mettes pottery

Wardrobe analysis - part one; basics

Last new year I made the promise to be better dressed. I started out with the shoes and I did a lot of thinking and a litle bit of sewing and shopping. Back when I was single, my clothes consisted primarily of real warm and sturdy working clothes and then fancy party clothes. Then things changed; I met John, we had Seth and somehow my preferences has changed. We do go out once in a while, but very seldom to something that requires fancy dresses and such. I had a few hurdles to overcome, like solving the "I hate panties" problem...that one is fixed. And then there was the hole shoe thing,read about it here and here because we all know it starts with the shoes. There are still a couple of shoes I haven't told you about, but they will get their own posting... Then I had a problem of making my high heels look a bit more down dressed and keep my legs warmer... Got that one fixed too... more about that later.

So I guess it is all about finding my new style... I made this wardrobe analysis focusing on what I find comfortable and at the same time trying to catagorize type of clothes, so I would never end up missing some pair of shoes to go with it or the basics to wear with it. Somehow It wasn't so difficult. I guess it was all in my head; I just needed to get it down on paper, to make ends meet.

Offcourse I am influenzed by fashion, but I believe that what I have come up with is something I can use over a long period of time. For exemple, in the future the skirt may have a bit different cut, but in the whole plan it will still be that plain skirt with buttons.

I know it will be a long story, but I will divide it into five parts, posted the next five days.

I wish there would be more blogs about low key fashion, but I guess what people want to read about is not everyday greyness but the glamour and glitter of parties and high end metropol fashion...

I hope this will guide me when shopping, but also to specify what kind of sewing patterns I really need, or, maybe more important...what I don't need.

Offcourse colours are important , but they will not be the subject in these postings...




Underwear is really nothing fancy for me. I need long tops to use under t-shirts and, well, just about under everything. When I say long, I mean long... they have to be able to reach the point of my thighs, so when I wear them tucked in my pants they will not slip out everytime i move or bend over for some toy or whatever. They can be hard to find, but since I buy a lot of my basics through H&M I normally buy two identical tops and make one out of it by extending one with the lowest part of other. I have a sewing pattern for this type of top, but really I can't make it any better, so it is just to buy...

The little slipdress has a slight A-line and is used for wearing under dresses trough summer ( especially whiter ones). It is my own pattern and the shoulder straps are attached in the middle of the back to prevent it from sliding down. I make it in cotton jersey with 5 % elastan But I would definately consider making some in silk jersey. These I also use to sleep in and for those homedays where you don't want any guests.





Then there is all the T-shirts... what did people wear before T-shirts !... I only use v-necks and boat-necks, and ofcourse, short sleeve versions of both of them. I have yo say H&M once again. I know their fittings and they hold up pretty well in the wash. The boat-neck I normally just buy as a plain-neck T's and then just cut it the way I like it, leaving the raw edge, simply because I don't really mind it. I have good tested patterns for these, but mostly use it for special fabrics like silk jersey, or thin woolen jersey.

Stockings and socks. I like to have kneelong machine knitted thin cotton stocking when I am wearing jeans with long boots. I like the feeling of the cotton towards my legs and the lining of the boots. Ancle socks for working in the studio: They are cheap and easy to find and I fold them over the leggings, I am always wearing under my working pants. Thick woolen ancle socks ( well I do knit those myself ) for those cold days at home. Planning on some more colourfull ones using Elisabelt Zimmermans moccasin socks with retreatable soles. And real long thick ones for using inside rubberboots.




The "I hate panties" problem was solved last summer. Read more about it here




Leggings I don't really concider being pants. I have never liked them. When they are a bit short and worn with slippers, they look really cheap. In my wardrobe they are used for ekstra warmth under pants at winter or as stockings together with socks preferable in the same colour and with legwarmers to hide where the sock and leggings meet. I have my own pattern for leggings and normally make them in thin woolen jersey, I dye in the colour I want.

I will be back tomorrow with something about pants...