6.06.2011

walking the walk

i make a lot of clothes for my kids. but kids look cute in any-and-everything pretty much. so i dont really have to stand behind my sewing skills in a personal way beyond taking credit when people compliment the good ones and keeping quiet when i make them wear the disasters.

then, once a year or so, i make something for myself. this is risky because it takes decidedly more fabric to adequately cover my situation up, which is more of an investment. also risky because i dislike the way 60% of professionally-made clothes look on me right now. so the odds of ending up wearing something that make me look really dumb or massive are good.

my first attempt went pretty well. but it was kind of a controlled scenario with some forgiveness built in because i was pregnant and i was in mexico where no one knew me. here are the results.

then i saw this severely rocking anthro-inspired knock off, high-waisted skirt at sewing in no man's land, an amazingly interesting blog full of crazy good projects and tutorials, and i had to give it a whirl.

here is her skirt in action. prepare to drool.

check out the whole post for pics of the artist herself modelling the skirt like whoa

even though i adored her gold dots, i didnt want to copy it 100% so i went with pink. i think i like the yellow more but that could just be the grass being greener on the other side.

this was a really easy pattern to follow. i had to, ahem, add some fabric in the girth department to get the skirt to actually cover all of me, but it took just one evening and it was done.

that was in february. i actually tried it on that night, and loved it, but i didnt have a cute white ruffled top that i would want to pair with this. so i shoved it in a drawer and forgot about it it. and every time i saw it, i was less and less confident about how it could have possibly looked good when made by my skillz and worn by my body.

but yesterday before church i was on a high after completing 9 straight running days and feeling really fit, if not quite hot and svelte yet, i remembered that i have a cream-colored ruffled tank top that would totally go with the skirt. i just ambushed myself with my exercise-induced confidence, and put it on without giving my brain an opportunity to psych me out. and holiest of molies, i really liked it.

no makeup, first thing in the morning, in my bathroom, in the mirror myspace-style. so embarrassing. but probably still my favorite out of all the pics we took of me in the skirt all day.

i wore it to church and was only tempted to fiddle and adjust it approximately 71% of the time. the back section where the ties attach is kind of a mess because i made it a bit too big, but that is par for the course with the back of me in general. luckily i didnt really have to see that area and could pretend it was perfect. and i sat/stood in front of an 11 year old boy during the service who i doubt was critiquing my construction.

and i swear i didn't mean to do this. (well, the baby i meant to do, not the matching outfit)

she's wearing a new american eagle kids dress i found for her on mega-sale and snagged with a gift card (hooray discover rewards). i wanted her to try it out for the first time and then noticed it was just like my outfit with the ruffle neckline and polka dot high-waisted skirt. i love her in it. and i love inadvertent twinsies. very different from the custom-made mother and daughter laura ashley romper twinsie-style my mom and i used to rock so painfully in the early 90's.

we went home afterwards and i asked jesse to take some "real" pics of me outside in the yard.

okay, lots of bloggers can have pics taken of them that are gorgeous and they look so poised and perfect. so much so that you forget that what is going on is that they have asked someone to take a picture of just them solo. modelling, essentially.

i, however, cannot forget this about myself. i have NEVER been good at having pics of me taken without acting like a super weirdo and being painfully aware of focused attention on me. i detest it.

this little foible produced a bevy of these types of photos:

"what am i supposed to do? this feels weird"

"okay, you have to stop crouching like a magazine photographer and telling me to 'work it'"

who even knows at this point. i was joking for the record.

the closest thing to normal and relaxed that i could achieve. our lawn is atrosh.

but this is the real me.

fall 2012 will be the next time i attempt another self-worn garment. look forward to it!

15 comments:

  1. Oh, it looks great! And so do you! And at least you weren't sexting a picture of your junk in your bathroom pic, you know?

    And I love pink always more than yellow, so I think you made the right choice. You're right, mama-clothing takes balls to make, and I'm impressed you tackled it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beyond impressive. I can barely sew a button, so this is basically Ralph Lauren seamstress like to me!

    ReplyDelete
  3. you look fantastic and i love the skirt! i was contemplating trying to sew a new crib bumper for baby #2 this weekend, and i thought "i know keight could do it". you are one talented lady!

    ReplyDelete
  4. so pretty and so cool! you look beautimous...and I love that pink on you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. super cute. keep up the running :)
    -hess!

    ReplyDelete
  6. @Christine. Yeah I am not nearly confident enough to bathroom sext
    @lacey, I could NEVER pull off bumpers. Too big and exact of a project. My pits sweat just thinking about it!
    @Hess, huge LOL I am going to take the "keep running" as a you go girl and not a "you're not there yet, chunko!" haha.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are GORGEOUS and the skirt is AMAZING! I want to make one... I am so intimidated!

    And ohhh 77kids. Be still my heart!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. LOVE <3
    i mean, that looks so awesome, girl!! you & that skirt equals meant to be. you rock that thing, girl! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I lovelove the skirt!I almost bought one at anthro just like it!Can you put one on etsy?

    ReplyDelete
  10. fully intended as you go girl!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. girrrrlllllll....you look HAWT!! seriously, you are looking so good. way to go! and the skirt is adorable. i'm so impressed. i'd never dream of being able to make something for me and actually look good in it!!

    ReplyDelete
  12. love it! yes please put one on etsy!!

    ReplyDelete
  13. such lady skillz ... mad ones actually.

    Like Paige says "That is totes presh" (totally precious)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Doy, Tara, I know what totes presh means. Paige and I are of the same generation!

    ReplyDelete