Simplicity 2497: Fitting the Muslin

This post contains affiliate links
Once your paper alterations are done it's time for a muslin fitting so you can see all the many ways your alterations went wrong.  You can skip fitting the muslin if you are confident.  Hubris is always punished but you know, whatever floats your boat.  When I make a muslin I, do the bare minimum.  I skip facings, finishing, and I only attach one sleeve.  You might also leave out zippers and other closures and pockets unless you want to test the installation or application.

Behold, Simplicity 2497: the Muslin.

All in all, my errors were not egregious but as you can see there is some awkwardness going on.  some of it, like the wide neckline in the front and in the back will be corrected further along in construction.  Other issues, like the too-tight sleeve cap and awkwardness around the zipper will require further attention.

The sleeve in image 2 and 3 is after further sleeve alteration

I mean, this sleeve was fucked up.  The top part of the sleeve was sooo tight and the armhole itself seemed too small which didn't seem possible considering how much length I added to the bodice sides.  After much googling, internet tutorial research, youtube video watching, and redrawing of patterns, I went back to Sewing for Plus Sizes and realized that I forgot to add the length from the bodice to the sleeves. 

1. Too tight sleeve cap, 2. Dart detail and high waistline, 3. Too much length in the neckline, 4. Zipper into pocket detail

Problems:

1. I added unnecessary length to the neckline pattern.  
2. The invisible zipper into pocket application was fussy and not well done.
3. This waist seems much more empire than other finished versions I've found online.

Solutions:

1. Restore the neckline pattern pieces to their original forms to remove the extra fullness.
2. I decided on a slightly shorter zipper than the pattern calls for.  My FBA translated to much more length in the bodice as well, so my pocket only contained about an inch or so of zipper anyway.
3. I am going to add an additional two inches to the bodice length.  

Simplicity 2497

I had some time off a couple of weeks ago and having time on my hands led to several ideas. . . . Some considerably better than others.

Idea 1: I should make something. (Inner Me: I totally should! I love making shit!)

Idea 2: I bet I could thread my own eyebrows. (Inner Me: I totally could! I'll learn how on youtube!  This is a great idea!)

I'll talk about Idea 1 today as I do, indeed, love to make shit.  I'm still trying to come to terms with Idea 2 as I do, indeed, occasionally lie to myself. 

I think I originally cut this pattern out two years ago.  Is letting it languish in my pattern books laziness-or something more sinister?  (I don't really think it's sinister. Probably just lazy.  Had the opportunity to use the word "sinister" in a sentence and didn't want to let it pass.)

Source

 Whatever, it was kind of a nice surprise to find the fussiest part already done when I finally unpacked my pattern books.

I am working on view B because it has sleeves and does not have the neck ruffle.  A basic Google image search suggests that View C seems to be the most popular version by far.  

Google Image Search

It's cute and all, but I'm pretty sure it's not for me.  I don't think I have enough neck for a ruff and this particular neck ruffle makes me think of those dinosaurs with the neck thing. 

 

Google Image Search

I also don't think I have to poise to pull a neck ruffle off.  I have this idea wearing a dress with all that going on around the collar would be a lot like feeling like you walked into a cobweb without being able to find it . . .  like all the time.

I'm uncomfortable just thinking about it..

View B is more my style and might result in a dress I feel comfortable enough in to actually wear.  The fun part, is figuring out how to make this bad boy fit.

Silhouettes: Dressing the Body I Have

One thing I really struggle with is the challenge of dressing my body and my body's inability to mold itself like Playdoh to the appropriate shape for whatever I happen to want to wear at the moment.  On a practical level I have been addressing this by focusing on my health.  

On an impractical level I still want to be  seven feet tall which in my mind would make all my shit proportional and awesome.  No fuss, no muss.  So . . . 

Lately I have been tackling this issue with the much more reasonable approach of thoughtful shopping.  I know, I know.  I'm really not in the position to purchase anything right now-being unemployed and essentially homeless.  

This is actually perfect for thoughtful shopping.  

You see, I am the shopper salespeople love to see coming.  I will buy shit if you complement me just to be nice even when I know it looks like shit.  I will pay money for things I don't want or need just to get you to leave me alone.*

Being mostly unemployed and mostly homeless actually works to my advantage because I can just say no without guilt or remorse.  I can browse and even try on with the comfort of conscience that I totally would buy if I could.**

I stopped in at Avenue and tried on this dress.

