Making the Most of Your Clothes - Part Two: Minor Repairs 1

So now that you have cleaned out that closet, you may have be feeling a bit lighter on the clothing side. Its ok. Part of the point of this series is to help you appreciate the clothing that you already have. We live in a consumer driven, "gotta have it NOW" kind of world. But the fact is, most of us probably don't have the money to have all those clothes that we see on the fashion blogs we love so much. And hopefully, we are also unwilling to go into debt to get them. So we have to make do with what we have.

Learning how to do some minor repairs can make your favorite items last just that much longer. To start with, knowing how to sew a few simple stitches can sure come in handy. Even if you don't have a machine, hand sewing can work on most little repairs.

Somehow, I've had too many shirts come out of the dryer with little holes in them. I'm not sure how it happens, maybe I am washing them with something rough that snags them, but I just bought this shirt a couple months ago and didn't want to get rid of it already because of this little hole.

The best way to repair a hole like this is to use a single strand of thread, you don't even need to knot it at the end because the stitches you will make are pretty much like one big knot (usually you would double up the thread and tie it together at the end). Also, this repair works best on knit fabric (like cottony t-shirt material). It would not work on silk or very sheer fabrics.

 To start, turn the shirt inside out and start stitching on one end of the hole, making sure not to pull the thread all the way through (once you make your first full stitch the thread will be secure).

 Overcast stitches (like a loop around the hole) are best for this tip of repair because it pulls the fabric back together. Try to make your stitches as close together as possible and as close to the edge of the fabric as possible.

After you have sewn all the way down the hole, sew back up to where you started to really secure it. This also helps to tighten up any spots that maybe you missed with your first few stitches.

Once you have finished sewing up the hole, knot off your fabric by making a loop and pulling your thread through the loop. Do this a couple of times and you wont need to worry about the stitches coming undone.

Snip off the excess thread and you're done! You can barely see the stitches when you turn the shirt right side out, and now its fit to wear again.

Making the Most of Your Clothes - Part One: Clean out your closet

As it has become much harder to get out and take fabulous pictures of myself now that I have a little one in tow, I thought I would devote some time to some fashiony tips that have helped me stretch my budget and make the most of my clothes.

Part One: Clean out your closet.

I have discovered that sometimes it can actually be better to have fewer clothes. (I know, I know, what is this crazy talk?) I have never had a lot of money, and so sometimes it can be hard to buy all of the items I would like to have in my closet. Because of this I have often given into the "its a good deal" syndrome and have bought something just because it was a good price and I was able to get more for my money (but not really), not because it was the thing I really wanted.

For the past year or so I have been really trying to make an effort to buy fewer, but better quality clothing. In addition to that, I regularly clean out my closet. It has taken me a while to sufficiently pare it down, but it is now only contains items that I really like and really wear. I have less than I used to, but oddly, it feels like more. Maybe its because I am not sifting through old clothes that I don't like, or that don't fit, trying to find something to wear. I used to do this thing where I would "save" my favorite clothes for special occasions and wear my old, less cute stuff on just regular days. But I never really felt happy in them. Now, because I only own pieces that I really like, I am happy with my outfit pretty much everyday, no matter what I wear. So, I recommend that you clean out that closet and see how it makes you feel.  Here are some tips:

Get rid of items that:

• Don't fit
• It may not fit because you have gained or lost weight, or it may be an item that just doesn't fit your body type (ie: a maxi skirt on short legs, or a shirt in your size that just doesn't fit across your broad shoulders)
• It may be an item that once fit but has since shrunk in the laundry, or stretched out from use
• You haven't worn for over 1 year
• Look, the truth is you are just not going to wear it. If its been over a year its time to let it go. Go on. You can do it.
• Have irreparable damage (holes, broken zippers, stains that won't come out)
• If you can sew, rips on seams, lost buttons, or minor alterations can all be taken care of, but any damage greater than that probably means its time to retire the item
• Looks worn out from excessive wear
• Sometimes we just wear clothes out. And you can tell. So even if its your very favorite item, if its pilling (although there is a trick for that that I will share later), stretched out, faded, has armpit stains, or any other signs of much love, it may be time to say goodbye.

I know this may seem difficult, but cleaning must come first before any other tips will be effective. Heck, you may even find some stuff in there that you forgot about. If nothing else, cleaning is therapeutic, and you will be on your way to fully appreciating your wardrobe. 

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Blouse: New York & Company

Pants: New York & Company

Heels: Aldo

Have you ever noticed how trends work on you?  How you might hate something when you first see it and then over time you start to like it, then even love it, and before you know it that trend is making a home in your closet?  That happened to me with these pants. I can't say its the first time though.

When I was in fifth grade, flared jeans made a comeback. I had friends wearing all kinds of flared pants, some were really even full-on bell bottoms. I swore I would never wear such a thing.  Why would anyone think flared pants looked good?  But...by sixth grade I had my very own pair (complete with blue embroidered stars up one leg) and its all I wore for a few years after. 

Then, skinny jeans appeared on the scene.  First it was only grungy skaters that wore them (at least at my high school) and mostly just boys at that (wearing girl jeans! Does anyone else remember that?)  And I swore I would never wear skinny jeans. They were so tight and weird. And then I tried my first pair, and, well, as you have already seen on this blog, skinnies are pretty much the only thing I wear.

Now here I am wearing these track pants. Yes. Thats what they are really. Glorified track pants. And If I wasn't wearing heels you would probably think I only half got dressed today (maybe you think that anyway).  But let me tell you about these pants. When I first saw people wearing them I thought it was so weird.  But then I saw these, and they looked so comfy, and they had cuffed hems and darts around the waistline and I thought, "those aren't really track pants. In fact they are kind of stylish..." And now they are living happily amongst the other pants in my closet.

What can I say?  I guess I'm easily influenced when it comes to clothes...