23 March 2011

More March Me-Made-itude and a Plea for Help.

I me-made it all the way through my business trip to Delaware, culminating in this refashioned reversible skirt:
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worn this way on the flight home:
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I got politely patted down going through security at the airport because, the TSA woman explained to me, I was wearing a skirt! Note to self . . .

Back to the office in this get-up:
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Which (provided anyone is looking) has been seen before. The only new bit in that outfit is this newly thrifted suede shirt:
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I love the feel and the color of this shirt, but it is BOXY. I am already boxy. I do not need boxy clothing. So help me, please: how do I give this top some shape? Darts? Tucks? I really want to figure this out, because my other obsession is thrifted men's silk shirts, and I'd like to give them some shape as well. Suggestions, anyone?

4 comments:

  1. I would suggest possibly shaping the side seams inwards a bit around the waist, for a start, and then maybe some double ended darts (where you're sewing out a kind of diamond shape of fabric) at left and right front and back. I've seen this sort of shaping done with knit garments (on other blogs) where you turn the garment inside out and put it on, then start pinning out excess at the seams until you have the desired fit. Mind you, I've never done any of this myself so I'm just hazarding a guess! It looks like a great length on you and I like the sleeves.

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  2. I agree with Jane, I'd start with the side seams first and then move on to fisheye darts if that's not enough shaping. In suede it will be difficult because you can't really pin them to check the fit. I guess maybe start with a different shirt first and see how it goes. It already looks good, so it definitely has a lot of potential for the future.

    (Oh and LOVE that red flower skirt on you!)

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  3. I'm very tall and can get sleeves to fit with mens'tall shirts. I use the 4 double ended darts front and back to give a vase shape to the box. Use paperclips to fit the suede. Love the hem on the flowered skirt.

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  4. I agree with all the tips above, however I would also add that sometimes taking some fabric out through the armhole can make things seem less bulky in the chest area. Men's shirts have very deep armholes, and all that fabric ends up around the boobal area in women ;). The underarm/side seam is usually sewn as one in manufactured sewing, so it's usually an easy fix. I would give it a shot on a shirt that is pinnable before I went with the suede one though. And I am totally in love with that red/black skirt and it fits you really well. Nice job.

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