Friday Fashions, My First Series!

How often do you look in your closet and feel like you have nothing to wear!  I almost always feel that way!  I have been suffering from the wardrobe blues.  My closet might look packed, but looks can be deceiving!   If you were to divide my clothes into categories, you would come up with 5:  Doesn't Fit, Out of Style, Worn Out, Boring, and Fits Fashionably.  Now, some of my clothes fit into more than one category.  for example I have a lot that I could label "Worn Out" as well as "Boring".  But I have very little that could truly be labeled "Fits Fashionably."
You see, I have fallen into a fashion rut.  It was quite easy to do actually.  First I was pregnant, (I actually have really cute maternity clothes) but after Anakin was born, I didn't go and buy myself a new wardrobe.  I wore the few things that fit my fatter, curvier shape and saved my old premother clothes with the hope of my shape returning quickly and regaining my wardrobe.  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I finally ended up buying clothes that I would label mostly in the "Boring" catergory.  A few simple shirts and jeans.  Nothing fun, feminine or stylish.  At least, not very often.  I would occasionally make that fun purchase or create that fun sewing project.  Well, I got pregnant again.  Repeat Cycle.  And then I got pregnant again.  Repeat Cycle.  Stop!  I do not want to continue to look like a worn-out dishrag momma!
 As I reflect on my current wardrobe situation, a couple things stick out.  First, I need to embrace my shape right now and stop waiting to return to a certain size before I go shopping.  Mr. Bean is now a year old, and I am not at my desired weight or dress size.  But maybe, if I dressed with a little more care and felt like I looked cute, it would be easier to resist those extra cookies and candies.  Second, when did I stop sewing?  Now, I have never really stopped sewing. But, when did I stop being a seamstress?  When I think about all of my projects in 2010, I realize that I didn't sew a single thing for me in an entire year!  What about 2009? Well, I sewed a skirt that I wore exactly 1 time before I realized that I was pregnant with Mr. Bean and then it didn't fit anymore.  All of the other clothing items I have made have been for the boys.  And, as I have boys, I'm really not doing that much clothing construction.   Maybe I'm not thinking creatively enough, but sewing for boys is not as fun as sewing little girl dresses would be.  So much easier/cheaper/faster to buy tshirts and jeans for the boys than to sew them.  I really miss sewing clothing.  Its fun.  Why shouldn't I sew for me then?
 So, as a solution to my fashion woes and rusty seamstress skills, I have decided that I am going to start my first series, Friday Fashions.   My plan, is to post every Friday a project that relates in some way to my wardrobe.  I expect that many of my projects will be clothing items that I sew from scratch with/without a pattern, some will be items I buy that I embellish/change and finally others will be accessory items.  By doing this for a year, I hope that my wardrobe will undergo a transformation while I enjoy time that I have specifically set aside for sewing for me!  I am sure that this series will force the creative juices to flow, because I will have a deadline-I must come up with something each Friday to share.  And as an added bonus, I hope that doing a series will increase my followers and blog traffic :)

So, are ya ready for my first project?

Breezy Green Tunic.

I love the color green.  I can't wait to wear this tonight for my date with Mr. Right!
This tunic is made from McCalls Pattern 5388.

Now, I realize that the trend right now is to sew clothing without a store bought pattern.  Why?  I really do not understand.  Most of the time, if I see an item in a store that I like, I can find a pattern that has the same shape as the premade clothing item.  Why not buy the pattern and use it? Fabric stores have pattern sales at least monthly, with prices either $.99 or $1.99.  That's a steal because it takes out the guess work and time needed to take the prepurchased item and trace it.  What if you lay out that shirt just slightly crooked and then cut the new fabric crooked too?  You end up with a wonky looking homemade looking shirt! Now, enough of that soapbox...
I did customize this tunic by adding the flowers to the top and wearing it with a belt.

The flowers were fast and easy.  Plus, I used small scraps of left over lining fabric from another project.

To top off this outfit tonight, I am wearing my new skinny jeans and these new fun boots.  I feel cute, sexy and stylish tonight!