Garden Gear: no jeans for this chick
Sometimes I feel a little less than hip, what with my inability to dive into the obsession for denim that so many people have. I pretty much loathe denim. Except for overalls which no one but public school teachers seem to favor. I'd wear overalls (a la Doris Day probably, with a fitted waist) if I thought I could get them in my size. But I really hate denim. I would like to state here, for the record, that I do want to embrace it on others since absolutely everyone I know loves at least one pair of jeans in their closet. Let's put it this way: I'm never going to think you look best in your jeans. Never. I will always think you look better in gabardine trousers, or a non-denim twill, or dresses, or seer sucker, or skirts, or... you get the idea.Probably the most commonly worn garden gear is denim. So what does a denim hating person wear in the garden? I wear absolutely anything that strikes my fancy. I don't believe in "nice" clothes versus "grubby" clothes. My closet is pretty equal opportunity. I mean, I'm probably not going to wear my super fancy ball gown* to weed in. But I believe in putting on an apron to protect my clothes from grime** which means that I'll wear whatever makes me feel good and will impress my plants enough to listen to me when I tell them to grow.
This pattern pictured above is fantastic. I managed to stick within my caloric goals yesterday in an effort to whittle away the excess pounds so that I can eventually sew this for myself. I just wish there was somewhere I could buy that hat! I like to look like some kind of farmer's wife pre-1950's, or I like to look sensible in handsome trousers to muck around in my yard.
My whole sartorial life has been carefully thought out as though I were perpetually preparing for a scene in a movie. It makes getting up in the morning more fun. Getting dressed used to be a moment of joy for me each day. Certain themes pop up a lot. I should also mention that every interpretation of a get-up is tinted with old Hollywood style. I might dress like a 1930's poor farm wife, but Hollywood style. I don't feel the need to wear darned cotton stockings with my dress. It's always the idealized version of itself that I aim for. If I dress like a peasant from the 1800's, I don't feel obligated to invite lice to my hair, nor to stop bathing for a week to get the true effect. This pattern above I first got in a size 16, which I will never fit in again in my life. (Remember, this is vintage sizing). It doesn't make me sad to never be that size again, but I really love this outfit. You might even say I became obsessed with finding it in a larger size. The larger sizes are harder to come by and often you have to fight for them in stealth bidding wars. I like to believe that this is because so many of us out there are not tiny munchkins and so there's more competition for them. I gave the size 16 to my close friend Sharon, who, DAMN HER!, made the outfit and looks so cute in it that if I wasn't married and if I happened to be a lesbian I would have totally fallen for her.
Eventually I saw this one come up on E-bay in a size 20. I fought hard for it.*** This is the kind of outfit that you could do almost anything in. All you need is a good pair of work boots and you'd be good for a trip around the globe. Cute bra top which can be modestly covered by the jacket. Shorts for hot weather, and the cropped trousers for everything else. If I could wear this pattern, I might never need to shop again.
Wouldn't that be so cool? To never have to shop for clothes again? I LOVE clothes, shoes, and accessories, I just HATE shopping for them. Shopping has always been a painful lesson in how I am not standard. Even when I was thirteen years old and fit in a size 9 and was relatively thin. Nothing about my body has ever been standard. Which is probably one of the many reasons I became so attracted to sewing for myself. Who cares if your top half is a whole size smaller than your bottom half when you can sew something that fits that interesting body? Who cares if your waist is really small in proportion to your generous butt if you can draft a pattern that fits that (somewhat attractive) peculiarity.
I love that so many people here in blog land are sewing clothes for themselves. Not only people who are already experienced at sewing clothes, but so many people who are new to it are blazing themselves a trail to custom fitted wardrobes. It's an inspiration.
I had a talk with my mom yesterday. I have promised her I will work on how I talk about myself. In my head, out of my mouth, and out of my keyboard. I have promised to stop being mean about my weight. I am what I am. But while I try to make positive changes it is completely counter productive to constantly draw attention to what I dislike about myself. Better to make another peace apron for myself (because the other one sold even though it wasn't for sale) and make myself the dress I've been longing to wear.
It's another gorgeous day here in the PNW. The pear tree is blooming, the sun is out, and there is a latte here beside me that Philip made. Yum. So I'm going to go off dreaming about garments as I always do. I'm going to go see what all of you are up to now.
*If I had one, which I don't.
**although it must be admitted that I wasn't wearing one the other day while using bleach and now have a ruined shirt. See how important aprons are?
***And as you can see, I won it.
Labels: garden gear, sewing, vintage patterns