Analyzing the status quo

I’ve been putting off writing this post. Partly because its working title, at least in my head, has been Documenting the Travesty, hehe. But mostly because the vast majority of my sewing time lately has been reserved for the fitting class I’m taking with Alexandra Morgan of In-House Patterns. (Spoiler alert: it rocks! It’s also quite time-consuming.)

The first exercise in The Curated Closet is a look at what you wear over a two-week period. And as I’m looking at the outfits I wore, there’s actually more color than I would have thought.

First up is a rather dark outfit of black wool pants and a black top with a foldover collar, brightened up by a sunny yellow scarf and bracelet. I wore it for a businessy occasion, with heeled boots that I used to think were super comfy. Now, after three years in sandals and other nearly flat footwear, I beg to differ. My feet were hurting in places I never knew could hurt. The boots will be going to Goodwill.

The rest are variations on jeans and warm tops. Staying warm has been the name of the game here this winter.

(Probably every winter, but I like to pretend that this was the worst winter Iowa has ever had so I can look forward to a much warmer winter next year. Please don’t disabuse me of that notion.)

Anyway, these are the outfits that I wore out of the house. Three pairs of pants, three warm tops in heavy rotation, plus long-sleeved cotton tees with a gray fleece zip-up jacket.

At home, it’s been a pair of blue jeans with said cotton tees and gray fleece. No real accessories, unless you count the black/white scarf for warmth. Thick wool socks are a given. In the evenings, I sometimes change into comfy sweatpants for lounging.

As I said, boring.

This exercise also comes with a bunch of questions, so let’s get on with the analysis.

My favorite look was the black outfit with yellow accessories. Because accessories. And also, yellow. Happy color. But the most practical outfit was actually the jeans, top, and fleece jacket. Because it accommodates a wider range of temperatures.

That said, I don’t like so much black, and the fleece jacket is pilly and fleecy and just not very elegant at all.

I don’t mind repeating outfits. In fact, I used to happily wear the same outfit to work every Monday, and I had a different outfit for each day of the week. If people noticed, they never said anything. Not that it would have mattered.

Historically, I haven’t needed a lot of variety in terms of outfit formulas or shapes. I tend to settle on two or three, with variations in colors and fabrics. Somewhat uniform-ish, really.

This exercise has already given me an idea of a good outfit – an upgraded version, if you will. Nice ankle-length pants (can be jeans, preferably my own creations), a simple top, and a comfortable jacket that would also work well in an office. Plus a pretty scarf or necklace, and a bracelet.

As a general rule, I like my pant legs wide through the thighs and knees, tapering in at the ankle. And by tapering, I mean lantern-style. I like them wide, wide, wide, and then not.

My current style can be described as practical, boring, and too dark.

What I like:
Overall, I like that I can wear bright, happy colors. I do have some favorite summer tops from the 2016 SWAP (Sewing With A Plan). I also have a collection of beautiful scarves and some pretty jewelry. And fabric. Can’t forget fabric 😄

What needs work:
I don’t have any jackets other than winter outerwear and the fleece. That’s a big gaping hole in my wardrobe and needs to be filled ASAP. I also need a few pairs of pants that look dressy, feel casual, and are durable enough for everyday wear. (Tall order, I know.) I need clothes that transition seamlessly from home to errands to office and back.

New skills I want to learn:

• Incorporate embellishment for a more artsy look
• Plan and sew the whole outfit (not mix-and-match style)
• Figure out appropriate footwear for each season

Well, that was a pretty decent start. The next step is collecting inspiration. Stay tuned!