Mum dropped this idea on my lap yesterday morning. Sometime between me getting home from uni and running back out the door to go to work, she told me she'd written her first post and it was my turn. So here I am, taking my turn.
I remember the first dress I ever made myself...it's still in the back of my wardrobe. It was from a dark red denim fabric with little white daisies on it, and I made a very simple pinafore from it. I was about 8 or 9 years old when I did it. My plan was to wear it to my best friends birthday party. The morning of the party came around, and I'd finished my beautiful dress the day before. Unfortunately, it was bucketing with rain, foggy and freezing cold, but I was determined to show off my dress. Improvisation was called for. After some minor tantrum throwing on my part-Mum tried to talk me out of it because of its lack of warmth-I turned up at the party wearing The Dress over a white top and stockings. I don't think anyone at the party escaped being accosted by me saying "do you like my dress? I MADE it. MYSELF!...well, Mum had to do the button holes, they were too hard, but I did EVERYTHING else!"
In reality, Mum probably did a whole lot more than the button holes. But in my mind, I did it all.
I'm Miri, 20 years old and Jenny's youngest daughter. The 'baby' of the family. I'm a full time uni student, work in a gym two days a week, avid netballer and wannabe fashionista. The reason I say wanna be is because, at heart, I am. I read the fashion pages of my beloved trashy magazines religiously. I (creepily) stare at people at uni, taking mental notes of what's out, what's in, what's so in it's nearly out, who can wear what, who thinks they're 'pushing the boundries' but are really fitting right in and who really IS pushing the boundries. I sit in cafés people watching (one of my favourite things to do. Ever. Coffee, a muffin and a book/latest issue of Cosmo or OK mag and watching the world go by), internally wetting myself laughing at some of the sights I see and commending others. I resist the urge to run up to fashion challenged people in the street or at the shops, give them a hug and tell them it'll all be over soon, then give them a crash course on how to dress for their body type &/or age. For example, NO ONE should be seen outside a fancy dress party wearing a leopard print fur (faux, I hope) coat with leopard print leggings. ESPECIALLY not a woman in her mid 60's, at the shopping centre in the middle of the day! A size 18 middle aged woman SHOULD NOT shoehorn herself into something that looks like it's come from Supré...lycra has it's limits, and Supré is for 13 year olds.
Sometimes I worry that my fashion obsession is a bit hypocritical, since I'm definitely not the fashion plate I've just made myself out to be (mostly because I'm a full time student who's saving for a house and therefore can't afford to be. Sadface), however I like to think that I know something about how to dress, and I also like to think I have a unique style, my own interpretation of mainstream fashion.
I love vintage. My favourite eras of design and fashion is 1920's-1970's...the 80's deteriorated. A lot. I love designing outfits-I draw (very poorly, artistic talent isn't strong in our family) crazy, painfully fashionable designs that no one would ever wear as well as nicer, more practical outfits that someone, usually me, would wear. Sometimes Mum makes one of these pictures a reality, and I end up being the proud owner of a self designed, Mum-made dress/skirt/top/jacket that I know no one else owns. It's a fantastic feeling. Even better is the occasions when I come home to find the sewing bug has bitten, and mum's made me a new something to test a new skill or technique and she makes things for me to be the tester. I love spending hours online, finding new places to make extensive, beautiful wishlists that would create my dream wardrobe. I love sales...when I'm buying everyday clothes, I don't usually buy from anywhere BUT the sale rack (that's more a money factor, but I do get some great bargains). I love going into shops like Zara and drooling over their products. Sometimes I even indulge and try something on. and SOMETIMES I buy something-I'm the proud owner of two very treasured Zara items: a beautiful formal dress that looked so amazing I couldn't leave it behind, and a warm red knitted jumper, prefect for uni in winter.
Anyway, that's how this is going to work. Mum is going to make things, and I get to wear them. Good deal.
I'll shut up now.
M xx
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