_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Friday 19 February 2021

A Realistic Assessment

The pictures in this post are blurry. That's what happens when you take photos of mostly black things against a very white wall with less than best lighting at seven o'clock in the morning. Taking them over wasn't an option if this post was going to get written.  

In terms of coping with the pandemic, this has been my worst week so far. Considering we're a year in, that's actually not too bad. And really, it hasn't been all week. Just yesterday and Wednesday night after the news was full to overflowing with the threat of variants and how they are going to be the dominant strain by the end of March. 

The normalcy of last year was lost to the pandemic. This year is looking to be the same and now, it's entirely possibly that 2022 will follow suit. There will be rebellion in some form. We all need to hug our children and grandchildren and go somewhere. A mandated holiday hug-a-thon could be just the thing except for overwhelming our already overwhelmed health care system. We can't do it. We need to protect them. SO... 




... this OBVIOUSLY called for a realistic assessment of my wardrobe since creating nurtures me and my wardrobe is boring me and creating a new wardrobe could be helpful. At the end of this blurry discussion, you'll see that the above selection is my entire wardrobe. 





These twelve garments are worn out and drastically showing their age. Two are faded black cardigans and one is a grey cardigan that is cozy but pilled. The white of the white and blue t-shirt is yellowing. The grey print was never good quality to begin with and poorly sewn RTW. The jeans are not at all flattering and bought in a desperate moment. The rest are black t-shirts that I tried to replace last year by either buying or sewing and there was a strange shortage of RTW black t-shirts and a lack of appropriate fabrics. 

At one point in my life, I didn't wear black at all and then, once I started in my thirties, it became the colour I wore all the time. A black t-shirt with jeans and a statement necklace was my go to look until I started sewing fashions again in 2010 and now it's a black t-shirt with a fun bottom garment and a statement necklace. I do believe I am tired of black. 





These garments just take up space. They are all uncomfortable to wear in some way whether it's the fabric or the fit. The polka-dot t-shirt and the blue blouse to the right of it have potential if I lost a slight amount of weight and/or found the right undergarment. The rest need to be taken out of circulation.



 


I like these four garments. The one at left is a dressy dress. The blue is a summer jumpsuit that is flowing and pretty and awkward to wear. The two at right are sleeveless dresses that I am bored with just like I am...






... bored with these fun and funky pants. I've worn them too often and because I have a minimal and mostly all season wardrobe, they don't get a winter or summer break. Sewing more seasonal clothing is on my to do list. 





Of the two skirts in this image, one is definitely winter and the other definitely summer. The cardigans could cross seasons but are mostly winter because of how hot it gets where I live. 





I didn't sew a lot of clothing last year with spending the summer in the yard, the fall getting ready to move, moving, and then starting renovations which are almost but not yet completely done so the same is true for the start of this year. I've sewn several garments that didn't make it to my closet and only two - the charcoal tank top and the heart pants - that have. 

I turn fifty-nine in June and plan to spend the year of turning sixty developing healthier lifestyle habits with hopefully permanent changes that will support ever increasing holistic health. Without the yard work I had at my last house, I can take time to focus on eliminating bad habits and developing new ones with enough intensity to make them on-going. Healthy takes a lot of time and energy and it's not at all my area of expertise only I want to be fit and flexible and as healthy as possible going forward so it needs attention and now is the time. I've put it off long enough. 

I plan to eat better and exercise more especially by walking and riding my bike. I do not plan to go on a diet but there is the possibility my measurements will change which could affect my size which could affect my wardrobe and considering it's already so small, I want to make whatever I sew continue to work going forward. Likely, I'll start with t-shirts, blouses, and dresses because my upper body is the first place I lose weight and the last place I gain. 





After the photo shoot, this is what's in my closet. From left to right are two seasonal skirts, four pairs of pants I'm more than bored with, the heart pants I just sewed, the charcoal grey tank top I just sewed, two black knit tops I'm bored with, a blue blouse I rarely wear, another black knit top I've had forever, two cardigans, a sleeveless linen dress that is mostly summer and a multi-fabric dress with a fun striped bodice that is new. And then, the three dresses and jumpsuit I discussed earlier. 

In total, twenty garments of which seven are seasonal, one is rarely worn, four are nearly new, and nine I'd prefer to put in time-out. Not pictured are my coats and a few handknit cardigans and pullovers I rarely wear.

Strangely, most of my knitting is entertainment even when it's a garment. Sweaters or pullovers typically get one or two outings and then put away. I should think about how to change that while I'm thinking about the state of my wardrobe and what to do next. Actually, I know the answer to that. This afternoon, I am going shopping for some RTW t-shirts. 

What is the state of your wardrobe? Do you have a wardrobe plan? I'd love to hear about it.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - this is a first world problem. I am blessed.

2 comments:

  1. Thanks for the honest assessment! You have encouraged me to divest of too much in my closet!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad it helped. After putting the twenty back in my closet, I left the other piles on the guest room bed. This morning, I sorted out what was trash, which I wanted to cut into remnants, two tanks and a blouse that I'll put in the alternate sizes box for now and a skirt I refer to as my happy skirt. I love the print. The fabric tends to stick so I'm going to wash it quite a few times and see if it softens for summer. SO... depending on how things go, I may have four more but it's definitely time to get sewing.

      Delete