The Clothes I've Bought Over the Past Year

Last spring, I did something drastic.

You might remember that I got rid of half of my closet. Half. Of all the clothes I owned. Partly because the closet in our apartment was tiny and there was no storage to spare. But partly because I had so many clothes that I simply didn't love.

I wrote about the process of paring down my closet here—everything from the reasons why I did it to how it was working for me a couple of months later. I also wrote a follow-up post with my tips for anyone who wants to whittle down their closet—and how to not have regrets about doing so.

But after I got rid of all of those clothes, I decided that I wanted to be super picky about the new clothes I brought into my wardrobe. I didn't want to just buy something because it was a good deal or was only kinda what I was looking for. I wanted to hold out for those items that I found myself always wanting to wear—over and over and over again.

It's been a year since that big purge, and I thought that since we're in the midst of the Make the Most of Your Wardrobe series, it was time for an update, to see how I'm doing on my vow to be more selective about the new clothes I buy. So, I went through my closet and pulled out (and photographed!) all the pieces I have bought over the past year since I instituted this new rule.

On one hand, I was surprised at all the things I'd bought; it feels like I never buy anything and yet, lo and behold, there were almost two dozen new items—that's almost two new pieces of clothing a month! On the other hand, for someone who used to work at the mall and go shopping at least once a week, it kind of seems paltry (maybe even a smidge disappointing, if I'm being honest) for a year's worth of shopping.

But it's not really the quantity of clothes that matters. It's the quality. When I got rid of all those clothes, I decided that for the new clothes I bought, I wanted them to fit a certain personality profile: "laidback sophistication," is what I decided would be my guiding style principle. Pieces that are casual but in a grown-up sort of way. And, most importantly, pieces that I love.

So how did I do?

Well, there are a couple of pieces that stand out as hands-down winners that I absolutely love to wear. And then there are a couple that I frankly wish I hadn't bought. But, while I did have a few lapses (or simply miscalculations with how the pieces would fit into the clothes already in my closet), I'm pretty happy with what I picked up over the past year.

Seeing them all together at once, I was kind of surprised by how many solids and stripes I bought. But I love layering solids for an unexpected look, and evidently I love a good stripe, too, whether it's on a shirt a sweater or a pair of shoes! I also stuck to a pretty cohesive color scheme; lots of dark neutrals (gray, navy, brown) and jewel-tones (cranberry, lilac, seafoam).

Want to see what I got? Here they are, in a fun little photoshoot I rigged up one afternoon. Take a look see and let me know what are your favorites!

Curious about which ones are the winners and losers of the bunch? Well my tip-top favorites are the red-and-white skimmers, the silky blue blouse, the lilac 3/4 sleeve (altered using this tutorial), and my new jeans, which I modeled for the hemming tutorial.

The losers? The red-and-white striped tee and those strappy sandals. The sandals are the most disappointing because they weren't cheap, but they didn't end up being near as comfortable as I'd hoped. You win some, you lose some right? Fortunately, I had a lot more winners than losers, though!

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How to Hem Your Jeans to the Perfect Length and Make the Most of Your Wardrobe

Finding jeans that fit can be a difficult enough task without trying to get them the right length, on top of fitting every other part of your body. Fortunately, though, hemming your jeans is really simple and one I've done multiple times.

This tutorial is pretty simple, simply measuring, pinning and sewing a straight line. I've seen (and tried) much more complicated tutorials for hemming jeans (including keeping the original hem in place) but I was never satisfied with those. (The one for keeping the original hem in place? It looked great...until I washed the jeans and then it was always too wonky, so I never wear them anymore.)

Like they say, less really is more, sometimes.

So, without further ado, the latest tutorial in the Make the Most of Your Wardrobe series (and you can check out all the tutorials here if you've missed any).

 

First, you'll need to find some pants (obviously they don't have to be jeans, but that's what I end up hemming most of the time!) that are too long. Here is the pair I chose for this tutorial:




Step 1} The first thing you'll need to do is turn your pants inside out. Then, try them on and fold them up (just once) at the point where you'd like the new hem to hit. Pin them in place. Make sure to keep the cuffs even and straight on both sides.



