In thinking about my MMM ensemble yesterday, I thought I’d revisit the past in the way of my garments. So I pulled out BWOF 2-2008-119.
I made it back in October of 2009, too taken by the modeled photo to consider the fact that it was a shapeless sack of a garment. I remember it being awful to fit. Granted, I knew very little about fitting and what size I really am etc., but I really struggled with this one. I did an FBA hoping it would be useful but it just created a host of other problems. It was awful. Still, I often worn it because I love the print.
Today I pulled it out in some sort of experiment to see if I could get it to work. If it was hard to get it to work before, it’s extra hard now. I’m at least 25 lbs lighter than when I made it (I would say it was relatively fitted at that point). So if was sacky and shapeless before, it’s even more so now. The modeled photo has it belted, which is hard for me to do because of my height. I could belt it with a maxi skirt, but I do not have one, and it’s not a style that appeals to me. So in thinking of other ways I could introduce structure to make this top work, I tried out some of my jackets and added my Burdastyle 3-2011-131 linen shorts.
I settled on a Forever 21 jean jacket I bought while at a conference in San Antonio in college. It’s definitely a more fitted jacket and it does help to bring structure to this combo. I sadly can’t button it up without tucking the shirt as the batiste turns into a rather poofy weird peplum underneath.
I still don’t think this top does me any favors, but it’s a good exercise I think to think about some of the items that we love but no longer are in the mix for whatever reason.
Today, I pulled out my Burda 7508 that I had made in the aqua striped shirting (I’m also wearing my shibori dyed zipper jeans which you can still vote for here [insert shameless plug]). When I made it it was relatively fitted, but I still think I biffed the neck sizing and traced something too wide. At this point, it’s hanging on me, but one of the variations of this pattern has you add some elastic to cinch in the back waist and then you cover that with a scrap of fabric. This turned out to be a good solution today to get a little more fitted look to save this top for me to wear currently. It’s still a little big in the wrong places, but it’s wearable, and I also can’t expect a woven top to fit like a t-shirt.
Do you find yourself restyling items that you’ve forgotten about but still love?
Totally unrelated, but I’m feeling the need to brag on my 3 year old. He was helping me cook lunch (Melissa Clark’s wonderful Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, though I used parsley and farro instead of cilantro and bulgur), and I had him cutting up some rye bread for croutons. Though he loves his little Kinderkitchen Dog Knife he got for his birthday, he decided that cutting up the bread took too long, so he went all rustic and just started tearing the bread and throwing it into the bowl. I swear, every time I leave him alone with a task, I’m surprised by his intense focus and genuinely good instincts he has in the kitchen. 
He tossed them in the garlic olive oil I made in my mortar and pestle and we toasted them up in the oven. He’s going to be a better cook than me…that is if he decides that PBJ isn’t really all that interesting.
