Minor repairs for Major impact
When I was young, and pressed for time, I didn’t care if the hem of my skirt had fallen out. Of course those were the days when I was still wearing a school uniform and playing field hockey.
By the time I had entered university, and necessity being the motherhood of invention, I had learned how to secure that hem, at least temporarily, with a quick staple.
As I matured and purchased investment clothing, I became much more concerned with wardrobe maintenance. I kept an emergency sewing kit in my desk replete with buttons, snaps and safety pins, as well as spot cleaners and anti-static spray to keep light weight skirts from clinging to hosiery; a real hazard when stuck in windowless offices with forced air heating.
Now, not only do I keep a mending pile of shirts needing buttons, and skirts requiring replacement hooks, I also have a pile of clothes, in need of minor adjustments which, once completed, will fit me as perfectly as couture.
Why is this of any interest? Because until Desperate Housewives burst on the scene, women of a certain age (over 40) were basically shoved in the back of the cupboard.
And all you need to do is take a walk on your local high street or visit the local mall to see why many of them should be. Comfort and style are not mutually exclusive, but simply wearing a matching sweatshirt doesn’t tick both boxes either.
Sure you’re busy, but hell, show me a woman who isn’t!! You’re either getting the kids from A to B, working full time, trying to keep some semblance of order in the home, or all of the above and you probably feel something has to give.
That doesn’t have to be you. Your upkeep is important, especially as we age. It shows that you still care. It sets a good example for your kids, and if it garners a few compliments from the male of the species great. If women run their eyes over you, assessing you from head to toe, even better.
When you look good you feel good and when you feel good that radiates out to every aspect of your life. But looking good when you’re a bit longer in the tooth, means going that extra mile. A young girl with a missing button that reveals her tummy is cute.
That same look on a 41 year old, doesn’t have the same effect. By taking time to check your clothes for missing bits and by being a little proactive, you can assure that when you hastily put on that skirt Monday morning, you look effortlessly chic in a wardrobe you’re comfortably and confidently wearing. How you got there, is nobody’s business.
Fix for roving bra straps
No matter how perfectly a bra fits when you first get it, there’s inevitably a time when the strap seems to keep falling down and tightening it just doesn’t help. In several tops I’ve sewn strap holders. Use ribbon, usually no wider than ¼ inch and cut a piece about 1 ½ inches in length. To one end, sew the male half of a snap. Then sew the female half of the snap on the inside of your shirt at the top of the shoulder, about 5 ½ inches away from the bottom of your neck or where your bra strap usually sits. ( If you have a larger neck or wider shoulders, adjust the distance). Once snapped together, I sew the free end of the ribbon to the inside of the sweater towards the arm hole. Now, once your bra is on, you simply snap the straps in and you’re fidget free for the day.
Note* use either cotton or silk thread. Clear plastic thread may have wonderful covert properties, but those ends when knotted will be more bothersome then the initially droopy bra strap.
Did you ever have a sweater or oxford shirt that you love but each time you wear it, you’re flashing your bra to anyone seated to the left of you? The fastest way to fix these gaps are by securing small snaps between the buttons. To make sure you’re securing the offending gap at the point where it needs it most, you’ll need a set of straight pins with large heads. Put on the offending garment and button completely. Push down with one finger the gap/lump as it appears and then mark by horizontally inserting the pin on the bottom placket of the offending garment (the same side as the buttons). You can also mark the top, in case you need a visual marker for matching up the snap ends later. Once you’ve marked all the areas, remove the top and sew the female side of the snaps where marked between the buttons. Be careful to stay near the edge, so you handiwork is covered once the top placket is closed. Then secure the male side to the inside placket (the under side of the button holes.) Once you’re finished you’ll find the garment lays much flatter and even if there is a small gap, it won’t be large enough for prying eyes to see your bra. If of course you’re wearing a bra by Agent Provocateur, skip this tip altogether, wear a sheer shirt and show you’re ta-tas until the cows come home.
Securing pockets from the Key holes
It doesn’t matter that my purse is large enough to hold the Love statue, in the big, bad world where creeps can try and force their way into your home or car, I usually have my keys in my hand, or during winter, my coat pocket. Trouble is, the pockets of my cashmere are lovingly lined with silk. While silk does have good tensile strength, it’s no match for my jagged keys. But while I want strength, those awful replacement pockets just don’t feel as nice on bare hands as the silk (real or faux) does. The solution. Cut two bowl shaped pieces of fabric. I love felt, but you can use iron on fusing, or any fabric that will not out weight the coat itself e.g. don’t use thick felt if the coat in question is hand loomed Dupioni silk, as it won’t lay correctly under the lining. Turn coat inside out so you can clearly see the pocket. I place the felt on either side of the existing pocket and secure. I like to use Stitch Witchery followed by machine stitching around the bottom of the pocket. (If you’re not a sewer and you use iron on fusing, I would still suggest hand stitching around the bottom of the pocket just to give it a bit more strength.) Repeat on other pocket. Now don’t be forced into a false sense of security and over load the pocket, but I did mine last year and when I took my coats out of storage everything was still tight and ready to roll.
Controlling hemlines; a weighty issue.
As a child I remember seeing Queen Elizabeth inspecting the troops on a windy day and wondered when some women were struggling to keep thier skirts down, while the Queen simply stood there in all of her regal glory. It was if she was keeping her skirt down by sheer will. Turns out, it wasn’t sheer will but lead weights. Yup, her royal highness has weights sewn into her hem so even gale force winds won’t threaten exposure of the royal knickers. Once upon a time I used to find these same weights in fabric stores as they were also used in curtains, but when my latest searches came up empty, I opted to washers, you know those small metal doughnut things used to fill up the space between screws and bolts. Using a seam ripper, gently remove part of the seam, insert the washer and secure with a few stitches at the top and bottom of the hem. I usually secure four of them in a skirt, front, back and both sides, but if your skirt is lightweight, like chiffon, and it may be best to secure them only on a seam where they will not be easily seen. After all it doesn’t look like magic if you can see the rabbits ears poking out of the hat.