 |
October 22, 2021
Sewing is more than simply putting seams together and finishing up. It's more than learning the techniques of sewing. After you're finished putting the garment together, then there's the fitting. That involves making the garment comfortable on you without unnecessary wrinkles. And that means standing at a normal stance, weight evenly distributed and not reaching to pick apples or stooping to pick up something from the floor. It means standing
naturally, not leaning on a wall, railing or person.Â
So once you've solved all that, you're done...right? Well, you could consider that done.  But what about these?
   
All these outfits are put together well. The techniques are very professional. The quality of fabrics is great. Some of theme are even designers wearing their own designs. But to a one, they all look awful.
What are they missing? Each one of these hasn't the slightest bit of flattery to them. Each one of these ladies doesn't have serious figure problems with one of them being a very famous runway model which means a perfect figure, as far as photographers, designers and retailers are concerned. But they all look dumpy, frumpy and crummy! Why? Because there's nothing flattering about any of these styles.Â
So after you've sewn up a garment with great sewing techniques, and after you have fit yourself, what happens when the garment doesn't flatter? Honestly, it looks as though you haven't sewn it right or something's wrong with the fit. To me, the garment isn't finished unless it's sewn well, fits well, and it flatters the wearer - oh yeah - all that and has to be comfy.
Sound impossible? Well, retailers, designers and clothing manufacturers would have you think so, but to be honest, it's not that hard. What's hard is to think to look for it.Â
I've talked many times about my three white suits. They were fitted with excellence and my mentor graded my sewing skill superb, but something was wrong. She saw it, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I put them aside, but didn't wear them cause they really didn't look good on me. Then a couple of months later I made a cream-colored suit, in almost the same look, and BAM! It sang on me. The reason - because the
color was flattering and the white is not. In the white I looked like some obsessive nurse gone awry! In the cream I look like a sophisticate from Palm Beach!
Lesson learned - no more white suits for me!
Color is only the start of flattering your look, and there are many others, but color is vital. So where else do you look? Here are some ideas:
1. Color - like above, stick to your color palette. If you don't know what that is, I recommend Color Me Beautiful. An older book, but it is so well done and has survived the test of time. Don't kid yourself that this doesn't matter. After you have collected a good amount of color from your palette, you can vary it a little, but one thing you will discover. Those variations outside your palette will only go with one or two outfits,
while those inside your palette can mix and match better than a cake recipe mixes!!!
2. Shape - besides color, this is probably the most important consideration in flattering your figure. There are four major figure shapes, Rectangle, Apple, Pear and Hourglass. No human is perfectly 100% anything, and that includes figure shapes. You may be part Rectangle with a little Apple thrown in, or mostly Pear with a little Hourglass. But whatever your shape, you are predominately one more than another. That's the shape you want
to flatter, and every shape can be flattered.Â
3. Style - nothing looks funnier on a working cowboy than a pair of hiking shorts and hiking boots. It's like: Does your mother know what you're wearing? - OK, that's a joke - but not really, cause the cowboy's mother would be scratching her head thinking that her cowboy son has cracked his skull in those clothes. The clothes we wear have to not only be appropriate for the job you are doing, but they also have to be appropriate for your way of
life. If you aren't a formal person, then why would you need formal clothes? If you aren't a cowboy then why would you need chaps? If you aren't retired, then why would you need retiree type clothes? Every piece of garment in your wardrobe should serve a purpose.Â
This is an intervention - if you have a garment that no longer serves you, even on an intermediate basis (like once every two, six or twelve months), then it needs to be out of your closet. It's simply not functional. Do yourself a tremendous favor and get those garments out of your closet, no matter if they look wonderful and you wore then once upon a time with great joy. They've give you the joy, now it's time to move on and make room for clothes that give
you joy now.
4. Size - This may sound more like a fit problem and it's key in fitting, but what I'm referring to here is more at proportion than actual size 14 or 18. Here's the thing. We all have parts of our body that we like to accentuate, and parts that we like to hide. Putting something out of proportion or ill-sized on either parts that we want to emphasize or hide, will only further underline that part and make it look wrong, often in a way
that's hard to diagnose. Yes, this is part of the fit part, but it's also part of the flattering your figure part as well. This may not happen often, but it's good to be aware of it so that when you're going through your checkpoints to identify what may be wrong with a garment or why the garment doesn't flatter.
So going back to Shape and the four major shapes, there are some quick guidelines you can use to help with each one of these shapes.
Rectangles - this is mainly a straight up and down figure. No matter how much weight you lose you will never have a waist, and that's a fact. What you can do is nip in a little under the bust (not a lot, just the hint of a little nip) and then allow the garment to hang straight after that. By all means do not accentuate the waist area. This will only make your waist look bigger. Keep the attention up and down to emphasize your
length, and this is your best look.
