Laowai

I've been participating in something called Me Made May. I've seen others doing it over the years and I thought it was time I tried it. Here's a blurb about Me Made May from it's founder:

MMM is a wardrobe challenge that helps you improve your relationship with your handmade items. It can also teach you what to make (and not make) in the future! To participate you need to wear your handmade items more often or in some way differently to how you usually get dressed. 

For me Me Made May is not about having more clothes – it's about learning to love the clothes you have made. And also it's about exploring, having fun and thinking about what you may or may not like about your handmade wardrobe.

I've been so inspired by lots of sewers – women who love color and pattern like I do. Women who have an appreciation for beautiful fabric. Women who delight in the creativity of getting dressed.

So here are all the outfits I made and posted on instagram.

One last photo of Brian photobombing me.

That's a lot of me to scroll through – hmmmm.

So what have I learned from this self-focused challenge? Well, I have more me-mades than I thought. I'm proud of how far I've come with my sewing skills – thanks to some really great pattern makers out there. I like to make dresses, but I don't really wear them in my everyday life. Not sure how to change that since jeans and simple shirts still feel most appropriate for cleaning the house and doing projects in the garden. I think I learned most about taking photos of myself and being happy with my body. A combination of taking better photographs and just being happy with the shape of me. So my first #memademay has felt fun and indulgent – a success!

Also, I should really stop buying shoes.