Me Made May 2016... My Pledge

You might think I'd be an old hat at Me Made May, but the fact is, I've never properly committed to it. So, here goes nothing:

'I, Christine of Unlikelynest, sign up as a participant of Me-Made-May '16. I endeavor to wear mostly me-made garments for the duration of May 2016, and will try my best to document with photos."

Okay-- this is sort of a wishy-washy pledge. I acknowledge it. It is very imprecise language, leaving lots of wiggle room- it would never stand up in court! I defend it this way-- I don't need ANY more stress in my life. Here's the thing... if I say I'm going to do something, then I commit all the way and suffer self-inflicted guilt if I don't carry through. It's just how I am. However, my wardrobe is not worth a lick of guilt-- there are plenty of other things in life to agonize over!

However, I do very much appreciate the idea of Me Made May. I love the fact that a very simple idea has turned into a community event of sharing the very personal, creative things we spend hours and hours of our lives doing.

At the heart of Me Made May is the wonderfully empowering idea of a handmade wardrobe. It solves so many of the problems of the mass-marketed consumer fashion industry has created. Instead of trying to fit my body to a pre-determined set of arbitrary measurements and being frustrated when I don't fit the mold, I can make garments to fit my body. Instead of spending days of my life shopping and seeking the dubious thrill of the "bargain," I spend my time thinking about and creating one-of-a-kind garments. Instead of buying many garments each season that wear out, go out of fashion, and fit poorly, I make a few garments each season that I enjoy pulling out each year. This all feels like a much more healthy and rich experience.

May 1: At the Y with my Bombshell bathing suit (Closet Case Files); May 2: Ginger Jeans (Closet Case Files) and the Jasper Sweater by Paprika Patterns 

I've been sewing for almost 5 years now, and haven't purchased more than a few RTW garments in that time. I just crossed one of the big me-made wardrobe hurdles-- I finally made my first jeans just this month. I still have a number of long-wearing RTW garments in my wardrobe, but I'm gradually replacing items with better, more special me-made garments.

Everyone has different skill levels and style preferences, and this is part of the fun of Me Made May! I'm really enjoying seeing everyone wearing their unique garments. I'll post some roundups here, but follow me on Instagram to see (almost) daily updates.