project Runway!). One of these days I shall get myself across the pond for a spree in Mood :-) I've had a few mini-sprees in Joann's when on vacation in Florida but Mood looks like a whole new world!

    Unfortunately I have to drive an hour to the nearest half decent fabric department (not even a dedicated store).

    Still, I can read your's and other blogs and dream:-) If you ever come to Bonny scotland, I'm going to pre-book you as my fabric shopping "advisor" :-)

    Thanks for your blog!

    Jackie

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  12. Love this outfit and the colors are great on you.

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  13. I bought a piece of shapewear this spring. It looks like yours except it has legs - as my daughter says, it prevents "chub rub." However, the bathroom thing was an issue. It has an "opening," actually an overlap of fabric. Definitely not perfect. I would rather a hook & eye flap. It sure does flatten everything out.

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  14. You never have to apologize for taking too many pics of your projects. I'm a visual person and I'm frustrated when you don't have pics. The ribbon dress is absolutely gorgeous! I'm also glad you chose the high contrast colors for the color block to come. Keep on keepin' on!

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  15. The new wardrobe is just right!! I enjoyed the photo shoot. I can not wait to see more dresses.

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  16. Your first photo is so beautiful! That's a great mix with the pretty new dress and the beige/white sweater.

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  17. I have loved following along with your latest sewing adventure. You never have to apologise to me for too many posts, too many photos or too much information. I think you're a wonderfully generous blogger for doing it all. Thanks!

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  18. Great collection of coordinates. You got so many fabulous outfits from your ten yards. I'm looking forward to your next creations!

    Lynda in LV

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  19. Love your outfit! I'm so glad the beautiful things you made are also comfortable. I so enjoy reading about your escapades. Thank you for sharing!

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  20. I am so glad you mentioned the shapewear. As a large girl with an ample belly, I like to know what works and what does not without having to waste my hard earned!.
    Obviously, yours has worked. You look really good!
    I am totally rubbish with coordinating outfits and knowing what suits me; basically, if it buttons and zips and is clean, that's what I'll wear! If you don't mind I'll be copying your colour schemes and ripping off your style 'till you say NO!
    Claudette, the unkempt one.

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