Lessons in Wearing Your Wardrobe

... finding beauty, comfort, fit, and appropriateness.  Let the search begin!
(I will post tips especially applicable for housewives in a post soon)

DIY EASY Grecian dress

Best tips:

DIY Alterations




• DON'T SHOP AT ALL:  Maximizing Wardrobe: Mix and Match

What? You can put a shirt over a dress and have a skirt (Watch here)?!?!?!???  You can make a skirt, dress, or shirt out of a scarf????

Yes, ladies...Makeover your wardrobe, without shopping!

Less clothes, more style. Ha! Love it.








Don't believe it!?   Watch:


Another example: Slimming shorter dress, shirt over, one example

• Keep those old pants, skirt, old dress that fits like a glove!

Why?   "Creating a "pattern" for the armholes and sleeves was unfortunately not easy. It took about 3 attempts to get right (with numerous photos from the side and back to identify fit issues). The ideal way to make good patterns is to cut apart a top that already fits well and to trace the pieces, but who has nice-fitting tops just lying around for dissecting?"   [LIGHTBULB!!!]

• Pants:

 "Out of all my pants that have gone through alterations (~7 pairs?), only 1 pair came out fitting perfectly.

  Pants that fit my body type (or most body types, for that matter) well are incredibly hard to find.  "(BUY more that ONE WHEN YOU FIND THE FIT!)

-pants can be very lengthening on petite women (especially boot-cut trousers with heels that hit right above the ground),

• Alterations:

See pants.

Skirts with Side seams and no side zipper are easiest to alter...less risky.

Shrink wool by dryer.  "During the drying process, I stopped the machine and checked every 10 minutes, to make sure these didn't over-shrink."

• Shoes:

Care: http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_739390&feature=iv&src_vid=4G2SZDvuVtU&v=Pf5u4zczpGA

• Overall style inspiration sites:

10 Easy steps to re-inspire your style  : First Just Go Through Your Closet!

Lookbooks/Outfits :

http://www.extrapetite.com/search/label/thrifted

http://www.freckled-fox.com/search/label/Outfits%20%2F%20Fashion?updated-max=2013-07-09T10:00:00-06:00&max-results=20&start=8&by-date=false

http://prettyshinysparkly.com/petite-fashion-blogs/

My own wardrobe policies:

Narrow belts, generally, because they elongate... more graceful.

White/light tops are for bottom layers ONLY - life is too messy, except on dates - then the layer can come off... like a wearing an apron all day. haha!

Darks and patterns preferred.
Try on before buying, unless it's a garage sale find.
I only buy what I LOVE.  (There's plenty back at home that has lost its glow to me because it's just old.)
No long sleeves - get dirty, frayed and wet.

Higher neck lines - kids pull them down.
Layer !!!  To keep temperature right, cover stains, and just to spruce upmaximize wardrobe.

Pants are best for mom life -skirts  with lots of fabric can work (long only, full or flowy, maxi, gored, pleated, etc.) but they snag, get pulled off (!), fly in the wind, (and you have no hands!), and get more dirty.  'Nuf said. This from a girl who tried religiously wearing only skirts for years.  It can work, but it is work, and I've got enough of that right now when it comes to getting dressed!  Shorts to the knee, well fitting, not baggy - more graceful.

Leggings with tunics are great.

Love bias cut!

Patent, suede and cloth covered shoes take wear better than manmade leather.  Genuine leather has to be maintained. Save leather for occasional and rainy day use.

Apart from the musts, here are the wants:

• More basic and classic for more possibilities
• Feminine, but not a cupcake
• Old fashioned, but not prairie muffin (in fact, nothing food-like )
•  Choose 2 or 3 of the dark neutrals to major in; mine are deep hunter/forest green, dark brown, and black.
• I believe in the 7 year wardrobe rule. Invest in nice things to wear for 7 years.