Apples - This is a figure that carries most of the bulk on the shoulders, chest, and bust area - may not all of them, may only a few and maybe most of them. This figure usually has a larger waist, but smaller hips and the hips are what you want to accentuate. Keep your fitting close and not full around the chest and bust area. You can benefit tremendously by with a side bust dart. It can be invaluable. Keep your darker colors on top and
lighter colors on bottom and by all means do not get anything too full around your magnificent hips!
Pears - they are the opposite of Apples and carry their weight almost exclusively below the waist, which can also include the stomach, fanny, and thighs. If you have some bulk around your neck and shoulder area to balance your below waist measurement, you can do a lot to complement this figure. Keep your look as curvy as possible, but not too curvy. A small waist only makes hips look bigger. Keep the dark receding colors on the bottom and the light
projecting colors on top.
Hourglass - basically you have a great figure, but one problem. Your waist is out of proportion to the rest of your body. It's too small. Unless you want that Mid-Century Modern Marilyn Monroe look, don't fit right on your waist. Fit a little above your waist which is larger, and makes your figure look more in proportion.Â
Your sewing techniques are the basics of your garment construction. The fitting and comfort of your garment is the icing on the cake. But the flattery is the cherry on top. It's that little finishing touch that not only makes a garment, but completes the garment and makes it look professional and makes you feel great.Â
Moving from my old three-level home to my forever one-level home, I've put on a few pounds not having to climb 3 levels every day. But because I only wear flattering lines and styles for me, Walt says I don't look like I've gained any pounds at all. That's the illusion that a flattering look can do for you. I stick to my color palette, I have about 8 core patterns that all have lines that flatter my Pear-shaped figure, and I don't wear any
ill-fitting looks. And the variations that aren't hard, make each garment look like it's a completely different one from the last variation. Even in a different color or fabric, using the same pattern, the garment doesn't look like it came from the same pattern.Â
Think about keeping your clothes flattering, and it will eventually become addictive. The other warning is that retail clothing won't work for you anymore because flattering your individual figure and style isn't something they can do. Well they can, but it's a hit and miss (mostly miss) effort on their part. Whereas, you can develop a style and look the way you like, that works for your style, your shape your size and your life.Â
Â
This is the quintessential toolbox for the wannabe designer, and you don't even have to draw to use them. All you have to do is trace. That may sound just a little too far-fetched, but believe me, not all designers can draw, and most of them do not sew. So you are one up on most designers.Â
This package includes a lot:
Elements & Principles of Design w/Color
Proportion (Divine and Rule of Thirds) and Apex Point Fitting
and something new:
 Sketching - taking the idea to sketch, to pattern to garment and yes, you can do that. It's not that hard. There are a lot of steps, but this is the final part of the whole package of creating something especially for yourself.
You know all those pictures on Pinterest or pinned in your studio or on your bathroom mirror?...those ones you know you would look smashing in if...1.) you could find the right pattern, 2.) you might be able to find it in RTW, but to fit you would be a problem or 3.) you've always wanted to create a look or certain collar or fabulous sleeve or some other detail and never knew how. Here's how to do that.Â
This does require that you have your core pattern up and running. That's what the whole pattern will be based on and it is what makes all this work so well. Whereas commercial pattern makers and designers have to go through 5 to 8 iterations to get it right, with your core pattern, we already know it works, and what we're doing is copying that to make the style you want.Â
If you already have only one of the above, then you have the opportunity here to bring your toolbox up to date by acquiring the only what you need at a discounted price. The Sketching Resource is the only one that's new that no one has before this month.Â
At the same time if you want the whole kit and caboodle, it's at an even greater discount than normal. Here's everything with the whole kit and caboodle at the bottom!Â
Enjoy!
Elements & Principles of Design with Color Primer - This is what art and design students learn in art school. The only difference between them and you is that they have the time to play around with them. But we can do the same, albeit a little less time.Â
Fitting with Proportion and Figure-Flattering Tools
(This one comes in two parts)
Sketching - From Idea to Garment
The Design Toolbox - All Three Resources above in one download at a terrific price.Â
Once this special is over, the Sketching will go into both the Proportion and Elements & Principles (it's already in the Toolbox), at regular pricing.
Â
On the Blog
Â
From the time I started my design company, I was sketching designs for clients. It was the only way that ...
|
It's fascinating to listen to this discussion of How Much Clothing Do I Really Need? for me because I don't ...
|
What has happened to fashion? There was a day when well-dressed and even not-so-wealthy women looked to the latest in ...
|
Â
Â
View past emails or in your browser click here.
To talk about a sewing problem, a style quandary or size situation one on one with Claire, click here.
We respect your email privacy.
 |
|
|
|
