I wrote this about a month ago, but I'm only posting it now because I only got around to finishing the drawing last night.
This week's topic is fashion. Fashion! I could go on and on about my love-hate relationship with it. About how it seems that 94% of my life, I've worn clothes that I hated, whether it be a school uniform, work uniform or corporate dress code, because I couldn't find any that I liked, or deliberately wearing clothes that made me feel dowdy as a self-punishment. I'm not going to talk about that today though, I'm going to keep it positive.
ASSIGNMENT:
Challenge yourself to wear something that you might have felt wary about in the past. Break up your routine with something different and you might open yourself up to some radical new styles!
It seems that, just like Week 1, I'm already ahead of the game on this assignment! Last week I wore 2 outfits that were really bold and daring for me, so for my assignment I'm drawing them as a What I Wore feature in my art journal (gosh, I haven't done a WIW for about a year!):
I wore the outfit on the Right to work a few days later, on a hot day. The last few years I've usually just worn black pants to work, so wearing a skirt is a bit of a bold step for me, and it has to be pretty hot before I'll consider it. For a long time, I only had one work skirt (black). I bought this electric blue skirt a few weeks ago and finally decided I was feeling bold enough to try and style it up. I have very little to choose from - most of my tops go with pants, not skirts. I have a few tank tops that would do though, and one shrug that's professional enough to wear to work. I nearly chose a black tank, but I was feeling extra-bold and selected this aqua-coloured one instead. So yay, colourblocking for the win! I must have blue and red on the brain at the moment!
Do you have some fatshion tips to share? Please do!
I'm probably not the right person to ask for tips - there are plenty of women out there much more qualified to impart wisdom on this topic! But I'll share some of the things I do, or have done in the past, to obtain clothes I liked ....
I learned how to sew!
It's been years since I've sewn much, but I used to make myself tops, dresses, pants and skirts. It was mostly basic stuff, but it was the only way I could wear colours and patterns I liked. They just weren't available to buy at all. I treasured the clothes I made and wore them all the time.
I learned how to alter clothes!
I will often alter clothes in various ways. It's much quicker and easier than making them from scratch, so there's moer (almost-) instant gratification. Some of the alterations I've done:
* altered many tops/dresses to make the neckline higher. I'm of the small-boobed variety, and I often have a problem with the neckline being too low, so my assets are in danger of peeking out or even falling out! Some quick darts in the shoulders usually solves that problem.
* took in a denim skirt that was too big and added a lacy frill.
* dyed various clothes, pants, tops, scarves, different colours.
* took a tank top that was too small, but too pretty to part with, cut it down the middle and added some ties to make an open vest.
* a couple of times, I've seen a t-shirt and I absolutely loved the motif, and it didn't come in my size. I bought it anyway, and opened up the side seams, and inserted a triangle or rectangle of fabric, and voila! It was my size.
* took in loose dresses and tops to make them more fitted around my boobal area.
* a few times I have embellished cheap t-shirts, with fabric paint, appliques, buttons, embroidery, etc.
I know my measurements and body type!
I do buy clothes online, but I'm careful of what I buy. I have my measurements saved on my computer, so I can quickly check if something comes in my size. I know what styles of clothes work on my body type. I only need to glance quickly at the photo to know if something will suit me or not. For example, I'm very high-waisted and my tummy is an apple shape, so I know that something with a defined waistline isn't going to fit me. My top half is 2 sizes smaller than my bottom half and I know that fitted dresses "in my size" are usually very baggy around the boobs. So I avoid those too. I look for tops/dresses with an Empire line (the defining area is just under the bust) and which are loose around the stomach/hips area. Loose-fitting clothes with no seams are the safest choice of all, and there are other ways of styling them to make them interesting. None of these tips are foolproof, so above all, I'm prepared to alter them (see above!) if they don't fit so my money isn't wasted.
I have a few little tricks!
One of my favourite websites for online shopping features Asian beauty products, accessories and clothes and I order from there quite regularly. Asian clothing brands usually only produce styles in one or two sizes. The pressure to conform must be even more excrutiating than in the West. Anyway, a while back I was desperate to own some Asian fashion items, and I somehow came up with these two little tricks:
* If I want to buy a top, I do a search on the term 'oversized'. If the top looks really loose on the model, like she could practically swim around in it, then I know it will probably fit me. When I check the measurements, I'm usually right. In fact, some of the tops I've bought even look oversized on me!
* If I want to buy a cardigan, I do a search on the term 'batwing'. The batwing sleeve (loose/triangular shape under the arms) style is almost guaranteed to fit over my big ole upper arms. I've had a lot of luck getting a variety of lovely cardigans this way.
I read plus-size fashion blogs!
I like to read fashion blogs written by women of all shapes and sizes, but I regularly try to read ones that feature women who:
* are a similar size and shape to me. This gives me a good idea of what clothes might look like on me, and often I'm inspired knowing that other women similar to me are rocking it out.
* live in the same country as me. This helps to avoid the 'availability envy' I often get when looking at blogs from the U.S. and U.K. especially. I know that these women have the same problems as me when it comes to obtaining fashionable clothes.
I have tons of accessories!
I have lots and lots of earrings, bangles, hair flowers, necklaces, brooches, scarves and bags. Even if I can't find fashionable clothes, at least I can create ensembles that have interesting details. Accessories always fit! And they can make or break an outfit. If I want to make an outfit more kawaii, I'll wear my rainbow stud earrings. If I want to make it more nutty artist, I'll wear a colourful hair flower. If I want to make it more Dynasty I'll wear my enormous vintage 80s earrings. If I want to make it more twee, I'll wear my flowered locket necklace. If I want to make it more Parisienne, I'll add an elegant scarf.
Speaking of scarves, I've taken to keeping a selection of different-coloured scarves at work. That way, if at some point during the day I regret the choice of outfit I made in the morning (maybe I was having one of those self-punishment kind of mornings or another reason), I can pop one on and instantly feel more jazzy.