Step 2} I am a big believer in double-checking your work (always served me well in math class, too!), so I'd recommend turning the jeans right-side-out and trying them on to make sure that you're happy with the hem placement, being sure not to poke yourself on the pins. If the hems aren't lined up or don't hit exactly where you want, take the time now to remove the pins and go back to step one, tweaking until you get it looking just right. Your patience and persistence will pay off in the end! Once you're ready, turn the pants inside out and get ready to start sewing!



Step 3} One of the key elements to a successful hem job is using thread that matches your pants as close to perfectly as possible. You want the thread to disappear into the fabric and barely be noticeable. Compare a variety of thread colors until you find the closest match!

With that in place, set up your sewing machine. (Here’s a newer version of the sewing machine I have. It’s computerized so it makes everything so much easier!)

Starting at one of the edges where the front and back of the pants meet, sew a straight line either just above or just below the original bottom of the hem. (In the pictures above, you can see that I sewed just above the original hem, but your original hem might be skinnier, in which case I'd recommend sewing a new line just below that.)

Because my new hem was pretty wide, I also sewed a second line about a quarter of inch from the bottom of the new hem. (Visible in the right-most stitching in the photos above.) I did this just to ensure that the new hem would lay flat and crisp. If you're only hemming your pants a little bit, this isn't necessary and is purely optional.



Step 4} Turn your pants right-side-out and check out how you did on your hemming job. If you aren't happy with how they turned out, you can always use a seamripper and carefully pull the stitches out and start over. It might be time-consuming, but it's worth it to get it right!


Finally, admire your new jeans! If you like this tutorial, you can bookmark it on Pinterest. You can also follow me on Pinterest here.

P.S. If you are new to this blog, thank you so much for stopping by! You can feel free to browse all my other posts about my journey toward a lifestyle of simplicity and DIY, as well as some of the ways my husband and I are learning to save money. I also write about my faith, my marriage and everything in between, which you can explore in the archives.

If you like this recipe, click here to pin it to Pinterest. You can also follow me on Pinterest here.  


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A Call to Get Crafty in Your Closet: Make the Most of Your Wardrobe, A New Series at Life Blessons

I’ve been cutting and stitching clothes for more than a decade, a hobby that started in high school when you couldn’t find those worn-in, vintage-looking t-shirts anywhere but in an actual vintage re-sale shop. With a thin, teenaged frame, the men’s tees didn’t fit me well, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Armed with a $2 t-shirt and nothing to lose, I decided to take a sewing machine (still newfangled to me back then) to give the top my own alteration, taking it on the sides and shortening the sleeves. I remember trying it on the mirror and thinking, Well, I think it looks good... And then, holding my breath, taking a pair of shears to lop off the extra fabric on either side of the new hem. Once you make that first cut, there’s no going back.

But you know what? I still have that t-shirt. It’s actually the top I was wearing when I first met my husband: A heathered gray t-shirt of the softest, worn-in-just-right cotton you’ll find, with “Ole Miss” printed on the front. I remember it so vividly because it’s the first time I really allowed myself to get creative with my crafting and take the risk that if I mess up, the entire shirt can be ruined.

Today, that one intrepid move has multiplied throughout much of my wardrobe, with many pieces hiding nips and tucks that I’ve sewn by hand or with my sewing machine. I’ll be in the fitting room, trying on a tank top from the clearance rack and think, It’s a little too low-cut. But what if I pulled up the straps a bit? Tug them up, and it’s clear that with a few simple stitches—like you can see in-process in the image above—the shirt can be transformed into something more modest and wearable. Or when I’m thumbing through my closet and come across a skirt that hits me at the wrong spot because it’s a wee bit too long, I begin entertaining ideas of playing with hem length.

And time after time, I’ve learned is that it’s OK to take these risks, especially on clothes you’ve bought for next to nothing (whether second-hand or from the sale rack) or don’t wear anyway.

This is one of my favorite things to do, which is why I'm so excited to kick off my next series here at Life Blessons: "Make the Most of Your Wardrobe."

Through this series, I'll share a bunch of tutorials for ways I've reinvented items in my closet to make them more wearable, from adjustments that are merely decorative to ones that are extremely functional.

In celebration of that, I thought I’d take today to share just a couple of examples (although, notably, sans any "before" pictures, unfortunately) that will hopefully inspire you to thread a needle and give it a go yourself. And I'll be back next week to kick the series off with my first tutorial.

