Stretching my Dollars: notes on my new pencil skirt

Good Monday morning! Hopefully you're all having a more successful time at rousing yourself for the week ahead than I am! Frankly I can't stop yawning, and I had to peel myself out of bed this morning. Of course, my new denim pencil skirt helped motivate me a little.
I recently finished the skirt using the same Vogue pattern I tried this past winter, with a few modifications, of course. And just like last time, it worked like a charm.

Except for that part where I made one size too small and had to do some creative alterations. But we won't dwell on that...
During this recession, people are always looking for ways to stretch their dollar, and I think that sewing is one of the best. I love that I can buy a pattern (which usually always includes several variations on the style) and use it to make an infinite number of garments in many different sizes, colors, and textures. And if I choose a classic design (like a pencil skirt, for instance), I can reasonably expect to be able to use it throughout my life without it going out of style.
It occurred to me the other day--as I was making a shopping list for Target--that I haven't purchased new clothing at a store in quite some time. In fact, after taking a brief inventory of my closet, I realized that with the exception of two long-sleeve cotton tees, I haven't bought one single new item of clothing since last summer! And yet my wardrobe has evolved with the seasons just like in years passed.

The difference? I started sewing. And in the process I have saved quite a bit of money. And it hasn't felt like a "recession-induced-sacrifice" at all.
Of course, the bottom line--really--is that I now have an adorable denim skirt that I can wear all spring and summer. I can dress it up and down, and wear it with sandals or heels. And if I grow out of it or get sick of it, I can just make another one. And then maybe use the denim to make a cute handbag or something...

The possibilities are endless in a recession--no sacrifice required.

Can you think of a positive impact that this recession has had on you? Perhaps you've learned a new skill (like sewing!) or rediscovered the pleasure of simple things... Share with us by posting your comment below!

Very Vogue

There is just something very enticing about a pencil skirt, isn't there? No wonder it has endured decades of coming-and-going trends and remained a flattering staple of every woman's wardrobe.

Pencil skirts, plainly, are the essence of femininity. They hug curves. The smooth midsections. They slenderize legs. Basically they're the best kind of optical trick, "drawing the eye downward," as Clinton and Stacy from What Not to Wear would say.
And although I could talk on and on about all of that, instead I want to tell you a quick story about a few other pencil skirts I made about three years ago.

Fairly new to sewing clothing, I purchased a generic pattern, some fabrics, and set to work. The result was...well...not exactly the chic number you're seeing here. Why? There are several reasons:

First, I was not good at sewing. Therefore, the fit was lumpy, the length awkward, and the zipper was exposed. Second, I bought a cheap pattern not knowing that the brand really does make a difference.
Nevertheless--and here is the point of this story--I wore these skirts anyway. I wore them to work, and out to dinner, and on the town. I wore them even though they weren't my greatest garments. I wore them because I was proud that I had made them, and I knew that if I kept practicing I would get better. And I have.
I tell you this because I know that some of you are reading this post and thinking "that's cute, but I could never make something like that." And I want you to know that a) you can, and b) it simply takes some practice and a small dose of confidence. The first few pencil skirts I made were Not this good. But I made them and wore them anyway, because I wasn't afraid of what other people would think (incidentally, most people liked my first, less flattering attempts), and I knew that with some practice I would improve.
In other words, I didn't let my fear of failure stop me from trying. And along the way I learned that I really can sew a great skirt.

So I encourage you to give it a whirl and try a new skill this season! This skirt is from Vogue's pattern line, #V8363, if you want to start there. Or maybe you have something entirely different in mind, like learning how to cook a knockout beef bourguignon, or to run a half-marathon, or to play an instrument. Whatever it is, don't let fear of failure keep you from trying. Because sometimes really good pencil skirts come after a few lumpy ones...