For me it was a picture of me hanging out with the family. Oh my goodness, was that really how I look now? Where did all that weight come from? And when did it get there? And what was I thinking wearing that? The worst part was that I picked out that pattern when I decided to sew dresses. Yikes!
That was several years ago now and I am finally coming to terms with this body of mine. After telling myself I would take off the weight and things would look great on me again, I have had to admit to myself that I actually have to do something to make that happen. Ok, so that is another story for another time.
My reason for bringing this up in the first place is to illustrate that from time to time throughout our lives for most of us, our body shape will change. And when that happens, sometimes that means that we need to take a look at what we are wearing on that changed body. An occasional fashion check in, if you will.
Once you have done your fashion check in and realize that things don’t fit the same and are not so flattering these days, what do you do now? I began finding my new style by beginning to notice how other women of my age and stature were dressed and tried to find something I liked about what they were wearing. For me it was a big adjustment, I had to go from my everyday style of choice, which was tank tops and sun dresses to something that covered a little better, or at least was a little looser than what I had been wearing at that time. A standard button down shirt pattern became my best friend. It’s amazing what adding a shirt over a tank top does.
I recommend when you realize that it’s time to make a change in wardrobe that you begin by looking for people of your similar size and see what they are wearing that you like. Another thing you can do, if you have the willpower to not buy too much, is to go shopping and try on different styles to get a feel for what looks and feels good on you. I suggest you take a friend who will be honest with you on your shopping trip, perhaps someone in the same boat.
Once you have figured out your new style, you can then begin sewing dresses and other clothes that fit and flatter you. Trust me it is well worth the time and effort to take an honest assessment of your style every once in a while. No matter what your size and shape, there is nothing like feeling really good about wearing something that fits and looks really good on you, especially when you have sewn it yourself.
