High-Rise Morgan Jeans, a foundation for spring sewing.

I flutter back and forth between extremes on a few issues, and among them are my opinions on jeans and capsule wardrobes. I always, simultaneously, love and hate them.

Both subjects provoke a collision between fantasy and reality: what do I want to wear vs what I actually wear vs what I enjoy making. This equation can produce a variety of responses and sewing philosophies. Both Shauni and Katie have recently posted on how they think about capsules in particular, so I know I am not the only one who is appealed and repelled by wardrobe planning perfection.

Yet, there is something about owning a capsule wardrobe that remains appealing. I’d say I’m certainly seduced by the promise of having *perfect* (to me) clothes that work together seamlessly. On the other hand life’s complicated and a capsule wardrobe only really exists as an ensemble in the few Instagram photos you’ll post about it. Having learned that creating a capsule plan is essentially a magic trick to make hours disappear in one swoop, I’ve tried to find a balance between practical and artistic sewing. The first step in that directions is understanding that I am not a minimalist–a hard thing to hear, at first, for anyone admiring the sleek capsule appeal. They always seem to be geared towards minimalist styles! Over time, I realized my “capsule” was not light grey or black button downs and slacks, it was a gang of puffy sleeved shirts, with some kind of anchor.

This is wear jeans comes in. Theoretically I’d never wear jeans, that’s what I tell myself. But, I also know that is very untrue. So when imagining a Spring/Summer collection (instead of a capsule!) of garments I’d truly like to wear or make, I knew jeans, according to my lifestyle, would be one of the first things to check of a list. But, I knew they’d need to have something specific about them to fall in line with my increasingly selective tastes.

 

So what do I love? Light blue high-waisted jeans, yes the old kind, yes the now trendy kind. I was set on a mission to make them, and a mission it was.

Having recently allowed myself to go slower with my projects than before (since I’m also short on sewing times these days), and trying to capture something of that handmade capsule wardrobe spirit, I knew it’d be worth it if I remained focused on the design I was trying for. I started with the Closet Case Morgan jeans, and although my goal seemed simple–just make them high-rise–there were so many bumps along the way. Fitting them was annoying (and left something to be desired at the end). My beautiful denim stretched in the wash. My top stitching thread nearly destroyed my machine. I didn’t place the buttons close enough to the edge of the fly, which resulted in a gap, you’ll notice, and that I try to be ok with but know I will fix within the next week. You see what I mean…

The biggest problem, though, was probably that I realized I find jeans sewing preparation boring. Although my previous handmade jeans were among my most worn items, something about sewing them bums me out. Maybe this is because jeans sewing, to me, feels like work instead of play. Yet, wearing them after the fact is just the opposite–I feel fun and stylish and even a little silly since the high-rise boyfriend jean style really is its own brand of “I will wear what I want!”

I’m not sure where the balance falls on jeans making, nor why I feel compelled to make them while I am grouchy about it. Maybe sometimes we do sew for the outcome rather than the process. All in all, my grouchiness didn’t prevent me from getting a solid personalized pattern and a fun pair of jeans at the end. I’d even say I feel relieved to have this “base” garment as a step forward into my spring sewing, something I can dress up with the next colorful handmade separates I hope to mix them up with. On the tail end of this project which marks the first steps of a news season (something we’re so sensitive to in Montreal!), I’m wondering if the draw to a capsule is not really fantasy of minimalist living, but the drive to understand personal, wearable style, and to ultimately create meaningful, flexible, and regularly enjoyed handmade garments. I’ll get back to you on that. 😉