Homemade fashion, why not?
September 16th, 2007
Net a Porter is a site that could be more practical for the non-rich than the latest copy of Vogue. Agree with the choices or not, an attempt is made to present things real people can actually wear. Varying levels of courage may be required. Prices are baldly stated.
For me, however, it is a lesson in practicality. My budget doesn’t stretch to €1000 skirts. When I clicked to see all the skirts, most not €1000, certainly, my thought was, “If I want almost anything on that page I could make it or get someone else to make it.” Most skirts are the easiest article of clothing to make. Not, unfortunately, stitched down pleated skirts, which are the one skirt flattering in the correct length to almost everyone and still offering complete freedom of movement. But all the rest are easy. You choose the fabric, the style, the length and it takes from one to three hours to get it onto your body.
And yet, very few of us bother. Why is that? A good seamstress can even relocate darts and seams to take pounds off or to accommodate our peculiarities, whereas even for €1000 an off-the-rack skirt isn’t designed to do that for anyone but the fitting model. Who is perfect.
Most people have never even thought of hiring a dressmaker to make anything other than a prom dress or a wedding dress. Many people have sewing machines gathering dust unless there’s a household repair to be done. Unlike this woman, most people don’t even think about creating inspired fashion for themselves, but if they love clothes instead save up their pennies to buy a longed-for item or wait for the shops at a mall to knock it off.
And yet, once upon a time, women couldn’t wear what they couldn’t make. I don’t want to go back to those days! I do wonder why we can’t do a little more, though, just as we do in the kitchen. Only a privileged few can eat at The French Laundry but many can buy the cookbook and make some of the food.
This is all wondering out loud. I do have one message for the day. If you don’t think your legs are slim enough, don’t wear the now-stylish opaque black tights, but instead wear black tights with whatever level of transparency suits you. Opaque tights make tree trunks of legs, translucent tights cast shapely shadows. Really.
Entry Filed under: Food, Fashion, Brains, Heroes, Beauty, Favorite Blogs, economical
7 Comments Add your own
1. qualcosa di bello | September 16th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
i don’t kjnow how this plays out in italy, but here, i wait until i see the high fashion stuff at our local (& very nice) consignment stores. seems to me there is someone in my size in our nearby city who wears her things once, maybe twice (occasionally not at all) & must rid herself of it…to my great joy!
only a privileged few may eat at the French Laundry…but many buy the cookbook….yes, indeed! that is *exactly* what i did & i love it!
2. admin | September 16th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
One has to get really lucky as to size, unfortunately. Bigger city would be a help, too.
3. KC | September 18th, 2007 at 10:03 am
I used to sew much more in the past. I miss my old machine. We\\\’ve bought a new one but it doesn\\\’t have the same feel, (and now there\\\’s a problem with the bobbin.) I liked to make my own clothes because I liked having things that were completely unique and that perfectly suited my style. The greatest difficulty I have in shops is not fit (though it is a problem here in Italy,) but rarely having the feeling that the clothing I\\\’m looking at is \\
4. KC | September 18th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Well, the end of my comment went all wonky. It should say “…the feeling that the clothing I’m looking at is really ‘me.’
5. admin | September 18th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
I’m with you there. Nobody else is like us, right? So why should we wear what they wear?
6. Diane | September 23rd, 2007 at 6:12 am
Thanks for the hints about the black tights. I still have a few pairs in my dresser, but have found myself that they no longer look good (except under slacks on a cold day!)on me. I much prefer the regular black stockings. They’re sexy in a way the tights could never be…at least not on me!
7. Diane | September 23rd, 2007 at 6:15 am
Love that website by the way! Now if I only knew what would look good on me without trying it on. Gone are the days when I was a size 6 and most anything looked good on me!!
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