Since I stopped buying any new readymade clothes I am finding it easier and easier to dress completely self-stitched on a regular basis, as some of my older store-bought clothes are starting to bite the dust. I’ve always found it difficult to throw out store-bought clothes. Ironically, a garment I’ve made myself is far easier for me to toss out, because I can see all its faults and my inner perfectionist will judge it harshly for not exactly fitting my vision at the time of making it. I look at some old thing I made years ago and see how tacky and “homemade” it looks (all seamstresses know the vast vast difference between the “handmade” and “homemade” look, I don’t need to go into that now, do I?) whereas a garment I’ve bought readymade I just accept happily for what it is.Now on a similar train-of-thought, and I’d like to know if any other self-seamstresses ever get this too… since I’m known for making my own clothes I’m often queried by people as to whether or not I’ve made what I am wearing that day… and if on occasion I have to respond, “oh, not this, I actually bought this”; I’m not kidding, people will go, “oh”, all disappointed, and change the subject, moving right along, and seriously, I feel like I’m letting people down. I feel like a failure, because I’m wearing something I didn’t make… oh dear, just not up to scratch today, hmmm? … Is this ridiculous or what?!
Now tell me whether I’m alone here, or am I being too sensitive? Does anyone else get this reaction from others when they wear store-bought clothes?
Details:
Shirt; Burda 7767, first seen here (borrowed from my son, he’s OK with it) turquoise striped cotton
Skirt; Vogue 7303, ivory wool blend
Coat; my own adaption of Burda 7786, beige cotton
Belt; had since teenager years
Booties; Django and Juliette, from Zomp shoes
It's crazy! Otherwise too much pressure to keep up, what happens if you go away, get sick, someone else gets sick and you need to look after them, etc etc. Sewing has to fit into your life not run your life. 🙂
Yes, yes, yes it happens all the time! The 'wow did you make this?', the 'oh' and disappointed look, and the sort of guilty feeling! Why should I feel guilty anyway?
I end up putting my store bought clothes in unreachable shelves or wearing them at home only o_O
If people ask me "did you make that?" I say "No, but I COULD!!". I think people are just generally amazed and enthused when you do – but the fact that they ask – means your work is so good that it is not immediately obvious whether or not it is shop bought.
People who know me well enough, know that pretty near everything I own is made by moi. I usually get a comment like "you didn't really make that, did you?". Yes, I did, and I'm proud not to look like a carbon copy out of a catalogue. Besides, it's nobody's business. I don't ask people how they acquired their clothing, now do I?
I used to be a jeweller and had to stop wearing jewellery because people kept asking me if I made what I was wearing. They did not understand that I was wearing something for me and could appreciate other people's work to the point that I would want to actually purchase it and wear it. Keep your head up when you answer them and just say no, I didn't make, but isn't it great.
I see ALL the flaws in my earlier creations, and it's been so easy to throw a garment away that, like yours, leave something to be desired. All of my pre-serger garments come to mind…
I try to re-use when I can (mmmm, cashmere sweaters!), but most of RTW, I hold onto until it's DEAD. What is THAT all about? I try to replace and upgrade things that I either can't (yet) or won't (yet!) make and copy those that I love and can't bear to replace.
I've run into disappointed comments when I'm not wearing something I made, too. Those silly non-sewists!
Oh yes, I know what you mean. Everyone's so enthusiastic about my clothes: "Oooh, you made it by yourself, didn't you?"
And when the answer is 'No' they are deeply disappointed! And don't consider my clothes as something special anymore…
But by and by these situations get very rare because I don't like my bought clothes anymore – they have the wrong cut, the wrong colour, the wrong length or whatever. So I keep in touch with self-stiched dresses – it works!
Greets,
Liese
I've definitely run into people being surprised when I don't make something! Though it's generally only with more unique-looking pieces. And when I don't, I generally get those from the thrift store!
I love this, you look sassy and cute! In a good way … He he, I'm betting that when your oldest child was 4 you were alot younger than 37 though. 🙂
I have trouble throwing ANYTHING away – handmade or not – though I do more readily recognize the flaws in my own work where I will accept it as par for the course in ready made clothing. not to go into a long digression from my childhood, but we lived as if we were quite poor – and mom would always want us to wear the old clothes first so we could "save" the nicer ones … old habits die hard.
I'm working on wearing the nicer things! But the days I don't blog, I'm probably still wearing grungy frumpilicious things. Very much a work in progress. And the old things are very much necessary for heavy yard work type things … Oh, I am rambling!
Have a great day!
yes, all the time! Its such an odd guilty feeling. I've decided to just take it as a compliment that they cannot tell the difference between store-bought clothes and what I make myself. But then.. they also don't know what to look for 😛
I love your look! I know exactly what you mean. Some people assume the same about me. Hey we make what we like and we buy what we like. IMO, seamstresses just have more options than the average person!
I'm the opposite. I hardly ever throw out clothes that I've made. I'm attached to them all, even the duds, because I usually still love the fabric. Almost all my clothes are self made. I buy clothes so rarely, that if I do, they have to fit well, flatter me and come at a bargain price (obviously very few clothes meet all these criteria!). When people ask me if I made a bought garment, I am flattered, because it means that they think my skills are such that I can make clothes that also fit well and flatter me.
I somehow missed your post yesterday and just saw the reference to it in today's post.
But, yes yes yes. Except in my case I put the pressure on myself. I almost can't bring myself to buy clothing anymore unless it's something I couldn't really make myself. But, even then, it's likely to sit unworn.
I am a bit disgusted about it, to be honest – disgusted with myself. And, unlike Meredith who no longer wears jewlery, we don't have the option of going naked. Well, I don't… lol
But, I have to say, Carolyn, your clothing is so amazing, and you make such a wide range of things, I can see why you wouldn't buy anything anymore. I couldn't believe it when you knitted your own cotton bobbysocks. LOL I knit lots of socks in the past, but NEVER cotton bobbysocks. 😉
This very thing happens to me from time to time. I almost feel ashamed that I didn't wear one of my own creations when the question is posed. I've just recently come to the place where I realize it's okay to throw away something I've made.
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Hello,
I realise this post is over a decade old,but I’ve only just found your blog and am reading through the archives and absolutely loving it. Your writing is straightforward and entertaining ( I get a good few giggles), and your sewing and fashion sense are spectacular.
If I can offer an additional opinion here (on the chance that against all odds, it might still be relevant almost fifteen years later)..
I am usually the person doing the “did you make that yourself” questioning, and the disappointed sounding “..oh” is invariably because I have just tried to pay a compliment and have failed twice and maybe cause offense by mistaking store bought mass produced for hand made one of a kind items!