Talk Back Thursday

Thank you so much to Gwen, Carla, Mary and Sarah for talking back to my confession last week! I asked if your experience sewing has changed the way you look at clothes and fashion and, if so, how. Gwen reported that she has always sewn, so she doesn’t really have a “pre-sewing” comparison point. But everyone else answered with a resounding, “Yes!”

For me, the impact falls into two main categories. First, when I see an outfit that I like, I am much more likely now to analyze it into separate features and think about how it could be made. Sarah called out this post-sewing change too. Pre-sewing, I just formed a global impression of, “Oooh, how pretty!” ;)

Sarah and I also agreed on another impact – post-sewing, both of us are less likely to buy things that would be easy to make or are cheaply / poorly made. I never used to look at the inside of an OTR (off the rack) garment before deciding whether or not to purchase it – now, I always do!

But the impact that was most frequently called out across all of the commenters was actually an increased ability to assess fit. Sarah and Mary both say that, through sewing, they have learned how to assess a garment’s fit on themselves and others. Along those same lines, Carla says that her sewing experience has improved her ability to recognize body types and the styles and colors that are flattering on her.

All of these comments reflect a deeper understanding of the relationship between clothes and the human body – I don’t think I’ve gotten there yet… Hopefully someday!

Finally, Sarah reported that she has gained the ability to look beyond a garment’s current state and figure out if she can work with it to create something that she will love. (She does a lot of repurposing of thrift store clothing.) Another visual skill that I have yet to master…

Thanks again everyone! You’ve given me a lot to think about, and I’m going to try to consciously focus on improving some of those visual skills that you have called out! :)

Photo credit: Esquire