Until then, here are some ideas to get you started:



Originally, this was an empire-waisted dress that I picked up at some sidewalk sale. I love the colors and the soft jersey, perfect for summer. But it had a really low-cut neckline that I felt uncomfortable wearing unless it was under a buttoned-up cardigan. Not very practical for a Southern summer, so one morning while getting ready for church, I eyed the dress and wondered whether I could turn it into a skirt.



Moments later, I’d pulled the elastic empire waist down to my hips and sure enough, it fit. I took some scissors to it and snipped away the bust, giving way to a perfect-length skirt. Plus, since the fabric’s jersey, there was no need to hem it at all!



This is one of my favorite wardrobe crafts, that I completed a couple of years ago. It was also a dress, one from the 80s or 90s that I got from a thrift store. When I got it home, I realized that the skirt portion was too tight and completely unflattering. What’s a girl to do?



Chop off the bottom, and turn it into a shirt! I tried a zigzag hem, which got a little wavy at points, but that’s part of the beauty of these projects: The imperfections remind me that I was the one who made it and evidence that it was a labor of love!

What are your thoughts on crafting your closet? Any memorable wardrobe re-dos that you can share? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments!

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Celebrating Spring with a New Skirt

It’s almost a rite of passage into springtime when the time comes to pack away my winter standby’s—scarves and sweaters and stockings—and in their place pull out the things that come with the warmer days. For me, one of those is pulling out my skirts.

Sure I could wear them in the winter, but even in a layer of tights, I’m still often too cold. And cute can only get you so far when you’re freezing.

So it was that I officially proclaimed it springtime when I pulled out a new skirt I got from Shabby Apple (called the “Jubjub Bird Skirt,” available here) to review on my blog.

It’s a 1950s-inspired number, complete with an oversized blue-and-green-and-cream floral print and handy-dandy side pockets for stowing ladylike things like hankies and bobby pins. It’s made of a sateen-sort of material that holds its shape really well (even after coming through the mail!) and you can actually machine wash it.

I’ve noticed that a lot of their clothes run large, so I ordered this one a size smaller than I normally would. It’s a tad tighter than I’d like, but since it’s retro to begin with I think having it sit at my natural waist is actually, well, fitting. (Still, I'd recommend ordering your normal size if you pick this one out.)

I twirled around in it on our back porch, and here are some photos for you:





You can find the Jubjub Bird Skirt on Shabby Apple or search through their entire collection of vintage-inspired women’s dresses, maternity dresses or even dresses for little girls.

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Living with Less: Why I Got Rid of Half My Clothes

It's been about two months since I considerably downsized my closet, taking huge armfuls of sweaters, tops, purses and shoes, and shoving them into garbage bags destined for secondhand shops. And even though I still ask, What to wear? each morning, I've found that the answers to that question are much more satisfying now.

I realized I haven't really said much regarding this wardrobe overhaul of mine, so I figured it was time for some details and updates.

What prompted this wardrobe overhaul? Well, we were in the midst of our apartment move—packing up all our belongings and moving within a 2-day time frame from when we found our new place—when I was overwhelmed by all of the stuff we had. Much of it was kitchenware and food, furniture and books, things that took up space but served useful purposes.

But then I came to my closet and I just couldn't bear the thought of moving all of those clothes on top of everything else. It just seemed excessive to me. Add to that the fact that the closet in our new apartment was significantly smaller than what I'd enjoyed in the old apartment? (See a little sneak peek at the new closet.) It's then that push came to shove.

In a moment of fortunate haste, I decided to divvy up the clothes, separating the ones that I love from the ones that go unworn month after month or that I only wear because I feel like I need to get some use out of them. 

I've cleaned out my closet dozens of times before, but this was the first time I'd ever been so ambitious and decisive while weeding out my wardrobe. "Like" no longer cut it. Now, they had to overcome the threshold of "Love." As I stuffed garbage bags full, I noticed that the "Love" pile was significantly smaller than the "Goodbye" pile.  This should be interesting, I thought.

I still held on to the "goodbye" pile for another month after we moved (mostly because I was so busy unpacking that I didn't feel like going out of my way to donate them, but also because, you know, just in case). And I found that I didn't have any use for the castoff clothes after all. Even though they were sitting right there the whole time, I found that I didn't miss them and never went rummaging back through them to rescue anything.

I was content wearing only my favorites and having less hangers to flit through to find them. It was something of a relief.

That's when I got rid of the clothes for good.

And you know what? I can honestly say that I haven't regretted the decision to downsize one bit.

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