Outfits.

I know I've asked this question before, but when you sew, or even when you buy fabric, do think about single garments or outfits?  

I've always been an outfit person.  When I see a fabric I love I think about what it will go with either in my stash or my closet.  When I buy multiple fabrics I often think of the outfits they will become.  Historically the same has been true when I sew, well except perhaps for the last year or two, not because I wasn't thinking about the outfits, but because I would get started and then never get to the coordinating pieces.  

I seem to think of my closet as outfits too, although I have a pretty sports-wear based wardrobe, and I love the idea of just having x pants or skirts and a bunch of tops to go with them, I still tend to dress in outfits, not really in a mix-and-match kind of way. So although my style may be sportswear oriented,  I tend to think of the contents of my closet in terms of complete looks more than as a collection of players, and I love bringing in a new piece (either purchased or made) and exploring all the possibilities to find new favorite looks.  

 Here's what I wore yesterday running errands.  This was the first day actually that I didn't come in from the cold and collapse into a limp pile barely able to function beyond the heaving coughing spell.  I took the photo a while back and posted it over at SG so it is not so recent; the picture of the sweater below is how it fits on me now. 

In fact, one of the things I have been doing while I have been laying about is playing a version of paper dolls with the contents of my closet by organizing pictures and uploading them to the TouchCloset app on my new iPhone.

I wrote about this long ago when I first got the app, but I hadn't managed to photograph the clothes that I am wearing now or the outfits that work.  I really wanted to have a good assessment of my closet before I started making new clothes.    Here is the same outfit as put together in TouchCloset:

Playing with the pictures and putting together outfits has really helped me to get some kind of handle on what works now, what I can wear now, and what I need to make to get the most out of the things I have or need/want.   So I've been lining up the players and making these "critical" decisions, such as "I like top A with Jeans B, but not with Jeans C".  

Silly organization freak that I am, with nerdish tendencies as well, this kind of thing makes me very happy. 

Even a simple thing like a dress becomes a potential outfit as it must have shoes, and jewelry or a scarf or a jacket or something.  And I tend to gravitate to favorite combinations.  

 I've even been known to make a dress to go with a pair of shoes or boots, to design an outfit around a belt or piece of jewelry.  Silly yes, but I feel more together.  Here is my Touch-Closet outfit from today; just a sweatshirt and jeans as I was taking down the tree and putting away Christmas decorations.

I was out at a friend's for tea in the afternoon and we were talking about finding clothes that are long enough (she is much taller than I).  That reminded me that I love these jeans because they fit so well, and G always says very nice things when I wear them, but they are just low enough at the waist that most of my tops, at least the RTW ones, are a tad to short.  So I made a note that I need tops to wear with the jeans. That will be something you will see showing up before too long.

Comments

[Debbie F]

I tried over and over again to do the "sewing with a plan" but it just never works for me...I end up with pieces that go together yes, but it's boring and I love having the perfect outfit just waiting for me in my closet. I think this year I will sew outfits, but I will pay more attention to the fabrics and colors I use so that maybe I can get some "mix and match" out of the outfits.

[Artemisia Moltabocca]

For my costumes, the fabric chooses me. It brushes up against me and says, "Hey, check me out. You know I look pretty. Wouldn't I make a fine costume?" Then into the shopping cart it goes.

Touchcloset? Looks like a great tool. I may have to try it. *bookmarks*