It's How You Wear It

I'm thinking half of the fashion burden is in the execution. If you've got a so-so outfit and a great big bunch of confidence, no one notices that coffee stain on your boob area or maybe that your zipper flap is sort of bent outwards and the zipper pull is sticking out.

It could be that all your hair-flipping action is taking the attention away from the flaws, or maybe the well-timed coughs or eye-winks is what keeps others' eyes away from the flaws, but I gotta say it again:

Half of the fashion burden is in the execution. (Wow. Didn't know I could channel Iron Chef.)

Long-time readers will remember that one morning, I went through a hand-me-down pile of clothing, found a red flowered over-sized dress, belted it, and ran off to school thinking I was all the rage with my faux Farrah Fawcett Do (it was "faux" because I used pink foam rollers and a home haircut to achieve the effect). Then, when I came home from a sensational seventh-grade school-day, my mom took one look at me and in horror she said, "Wendy, how'd you get a hold of my old maternity dress?"

So fashion, like knitting, is all in the execution. And I'm not talking about creating a nicely seated stitch, either. I'm talking about color choice. I'm talking about the pattern, or how you alter the pattern to make it work in all the right ways.

So, the bog jacket thingy. One of the commenters from yesterday, Irene, said that she made one nine years ago and her daughter simply wouldn't wear it. Oy. Well, Girlfriend's bog "kimono" (named "kimono" because it won't be a jacket, dang it; I have made some changes) is already off the needles and getting ready to be grafted. And I'm getting worried. I just hope that the alterations I made to Zimmermann's original notes will step it up a notch or two. Not that Elizabeth Zimmermann isn't the bomb.

BTW: I just rec'd some amazing yarn from Posh Yarn. This stuff is dyed to order (dyed to order, friends--and it's not all that pricey) and even though she's in the UK, it arrived fairly quickly and I qualified for free shipping. The multi-color 100% cashmere sock yarn up top is a gift for a friend (see the 10 grams of the contrast color? That's meant for contrast heels and toes) and the chocolate brown is a cotton/silk/cashmere blend for moi. This stuff is so great. (And no, I didn't take the photo yesterday when I took the photo of the bog kimono progress. It's just that Chuck follows me everywhere.)

Comments

[Erica]

Ah yes, I remember the maternity dress story!

The yarn is fab! I seem to be channelling you & Zib -- the cotton I caved & bought today for baby sweaters has the greens from you and the oranges from Zib.

Can't wait to see the bog jacket. I read that book recently too (don't you love all the stuff about her life??), and I could totally envision my mom wearing one of those.

[Kaity]

Ooh, pretty yarn! I love Chuck!

Hey, when I get some pretty roving and some better spinnin' skills, I'm making you present!

[Kate]

Ha - that's great that your post mentions both maternity AND changing patterns around. Although, with deepest apologies, I should NOT have messed around with Something Red. I thought I knew better and I didn't...BUT I just finished it for my pregnant sister and I really do like it! Thanks for coming up with a sweater design that looks fabulous even after I mess it up!!! If you're curious to see how it works with a fake bump, see my blog. http://kataboots.blogspot.com

[Cheri]

Pretty pretty yarn!! Love Chuck. My golden used to follow me everywhere until she got old (she's 13) now the basset follows me everywhere. (and so does my ancient cat)

[laurie]

yeah, i got a dog like that too!!! there's a bit of golden retriever hair knit into everything.

[Kelly]

Great yarn. Love Chuck!

[sarah]

Oh to be a friend of Wendy's... cashmere sock yarn, you're too good to be true! Gonna have to check out that link to Posh Yarn. I'm also very anxious to see girlfriends kimono - and hey, if she doesn't want to wear it at first, just pair it with one of her favorite princess dresses and maybe that'll do the trick!

[Ariane]

I remember the maternity dress story as if it where yesterday:o)

Girl, you can total pull it off. You a have such a wonderful sense of fashion, that I hardly doubt that the kimono will turn into disaster.

Lucky friend of yours! The colors are beautiful.

And as for chuck...I can't say that she's (our dog) in every picture (I have to shoo her away) But she is basically up my butt all day too...I can't even use the bathroom in peace:o) We call her "sugar" the premadonna.

[elizabeth]

I wouldn't know about having a pet follow me around all day...Unless you count the kitten sleeping in my bed all day long.

I'm excited to see Girlfriend's kimono! I hope she wears it!

[supertoki]

i love the pictures that include chuck! he's such a cute mascot!

can't wait to see the finished kimono!

[wanett]

That is exactly why I don't think I have a sense of style. I'm too self conscious to pull of most things. I like to KISS it and keep it movin'.

[Katinka]

My daughter used to beg to wear my neglected negligees to preschool. "Look, Mama! A short dress for summer!" :P

And pretty yarn! Is it uncouth of me to rec a friend's fibers to you? They're a bit more on the pricey side, but I could drool over the colourways all day, every day...

http://two_pointy_sticks.blogspot.com/2004/10/list-of-colourways.html

[Wendy]

Katinka, the yarns there are gorgeous. I've looked on the site and drooled many times.

[Shelagh]

That's cause Chuck rules!

[Irene]

Didn't mean to freak you out. I had, uh, neglected to mention a couple of exacerbating factors regarding Katie and the Bog Jacket. At the time of the bog jacket scandal, Katie was nine...nine being the fourth grade. I think it's probably universal that girls begin that Mom-you-only-say-I-look-wonderful-in-brown-seersucker-because-it's-always-on-sale rebellion right about fourth grade. She had also just discovered platform shoes. Not so good with the bog jacket (yes, in mouse brown...what can I say?). There was also the leftover baggage of the previous sweater I had knit her, a large red acrylic-with-glitter affair with a knit-in music box that played a Christmas song when poked in the belly. There was an incident of overpoking in math class and Katie and the glittery sweater were asked to sit in the hall for the remainder of the class. The incident colored the reception of the next garment off the needles.

Must I admit that these days, she picks out my clothes? You and the fab bog kimono will do fine, I'm sure.

[Larjmarj]

Good link, the price is right at Posh yarn. Chuck is adorable. He can't help but follow you, most loyal friend you'll ever have.

[Monkeygurrl]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... Chocolately goodness. And puppers. Caint ask for much better than that (unless you included a pic of GF, too).

[Gina L.]

Wendy,
I can't wait to see the Kimono! I need another thing to knit! Girlfriend's Swing Coat has been my favorite item to knit so far! Check out the "Shrimp" color way on my blog. I love knitting again after this project!

[Terra]

I remember wearing my dad's clothes to school in Junior High thinking I was the coolest tomboy...I can just imagine this tiny little girl wearing a golf shirt that went past her knees, all the while her mother praying she would want to be girly again at some point...

[Gina]

Chuck is adorable, but could I put in a request for a little more whisker time for The Bunny?

[Michelle]

The Posh Yarn is yummy I got mine in the mail a couple of weeks ago I keep it on my desk so I can look at it all the time until I can finish up a couple of other things on the go... *sigh*

[Sarah]

How do you like the yarn from Posh Yarn? I am thinking of placing an order with them and was wondering if it knits up well and how are the colors?