It all started when I was doing a lot of decluttering throughout December. I wanted to make it easier for the kids to take responsibility for their things. I culled their wardrobes down to their absolute favorites. Its always easy with the kids, their preferences are so clear and I know exactly what is always in the wash and what never gets worn despite *my* affection for it. So if they never wanted to wear it, out it went. I even got around to mending favorites so they could be passed down as the cherished items they'd become.
As usual my own clothes are an afterthought.
I don't often buy anything new and because I shop thrift stores I often find things I like for a particular reason, fabric OR cut, not often both and I have grand intentions of making them my own. It means I have a closet quite full of clothes I like but don't wear. It made it really hard to do the same cull I did with the boys clothes. For example I have a really warm cardigan with pockets and big buttons and a ribbed collar - love the shape and function, but it is the brightest pink you can imagine, I *really* don't like pink! It is literally the only thing I own that is pink so I have a limitted number of things I can wear with it.
With the help of Pinterest I set about defining visually what shapes and colours I actually really like, and look good in.. What is practical for me given my life on the farm as mother, farmer, artist, woman. I'm having a lot of fun with it, and with a clearer vision of what I'd like my "uniform" to be I know what I'd like to make for myself. My next step is looking at what I have and making a definite plan for the alternations I need to do so they fit within that uniform. There will be a whole lot of hemming in the near future!
I plan on building a basic wardrobe of about 12 pieces that work together in numerous combinations, plus two reversible hardworking crossed back tunic aprons and a couple of sweaters that I truly love. I'm starting with the clothes I have and doing repairs, making alterations, maybe I'll do some dying too! Then I'll move on to the new items.
It's a really fun project and Nature Girl is expressing a bit of an interest too.
