So, I made these cropped trousers last year, using the Closet Case Patterns Sasha trousers pattern, and a khaki/grey stretch gabardine from Fabulous Fabrics; and they have been heavily worn over the past year, so heavily in fact that they have reached the ecologically recommended magic number of thirty wears in less than one year’s residence in my wardrobe! That’s pretty amazing, I think! It’s funny to me, because I actually wasn’t 100% keen on them when I first made them; thinking the fabric was a tad on the thin and plasticky side. I liked my blue version more, in a more satisfyingly heftier-weight fabric. However! I just wore them and wore them and WORE THEM! The fabric was very comfortable, but I think never destined for a long life; by the end of it they were getting quite stretched out but I forced them into just a coupla extra wears more than they should have had, just so I could say they got up to that magic number 30. I don’t know if it’s just me, but that 30 wears thing? has totally guilt-tripped me into being unable to even think of tossing a thing out, unless I can be quite sure it’s had that number of wears. I know, seems like such a good idea, ecologically sound and all that, but feels little silly in execution?! Mmm-hmm!
So I know they got 30 wears, thanks to my handy dandy stylebook app which counts it up for you, and also my ootd blog, which I update like the awkwardly passe blogger that I am. Does anyone even keep ootd blogs any more…? that’s a rhetorical question btw, since I’m pretty sure the answer is no! Another awkwardly passe thing to do of course, is to talk about “how to style” an item of clothing, which I shall now proceed to go ahead and do, ahem…
So. My 6 favourite outfits with the trousers, and btw, all items I’ve made are linked to their original construction post:
Below, at left; they were light, warm, and stretchy, making them comfortable and practical enough for hiking during the winter, a thing we do on the regular believe it or not. Here, I’m wearing them with one of my warmer jumpers and scarves, hand knit socks, and my trusty old hiking boots which have very sadly also bitten the dust during the year, sob! It’s funny that the grey in the trousers didn’t match up with any of the colours in this crazy jumper, and yet I still think it all worked quite well!
At right, I think out of all these, this outfit was my absolute favourite; worn with my Carolyn white cotton shirt and my apricot split top, sockettes and white sandshoes. This exact outfit had multiple repeat days.
Below, at left; I think this outfit got a few repeats too. My khaki suede, baggy oversized tunic top felt like a perfect match for the sleek grey trousers. Worn also with my raspberry tee which I thought a nice zing! of colour, and the same sockettes and sneaks.
At right; I chose this outfit after one night going through, and getting inspired by, the archives of a favourite ex-blogger of mine, who had a style I LOVED. I think she’s let her archives go, or made them private or something since then though, so I can’t link. Blue check shirt that I originally made for Tim and he grew out of it and gave it back to me – score!, and my little blue/grey cardi that has surprisingly been one of the most useful things I’ve EVER made. And sockettes and sneaks.
Below left; this funny mish-mash of grey/navy blue/mushroomy pink seems like it should be a) a disaster, and b) shouldn’t suit me at all; but I inexplicably loved it! worn with my navy blue merino tee, my tie-dye cardigan and a scarf that Tim gave to me for Christmas a few years ago… Oh, and the sockettes and sneaks like before. I have to admit, these sneakers were like the perfect shoe for the trousers, and I wore them together most of the time. I apologise for the lack of shoe variety!
At right; I love red and grey paired with each other! otherwise simple and basic, but then simple and basic is a nice safe no-brainer isn’t it?! My scarlett Miette hand knit cardi, my cream drape-y tee, and my old blue thongs that also went kaput during the year after a few years’ excellent service. I know! it’s been a year of several old favourites going kaput on me, which is pretty sad. A moment’s silence, please…
So farewell, ye old grey trousers! Your life was short, but practical, and I thank you for going the prescribed thirty-wears distance!
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