The Hair Test

My current project, that of cleaning out my closet, continues. Since school has started back I have kept a clothes basket in my closet. At some point every day I try on two bottoms and two tops. This usually happens in the morning when I am getting ready for work. If the bottoms/tops work, I find something to match it and I'm set. If for any reason at all I am uncomfortable, or miserable, or feel really fat, I take it off and put it in the Giveaway Basket. The rules are simple--once I put it in the basket I am NOT going to get it back out. I have one basket almost full already.

On the weekend I do the same thing with my casual clothes. So eventually, I will work all the way through all that stuff--keeping the good stuff and parting with the rest of it. This is working really well so far. It would take a large chunk of time to do this in one sitting, so by spreading it out over 4-6 weeks is less painful.

Several times I have put on a blouse or top and thought it was okay. But 15 minutes later I just can't stand it anymore and pull it off and throw it in the basket. I've been thinking about this and I have discovered that the item in question did not pass the Hair Test.

I put on a top. I gob a double handful of mousse in my hair. I blow dry the hair. I try not to get the curling brush tangled up in the hair. And this brings us to the EXACT point where I yank off whatever top I'm wearing. The common denominator to all these rejected items.....I can't style my hair while I wear it. And that has been an eye-opening discovery for me.

I move around a lot at work. Since I have a computer lab, I am constantly bending over to help students, grabbing an armload of books, crawling under tables to plug/unplug equipment, and writing on the board. The range of motion required for all these things demands that I wear something that doesn't fall off my shoulders, doesn't draw up or drag, and doesn't raise up too far when I raise my arm to write on the board. This is the same range of motion in the Hair Test. And it's the same range of motion I use at home, too. Loading the dishwasher, reaching into the refrigerator, sorting and folding laundry, and sewing! Think about it.

So my goal is to develop a closet full of stuff that I LIKE to wear, that I am COMFORTABLE in, and that FITS me. It will be a slow process, I know, but it will be worth it.

I have already discovered what I'm lacking most in my wardrobe. At the top of this list is sleeveless tops that I can wear under dressy blouses or jackets. I need them in every possible solid color, and gorgeous prints, too.

So I went to Joann's and got this to add to the pile--two prints, brown and navy, and two pieces of crepe-backed satin, in navy and black:





And I found this pattern:




I like the white one. Love the neckine and it's cut on the bias. I checked Pattern Review and could only find one review. That one was a sad story, but she put it down to using the wrong fabric. I want to make this with the satin, so if anyone has used this pattern please leave a comment and let me know how it turned out for you. It is Butterick 4132.

I have been knitting on my sweater this week, no actual sewing, but I'll get back to it next week. The contractors have been working inside the house this week (new bathroom floor!) and things have been just a little too disorganized for sewing.