Source: avenue.com via Andrea on Pinterest

It is a web exclusive and the only reason it was in the store is because someone returned it.  All the other dresses in the store had that surplice top or faux wrap thing going on.  Both of those styles make my tits look like basketballs.  

This dress didn't have that going for it so I figured what the hell.

Friends. . . you guys . . . .  This dress, with it's crew neck, sleeves, drop waist, and full pleated skirt is the One.  

• I had a waist in this dress.  
• My fat back did not swallow the belt in this dress.  
• I did not look short in this dress.  
• The dress did not look like it was swallowing me.  
• I was kind of hot in this dress.  
• And most importantly-I did not look top heavy in this dress.

This is like a pulling the sword from the stone moment.  I just hope you can appreciate it. 

Let's check the tally. . . .

Things that DON'T work:

• Empire waists

• Surplice tops

• Wrap tops/dresses

Things that DO work:

• Tank dresses

• Scoop necks

• V necks

• Drop waists

• Full skirts

*Now that I've armed you with this knowledge the only ethical thing to do is to keep your Girl Scouts and Mary Kay people away from me.  

**I do still rehang all of my clothing though.  I can't be the dick who leaves it all on the dressing room floor for someone else to clean up.

Fashion Challenges

Back to business as usual then?

Right.

My wardrobe needs serious supplementation.   I have observation and tutoring to prepare for and I would like to halt my descent into schlubbiness as quickly as possible.  (Sweatpants and t-shirts are the devil.  They are so comfortable and they just lure you in.) 

I want to really move out of my comfort zone this season so I decided to set myself a few fashion challenges.

Fashion Challenge Number One: Makeup
I love playing with makeup but I rarely wear it.  I have decided that I want to begin working on my face on weekends so I can discover what works best for me and any egregious errors won't matter much.

Fashion Challenge Number Two: Tucking In
I have this irrational fear of tucking in shirts.  I feel like it somehow accentuates my largest part, my belly, and that it looks unattractive.  At the same time, I really like the look of higher waisted skirts and pants and I wonder if I could pull something like that off.

Fashion Challenge Number Three: Tall Boots
First, I discovered on Manolo for the Big Girl that Duo boots is offering free international shipping right now.  I kind of hate that I wasted so much cash on the wedding!  Duo makes fitted shoes, many that accommodate the wider calfed of us.  I want a decent pair of knee boots and maybe even go crazy with some over the knee numbers.

Fashion Challenge Number Four: Dresses, Skirts, and Tights
I pretty much live in pants but I have a growing appreciation for dresses and skirts.  I also love the idea of colorful tights. 

Fashion Challenge Number Five: Accessorizing
I never do this, but I think I should.  I have the notion that this is how you make style really personal.  I need to develop mine.

So these are my fashion challenges for fall.  I'm excited to see how it goes-and also how I'm going to accomplish it on a budget!

The Trouble With Blue Jeans . . .

Do you see this?

Flare Jean with T3 Technology (dumb) from Lane Bryant

This is a dirty lie. 

If you happen to be plus sized with a pancake booty-this right here will never happen.  See how the back pockets are actually on her butt?  Yeah.  Not gonna happen.

I desperately need some new blue jeans but nothing I've tried on has worked.  If they fit everywhere else they are baggy in the butt and the pockets. . .  the pockets are pretty much hanging out on the backs of my thighs.

It looks a hot mess I assure you.

Le sigh.

Probably Inappropriate Edition

I sometimes wish I could wear stuff like this . . . short, snug, and bare.

1,2,4,5 are available at Forever 21 Plus, 3 is available at Torrid

I don't feel that I can't because I'm plus size.  I feel that I can't because I'm me!  I sometimes have a puritanical sense of what is and is not appropriate.  Something that fit me that snugly would make me feel naked but not in a sexy kind of way.

I love how daring plus fashion is getting though.  I am old enough to remember when everything plus sized was basically mumu shaped.  Clothes so huge and baggy and roomy that they implied shame.  Clothes that made it look like you were trying to hide something.

But these clothes . . . these clothes are sexy.  (That striped number has a cut out back.)  Probably inappropriate for my working life . . . but man I wish they weren't!


Not the jumper though-I'm drawing the line there.