186. Uniforms

Greetings from Philadelphia! (Not as snazzy as “Aloha from Hawaii!” but close. Right? Wink wink.)

I’ve been thinking lots about uniforms. You’ve probably seen The Uniform Project. During my short visit home, a nurse came to conduct an interview and take some key measurements and other usual stuff for a new life insurance policy. I couldn’t help but notice that her scrubs were fitted and much more flattering than typical boxy green scrubs:

On closer inspection, the label on the front read “Grey’s Anatomy”! Is there no end to cross-promotional merchandising?

The nurse and I had a nice conversation about how much she loves the top, that even more than the fit and the deep purple color, she loves the softness of the fabric (probably a cotton-poly blend twill from what I could tell). And she promptly gave me her contact info in case I wanted to make scrubs for her. Can you imagine? A custom sewing/ design job making scrubs!

Part of me is very intrigued by this and I might do it. She’s not in a hurry to get them, but she clearly values a flattering work uniform very much. Don’t we all? I have two primary uniforms:

1. My work-at-home-pick-up-Louis-after-school uniform.

This winter it has been a t-shirt under a knit dress, leggings, knee socks, and shoes on errand days or heeled boots on fancier days. In winter it’s usually a dress and sandals or flip-flops.

2. My work-at-work uniform.

I haven’t mentioned this in a long time: All my work-at-work clothes are ill-fitting, as in pants that are too big around the waist and hips so the crotch hangs too low, and jackets whose sleeves are too long and shoulders are too wide and shoulder pads are too poufy. I bought them all, from very reputable stores. But even a well-made suit looks junky when it doesn’t fit.
I do have some business-casual-meet-clients-face-to-face clothes, too, but I don’t do that enough to have real uniforms. Just two pairs of decent-fitting grey slacks and a variety of tops/ sweaters. Nothing noteworthy. And sometimes, on casual days, I will wear jeans in winter or

shorts in summer. But again, not often and nothing noteworthy.

Soooo, another day I’ll tell you more about my first uniform. I’m going to focus on the second uniform for now, to start replacing those clothes that just don’t fit and could stand to look a lot better. (Well, as soon as I get home from the current work trip.) Next up, I will finally make my first Chanel-style jacket, from this Stretch & Sew pattern that thoughtful Wendy sent me last summer:

I think I will go with View B, with the trim, streamlined sleeve caps, and long sleeves. Though I haven’t read through the instructions, the description of View B says it is unlined. Clearly this is not a jacket that follows the couture construction techniques of a genuine Chanel jacket. But

it will get me started.

I feel like I’ve got to give some more thought to the fabric. My sewing buddy IRL Leslie says there is a place here in Philly called Jomar that is a great destination for wholesale fashion fabric… maybe I will make it there before I head home and find the exact fabric I need for this unlined first pass at a Chanel lookalike jacket. Any fabric suggestions?

159. Sing-Along & Chanel Jacket Sew-Along

Did you sing along? Be honest! Hahaha. This scene is from Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, one of my favorite recent movies -- just hysterical. This scene captures how many people I know, who were then coming of age/ entering adulthood, feel about the early 90's: we've got generally pleasant memories but are vaguely embarrassed to revisit the time. I know it's painful to see what I was wearing then! Oh brother. Thank heaven for growing and developing one's sense of personal style.

Speaking of developing my personal style, a few posts ago I shared with you some fall fashions I'm loving. One was a Chanel ensem that was striking, and Gail from My Fabrication emailed me that maybe it is a good time for a Chanel jacket refashion sew-along. Given my recent checkered past with sew-alongs (i.e. I "host" and don't actually finish the garment), I remembered Cindy from Colour By Number mentioning that she wanted to work on a Chanel jacket this year, and asked her if she would like to host. Cindy suggested we make a team blog, not really "host" it except to administer the site, and open it up to refashions OR origins (as Gail so eloquently phrased it, meaning sewn from new fabric).

So here we are! Cindy posted about this yesterday and already there's a bunch of interest both in sewing along and in watching. Big thanks to Gail and Cindy for all their ideas and work behind the scenes so far. If you're up for it, join us! We are just collecting ideas, patterns, fabric, and sew-along partners for now, with a tentative kick-off sewing date of Sept. 1 and a completion goal of Nov. 15.

And that's my specific "inspiration garment". Not the iconic Chanel jacket, but from a recent, Pre-Fall/ Winter 2009 collection. I'm more confident I'll finish this on time, as opposed to the pants, because:

1. I have a bodice sloper
2. Given my inspiration garment, I'll be much more focused on "couture" embellishment than couture construction
3. I don't have emotional baggage from having failed multiple times before

But don't you worry. I'll be working on pants the last few months of 2009. What a nice end to the year with a custom Chanel-inspired jacket and custom slacks, too. In fact, what a great holiday outfit! Now I'm feeling even more inspired.....