I think I’ve mentioned before that one of my life-long goals is to have a wardrobe that actually fits me. Such a novel concept, I know. I have a long back, that is also a swayback, I’m plus size with apparently a fairly short pelvis. With all of this happening, it’s generally hard to find things that fit me and even harder to find things that have any chance of looking tailored. This is not me putting my body down, you understand. I love my body. It’s strong, a lot stronger than it looks. It is responsive to training and improves so fast when I treat it right. But it is not easy to find well-fitted garments for this body.
And I do like me a tailored look.
So, I either make everything myself or pay several king’s ransoms for the tailored clothing of my dreams. Given the sense of accomplishment I get from finishing things that are wearable, and the unlikeliness that I will ever have even one king’s ransom to put into clothes. Especially when there are so many other uses to put king’s ransoms into.
So this is my plan right now; I’m making body blocks. Body blocks and Victorian Bicycle pants. What? Who doesn’t want Victorian Bicycle pants? For one, they have MASSIVE pockets. For another, fit and flare things look really flattering on my body shape. And the Victorians REALLY knew how to do fit and flare.
A couple of weeks ago, I joined a sewing collective called Foundations Revealed. It started out as a corsetry collective and expanded. A lot of historical fashion enthusiasts, cosplayers, and simply people who enjoy making clothes that fit them. I’m already learning a lot about tailoring and I’m putting that to good use. Beyond the slopers and the bicycle bloomers, my plan for this year is to finish a tailored three-piece wool suit, or at least trousers, a vest, a shirt, and a bow tie. Foundations Revealed does a contest every year, and this year’s theme is Once Upon a Time. The goal is to recreate a character from literature. I’m planning to do Jack Wolcott from Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children series. After that, there’s a 50’s dress with my navy-polka-dotted name on it.
Beyond these plans, I honestly have none as yet. There are a lot of things I would LOOOVE to make, simply for the challenge of it, but I think I’m going to try to approach this largely in the way that I approach my knitting and try not to make any long-term plans. If I don’t get too attached, I can change my plans more easily. But the end-goal itself remains clear. One wardrobe to rule them all.
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