To wear or not to wear…

Do you know that feeling? You just finished a new piece of clothing and you are incredibly proud of it. You show your spouse, your children , maybe your mom or a good friend and then… doubt sets in. Is it actually okay? Can I really wear this in public? Can you see this is homemade? There is this flaw here, do you see it? My husband always puts me at ease with it, ensuring me that it truly, pinky-swear, absolutely, certainly, without any doubt, really looks good. And after a while, I believe it and I decide to wear it with confidence and proud!

And then the day comes I really want to wear it, and doubt sets in again. I quickly put together another outfit, just in case… And again I go back and forth between doubt and proud. After an hour or so, I decide to wear my homemade outfit, but not without asking my husband 50 times, if “it really looks ok” and not without doubting it the whole way there, rubbing every flaw, trying to make it go away and checking if no seams have ripped or so.

I see people sewing gorgeous clothes and showing them with proud. Even wearing them the same day they finished it. And I can’t help but feel envious. Not for the garments themselves, I truly believe mine look just as good, but the confidence in which they are able to showcase them to the world. Not carring about that flaw in the seam, or that smal pucker in the sleeve. I know, I shouldn’t care what others think. My garments look decently made, some even look extremely good on me, but still… How proud I may be about a certain garment, doubt always sets in. Clothes are extremely important to me. It defines who you are and how you present yourself to the world. The right piece of clothing can make you feel confident, powerfull and beautiful. But clothes can evenly so make you feel helpless or invisible. The wrong piece of clothing can make you feel like you are naked in plain sight, even when you are fully dressed. The best garments are the ones that are so comfortable you are unaware of what you are wearing, but at the same time make you feel so beautiful that you stand up straight and walk with confidence. Clothes, hair and make-up may seem superficial to a lot of people, but maybe they never felt the power of them. It can change who you are, change how you feel. That is why I love fashion, and why I love sewing. Clothes define you, and that is why I love my own garments, but that is also why I am so scared of wearing them.

This weekend I did something I’ve never done before. We had to go to a dinnerparty with my husband’s bosses/colleagues and I wore an outfit I completely made myself. Trousers, a blouse and a jacket. I even wore it with proud and confidence… and I only asked my husband 20 times if “it really looks ok”.

What about you? Do you wear your own garments with proud or doubt? And do you believe in the power of fashion? Let me know your thoughts!