Deceptively Cute

I both love and hate shopping for clothing. I love it when I find the perfect item (whether sought out or accidental). When I put on an adorable skirt, slip into a pair of comfortably cute heels or button up a fantastic jacket that looks as though it was tailored-made for me, it puts a smile on my face.

On the other hand, shopping can be incredibly frustrating. When my eyes lock onto a seemingly cute garment and I pick it up only to find that the fabric feels terribly cheap (which is probably my most frequent disappointment). Or I try something on only to find that it fits oddly. Or the great irritation that comes when I have to try on three different sizes to find my “size” (since women’s clothing sizes are quite consistent about being inconsistent, often differing from brand to brand). [Sigh.]

This is why I can’t buy clothing online. I can look, but then I have to actually go to the store to see it in person and try it on because looks can be deceiving. A picture may say a thousand words, but often times it lies. And most of the time I’m inevitably disappointed in the garment that I had had great hopes for. I can’t help that I’m particular—and it’s worse now than ever.

Ever since I started sewing I’m even more particular. Many articles of clothing are fairly simply made, and I can’t help but think, “I could make that” (even though it might not be as cleanly sewn as a store-bought item). I’ll find myself less interested in buying a garment and more interested in examining it to see how it was constructed. It’s not that I don’t buy clothing, because I do, it’s just that unless it’s an article of clothing I love, I’d rather spend my money on fabric and try to sew something that helps me to improve my sewing skills.

Recently I dipped into my stash of fabrics and I sewed a black dress, most of it wasn’t too difficult but it was my first time putting in a 22-inch zipper. Looking at directions of sewing in a zipper online, I half paid attention to when they said to mark where the seam was (in this case the skirt part of my dress). It didn’t quite compute in my mind, until I sewed the zipper into the dress and realized, “oh, that’s what they meant.” I didn’t sew my zipper exactly where it should have been (at those marks I was suppose to line up) so the seam isn’t even. I could have fixed it, but I didn’t (my laziness over came me). But can I say how much I love belts and their ability to cover many of my mistakes?