I have been waiting for this moment for the last couple of weeks while I finished Simplicity 2451. That skirt took more time than I had anticipated, but the end result was worth it! With my next project, Simplicity's 2868 pencil skirt, I am officially beginning my countdown to a new wardrobe, Tim Gunn style!
For those of you who do not know Tim Gunn (not sure who that would be, but it's possible), he is the style guru and head mentor designer on the show Project Runway. He is famous for his phrase "make it work!" Well had a show called Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, where he did makeovers for women. On each episode, he would describe the 10 essential wardrobe elements that should be included in every woman's closet. They are as follows:
1. Basic Black Dress - The basic black dress has been around for a long time. It is often called the "Little Black Dress", and it's true that shorter skirts on the basic black dress, when they hit you in the right place, can be more flattering than a long black dress.
2. Trench Coat - The trench coat is one of the pieces that is both classic and currently a hot fashion item. Most any store sells this piece now. It is great for fall and you can pick it up in a wide range of lengths.
3. Classic Dress Pants - Although it doesn't say black, this is probably what you want to look for. Black is flattering on all figures and goes with everything.
4. White Shirt - The white shirt is a definite classic. But it can also come in many different styles to make it look trendy and not dated or like a man's piece of clothing. Find one that accentuates your best attributes and minimizes trouble spots. For example, if you have wide shoulders, stay away from large collars.
5. Jeans - Everyone has a pair of jeans, but does everyone have a pair of jeans that make them look great? The wider leg, low-rise jean style has been popular (and still is) but a narrower leg is coming back along with a higher waist, which eliminates the unflattering "muffin top" look.
6. Jacket - A jacket does not have to be masculine. Find one with a proper, fitted shape. Women's jackets should follow the silhouette of a woman's body and accent the hourglass curve at her waist. It is also a perfect piece to put with the skirt or dress pants, and white shirt. Or make it casual with a pair of jeans
3. Classic Dress Pants - Although it doesn't say black, this is probably what you want to look for. Black is flattering on all figures and goes with everything.
4. White Shirt - The white shirt is a definite classic. But it can also come in many different styles to make it look trendy and not dated or like a man's piece of clothing. Find one that accentuates your best attributes and minimizes trouble spots. For example, if you have wide shoulders, stay away from large collars.
5. Jeans - Everyone has a pair of jeans, but does everyone have a pair of jeans that make them look great? The wider leg, low-rise jean style has been popular (and still is) but a narrower leg is coming back along with a higher waist, which eliminates the unflattering "muffin top" look.
6. Jacket - A jacket does not have to be masculine. Find one with a proper, fitted shape. Women's jackets should follow the silhouette of a woman's body and accent the hourglass curve at her waist. It is also a perfect piece to put with the skirt or dress pants, and white shirt. Or make it casual with a pair of jeans
7. Skirt - If you need dress pants then you also need a skirt. A skirt is womanly and can be flirty or businesslike. Nowadays women do not wear many skirts or dresses, which makes a lot of them fall into a rut of dressing sloppily or like men. See number 8.
8. Day Dress - Women also are not wearing as many dresses anymore. It was certainly liberating to go from the '50s when women wore dresses every day to wearing more practical pants for gardening, exercising, and so forth. But the dress does not have to be abandoned altogether. They can be very flattering, and there is nothing wrong with "dressing up" for daytime.
9. Any Occasion Top- Find something you look great in, that can look respectable under a jacket but bring on the fun after hours.
10. Sweat Suit Alternative - As mentioned before, women wear fewer skirts and dresses these days. But some women have taken casual to the extreme and spend days on end in sweat suits. It is possible to be casual and comfortable without looking like a slob. Find a comfortable material (that's why this doesn't say jeans again denim is not as comfortable as a nice soft cotton) that you would want to wear every day. It could be khakis, cords, a cotton dress, or much more.
*Bonus: One Indulgent Trendy Item*
8. Day Dress - Women also are not wearing as many dresses anymore. It was certainly liberating to go from the '50s when women wore dresses every day to wearing more practical pants for gardening, exercising, and so forth. But the dress does not have to be abandoned altogether. They can be very flattering, and there is nothing wrong with "dressing up" for daytime.
9. Any Occasion Top- Find something you look great in, that can look respectable under a jacket but bring on the fun after hours.
10. Sweat Suit Alternative - As mentioned before, women wear fewer skirts and dresses these days. But some women have taken casual to the extreme and spend days on end in sweat suits. It is possible to be casual and comfortable without looking like a slob. Find a comfortable material (that's why this doesn't say jeans again denim is not as comfortable as a nice soft cotton) that you would want to wear every day. It could be khakis, cords, a cotton dress, or much more.
*Bonus: One Indulgent Trendy Item*
Well I can tell you that my wardrobe is lacking in many of these key pieces (as suggested by Tim Gunn) so why not challenge myself to sew them? I mean, I am already sewing my own wardrobe, so why not sew with more of a purpose and a plan? And that is what I am going to do!!
The absolute BEST thing about this sew along is the flexibility of it. There is no real order to follow--you can create your own! That means, for me at least, I will be progressing from the easiest projects to the hardest. Also, I will be taking into account when I will be wearing these items. For instance, the trench coat will be near the end of my list since I won't be needing it til sometime around end of September/October.
I chose all of my patterns for this sew along already, so I will let you have a look:
In terms of timing for myself, I would like to finish this sew along before the end of this year. For the most part I will be sewing items specifically for the sew along, but I may veer off every now and then to do other projects. I am a little nervous about the jeans, jacket, and trench coat, but little by little I believe I can accomplish anything I set out to do. And it doesn't hurt to have the Internet, books, and great readers such as yourself to help me out along the way, should I get stuck (and I am positive I will). = )
In terms of timing for myself, I would like to finish this sew along before the end of this year. For the most part I will be sewing items specifically for the sew along, but I may veer off every now and then to do other projects. I am a little nervous about the jeans, jacket, and trench coat, but little by little I believe I can accomplish anything I set out to do. And it doesn't hurt to have the Internet, books, and great readers such as yourself to help me out along the way, should I get stuck (and I am positive I will). = )
If this sew along sounds like something you would be interested in, then join in! Click on the Tim Gunn Sew Along picture to the right to be directed to Patternreview's message board. You can also click here to check out the blog associated with the sew along.
As always, stay sew-filled!
This is ambitious! You will have an awesome wardrobe if you make all this. What great patterns!
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