A while ago I was out with a friend. She was checking out a dress: a lovely classic cut, but the print wasn't her thing, and the price, though less than she expected, was still a little steep. I'd been playing with my sewing machine since high school, altering thrift store finds and sewing the occasional piece from pattern. A lightbulb went off in my head, and before I knew what I was doing, I offered to make it for her for about half the price. The prospect of doing something I loved for even a little money was too enticing for me to pass up.
As we talked about the dress design, I came to discover that not much about the dress on the rack had been exactly what she was looking for, but did capture some aesthetic qualities that she liked. We ended up with a completely different dress, one that was similar in inspiration, but tailored in cut and color to her body type, complexion, and most importantly personal taste.
In a world filled with cheap, mass produced clothing most of us don't get the chance to experience garments that are uniquely ours in design or fit. Accessing this luxury can sometimes be as simple as changing the way we approach clothing: by collecting a wardrobe that reflects an enduring individual style rather than being trend responsive, by caring for well made items rather than replacing cheap pieces frequently.
I currently reside in Portland, Oregon where I aim to bring the awesomeness of beautiful, handmade garments to more people, and where I continue to educate myself in seamstressing, tailoring, knitting, textiles, and fibers.