Learn to sew. Or find a friend who knows how and either pay them or trade skills.
How do I know this? I recently had a friend teach me to sew. Before I’d trade off dinners for clothes, but he’s moving so I’m going to have to learn to fend for myself. Tonight I finished up my first ever ‘collection’ and I’m absolutely in love. Shirts, trousers, a coat, and two suits all custom fit so they look great on me. No collars that are too big, no hems that need to be taken up, none of the irritating bunching that comes from being 9″ shorter than the average guy, just clothes that fit exactly how they’re meant to. It’s amazing.
It’s also cheaper than buying the same clothes off the rack. Certainly cheaper than buying them and having them altered. Takes some time and skill (you’ll fight with your first few collars and zippers for days), but the end result is well worth it. If you have cash to spare you can also hire someone to do the work for you, but they’re more expensive and tend to have a ‘vision’ that you have to deal with. If you’re a broke 20-something like myself it’s easier to just learn to sew.
Exactly! A few hours ago I finished my second pair of boxer shorts. I kept moaning about how hard it is to find small clothes, so I decided to quit complaining and start finding a solution. Plus I found a nice hobby.
Yeah, it’s kind of relaxing to sit and sew for a few hours. Even the times it gets frustrating, at least I have something new to wear when I’m done.
I was just thinking about this the other day. I’m so impatient though…I’d probably quit within the first week. I need to try anyway because I’m always redoing my wardrobe but I need to save my money for more important things. I guess the fact that I made a pillow once means something right?
It’s actually not all that hard. Collars, cuffs, and zippers on trousers are the hardest parts for me, but I found a great ehow tutorial (just google ‘how to make a men’s shirt’ and it’s the first thing that pops up) that walks you through them pretty quickly.
So wait, you mean actually making your own clothes from scratch? Or buying some from a store and altering them yourself? Because I’ve hemmed a few of my pants that were just too long, but I’ve always wanted to try making my own clothes. Plus that would definitely eliminate the inevitable 4″ extra at each pant leg, or other extra fabric in unnecessary places.
Yup, making entirely from scratch. I’ve hit a point where most of my wardrobe is custom made because I can rarely find anything in US stores. It took a while to get there, but has been well worth the effort.