A couple of weeks ago I ended my Ready To Wear fast. I gave in to the constant badgering from Johnnie Boden and bought myself a couple of Breton stripe long sleeve tee shirts.
Breton stipe tees from Boden
I started the fast the beginning of January 2014 and signed up the ‘Goodbye Valentino’ RTW 2014 fast and then signed up again for 2015.
** I will come clean, in 2014 I bought a pair of waterproof cycling over trousers from Aldi and this year I bought a lightweight waterproof jacket from Berghaus – again to use whilst cycling ** I was never going to make either of those two items so I cut myself a bit of slack there.
I don’t really miss shopping, since having children I very rarely get the chance to go out on my own to look around the stores and I don’t have the disposable income I used to have before having children.
I think it was the change of season that got me. It was mid September and I wasn’t quite ready for wearing tights, so that ruled out dresses and skirts, my trouser offering is beginning to look a bit ropey and decent tops were in the washing basket. I got dressed for work one day and looked at myself and thought what an uninspiring mess. Then a Boden catalogue dropped through the door with a code for 20% off and free delivery. I’m forever thinking about striped tops and looking on-line for decent cotton yarn dyed striped jersey. Then I thought “why don’t I just buy some?” So I did, and lovely they are too, a nice relaxed fit and great for layering.
I don’t have time to make everything I’d like and I think I’ve ended up keeping things in my wardrobe that have seen better days.
Now it’s October the tights have come out and skirts are being worn again, I’ve also got a few items in the pipeline, I’m working on a denim skirt and have cut out a pussy bow blouse using the Sew Over It pattern. I’m also ready to tackle another pair of jeans and bought a length of denim from Abakhan last week.
I really got excited when I saw the new pattern releases from Sewaholic. I keep thinking about the Cypress Cape, I’ve wanted a cycling cape for ages and this looks like the perfect pattern. I’m a bit apprehensive after the poor effort I made with the Robson Trench coat (I can’t bear to look at the bag with the unfinished pieces in) but I really like this style.
Cypress Cape from Sewaholic Patterns
http://www.sewaholicpatterns.com/cypress-cape
As my trouser selection is looking a bit poor I’m going to get around to making Simplicity 1696 Amazing Fit trousers. ( I said this last year but now I know how to sew a fly zipper I can see it actually happening).
1696 Simplicity Amazing Fit Trousers
I may have ended the fast but I don’t think I’ll be going crazy in Primark any time soon!
cut it out, stitch it up! 
Well done for sticking to it as long as you did! It was espresso leggings that saw me through the end last year, but I’m lucky I have a uniform for work. I’ve just been looking back at some of your older post and you’ve made some fab clothes. Isn’t it a shame we can’t have just one or 2 days a month just for sewing and nothing else and rtw clothes wouldn’t get a look then 😃
Yes, 21 months wasn’t too bad! Sometimes I find that with my wardrobe I can get stuck in a rut and wear the same things. Or sometimes I don’t want to wear the dresses I have made to work as I know I’ll spend most of the day saying “Yes, I made it…”
PS looking forward to seeing how you get on with the cape if you decide to make it, I spotted it too amongst their new patterns.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what fabric I could use for the cape so I think I’m going to give it a go.
I’m impressed you were able to keep to the fast for so long, it’s not something I could sign up to! Even though I don’t buy alot of clothes, I still like to have the option open to me! I love the Cape too 🙂
Time is a real factor in it for me. I don’t have time for all the sewing I’d need to do so better spend time on the things I’d really like to sew.
Do what you can do and leave the rest behind! That’s my motto anyway! I did the RTW fast in 2015, but my sewing time just doesn’t allow for me to keep up with my wardrobe needs. The lessons learned in what I do chooose to sew continue to help me sew smartly. Those breton stripe shirts do look very nice!
Oops, I meant 2014, not 2015!
Exactly! I’m going to concentrate on making what I enjoy and not what I may find a chore.
Well done you, but sometimes it is better to buy ready made. I am guilty of buying my stripey Ts in Primark I am afraid. Johnny Boden strongly objected to social housing in his neighbourhood!
So he’s a NIMBY then!
It may take me a while to get in to buying clothes again but I think going forward to spend time on making things I really enjoy or are a bit of a challenge. I’ve just spent the evening sewing up a jersey top which is just OK-ish and was thinking that time may have been better spent diving into the jeans I have planned.
I think the best part of the fast is clarifying what things are worth making and what things are worth purchasing. A lot of things you CAN make but probably don’t need to or want to.
You are right there. Now I’ve let myself off the hook I’m feeling a lot less pressure on what I need to get sewn.