Why Make Your Own Clothes?

There are a number of reason someone might want to make their own clothes - fit, style, cost, expression of individuality, the enjoyment in making them, the pleasure of wearing them and the sense of achievement in creating them. 

My personal motivation for making clothes is driven by a combination of the above. I've always found it difficult to find ready made clothes that fit well. I’m slim with broad shoulders, a small waist and comparatively wide hips. However, I do also buy clothes, usually in stretch fabrics which are more forgiving, and like to wear them with home made items.

I've made a few garments just to use in photo shoots and for fun also, the picture below is an example of one of them. You can't see much of the dress I'm afraid, I don't have it any longer so I can't take any better pictures.

This is a picture of Ellie modelling a dress from the Vintage Vogue Pattern V2960 in red shot silk - it was too big for her as you can see. It wasn't difficult to make, although it was time consuming, covering the buttons was quite a fiddly job.

Whilst matching outfit on twins is cute, surely one of the worst sartorial nightmares is walking in to a party wearing the same outfit as somebody else! Having made your own outfit you know that's not going to happen. A lot has to be said for creating unique garments as a way of expressing your personal sense of style and identity.

And there's the cost - I've seen some beautiful dresses that cost over £1000 and created my own versions. Even spending over £100 on a dress would feel extravagant. However, when it comes to coats and jackets, I know creating my own, quality items, is beyond my current skills, so I'm happy to buy them and spend a reasonable amount, justified by the lower cost per wear.