Me Made May 2021: A month of unapologetic outfits

Last year was the first year that #MeMadeMay was really on my radar as an “event” within the online sewing community. I thought about participating, but I was honestly a bit intimidated and still trying to navigate the new normal of working from home during the early months of the pandemic.

I’ve made elements of my wardrobe since I was a teenager, and wearing me-mades is nothing new to me, but I never really thought to seek out an outlet like #MeMadeMay to showcase them. I guess one reason I felt a bit intimidated last year, pandemic aside, was that I have made many pieces that I wear quite regularly but am not especially proud of. Things that felt too simple, or too rushed, or had a funky hem that I’d tuck into pants so it wouldn’t show. Things with stains or pilling that I had worn into the ground, that didn’t look as shiny and sophisticated as the pieces I saw other sewists posting and getting lots of attention for. Feeling insecure about weight gain and my body shape also kept me from posting. I felt like I didn’t look as hot or as cool as those other sewists, so why bother?

This year, I am coming in with a totally different approach. Fat liberationists and fat-friendly sewing and pattern companies have put in the work to carve out a space where it feels safe and celebrated to take care and delight in dressing my body, regardless of its shape, and I am so, so, so grateful to these folks! I am going to be following the hashtag #MMMayFat, coined by Jess @fat.bobbin.girl (of Broad in the Seams, Fat Sewing Club, and Muna & Broad patterns… wow, Jess does a lot, go Jess!) in order to connect with other fat sewists, too, and cheer on the team as we all post our makes.

I’ll be using the month of May to really dive deep into wardrobe planning for myself. I recently listened to Seamwork Radio (episodes 34 & 35) and gleaned some very helpful tips for staying organized when planning personal sewing projects. I was so inspired, I even wrote out some of the key takeaways on my little white board and put it above my work station.

I also recently learned about My Body Model, a service that generates a custom croquis based on your actual measurements. I’ve loved paper dolls since I was a kid, and the idea that I can now make one with my own actual body (drawn to scale) is just so delightful and fun. I even photoshopped my head onto the model so that I can really visualize myself in the clothes.

Wardrobe planning can be intimidating, and I wasn’t quite sure where to start, so I decided to take advantage of the #MyBodyModel3x3 Capsule Wardrobe Challenge to give myself some structure. I printed out their free template and made little illustrations of 9 me-made items in my wardrobe that I wear a lot. This exercise made me realize that:

1. I have, like, a bazillion tee shirts (mostly from a self-drafted pattern that I’ll be releasing soon!).

2. I am severely lacking in the outerwear department. Currently I only have one piece of outerwear that is me-made that fits and I wear regularly; my Milo Cardigan from Seamwork.

Instead of the recommended 3 layering pieces, I decided to draw out 4 bottoms and 4 tops, along with my one sweater, for a total of… oh wow… 16 outfits! I guess technically it could be 32 if you count each look with and without the cardigan as a different outfit. So really, with just 9 pieces, I have plenty of looks to fill all the days of #MeMadeMay.

Exercises like this really are a cool way to identify holes in your wardrobe, as well as play out different combinations that you might not have thought of. I’d like to make myself some new pieces this month, too, but it was fun to play around with the combinations that I already have accessible to me without putting in any more work! I also realized some themes surfacing, like color palette (olive green, rust, deep blues, and pops of yellow are prominent), and silhouette (I prefer shorter tops that just cover my waist and high-waisted pants). I have a penchant for designing things out of more than one fabric, and/or using prints that are loud and a bit chaotic (I’d like to think in a good way).

Some of these combinations are kind of wild, but hey, I’m working from home and I think I should just go for it! My goal for the month of May is to dress unapologetically!

And if I’m worried about ruining my cool clothes, pretty much everything looks good with my Split Splat Apron (does that count as outerwear?)!

So follow me on Instagram if you’re curious to see what I’ll be wearing, and what some of these colorful ‘fits look like IRL!