Resolution: Clothing Rehab

Resolution: Clothing Rehab

This week’s resolution: make the most of my existing clothes. I’m dedicating this week to repairing, darning and dry cleaning my benched clothing. This includes:

  • Sewing a missing button on a black cardigan.
  • Reattaching a loose bead on a pair of red flats.
  • Dry cleaning four dresses and a bunch of sweaters.
  • Organizing my closet.
  • Packing up my summer clothes and putting out the tweeds and wools.

It will be nice to have a full closet of options! Some of these projects have been waiting for months.

Oh, and one more thing: I’m going to start doing What to Wear‘s for free again. My favorite requests involve outfits for strange or unusual events, finding things to wear with tricky “statement” items and accessory challenges. You can email me your request here. My goal is to post one a week. If you want your question bumped to the top of the queue or want more than one outfit, I’ll still be taking paid requests for $15 a pop.

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There are 11 comments for this article
  1. The Illustrious Lindsay at 7:44 pm

    It’s funny that you posted about this because I recently resolved to rehab/revamp my wardrobe too. I was wondering if you know of any books about tailoring your own clothes?

  2. mrsem Author at 7:56 pm

    That’s way beyond my sewing skills! I usually have my clothes tailored by a local pro. Buttons and basic mending are where my talents end 🙂

  3. Greeneyes at 10:09 pm

    I’ve been on the “make it do” bandwagon, as well! My local tailor and I are seeing a lot of each other lately. I also finally checked off a New Year’s resolution from this past January: I dragged out grandma’s ancient sewing machine and took a basic sewing 101 class. So satisfying!

  4. citysage at 4:35 am

    Great resolution! It’s made me think of the big bag of mending hiding at the back of my closet…I’ve missed my fave black boots as they have a hole in the sole, but maybe it’s time to bite the bullet and get everything fixed! You’ve inspired me!

  5. Kim at 2:15 pm

    Oh, this is on my to do list too – I have a ton of sweaters that need dry-cleaned to be ready for this winter.

    Since many of you are talking about tailoring, I have a question. I have a J. Crew coat I had purchased before I lost about 30 pounds quite awhile back. It’s really too big now but I LOVE this coat and the color is beautiful. Do you think it could be tailored to be smaller? and would that cost an arm and a leg?

  6. Aviva at 10:56 pm

    Kim, it’s totally worth looking into — I would take it to a tailor you trust for his (or her!) opinion. I lost about 30lbs myself last year and opted to take in two nice suits instead of purchasing new ones. It was about $125 each just for the jackets (I think they essentially got taken apart completely and then put back together), but as purchasing the same suits in my new size would have been around $400 each, it was well worth it. It just really depends on what the tailor needs to do to make it fit you perfectly. 🙂

  7. Kristin at 4:47 pm

    I think you should do a general What to Wear – Top Ten Shoes Every Woman Should Own. My shoe collection can best be described with one word – black! I love colored shoes in magazines and catalogs, but I am afraid to wear them. And what color shoes to go with what color outfit so you look great but not matchy-matchy?