I Made It Monday: Mum Bum Fix

Mum Bum, Long Bum, Flat Bum... whatever you call it there seems to be an interesting phenomenon plaguing women after a certain age.

Or so I thought.

I had long observed that "older"(... ahem, probably the age I am now!) women seemed to have grown much longer backsides.  Why?  How did that happen? 

Then last year my mother in law gave me a pair of her old jeans, I tried them on and OH NO! I had Mum Bum!  Whereas I am sadly lacking in the curvy derriere department (curvy anything really) I didn't wake up like that, I swear! 

Then it dawned on my.  It had nothing to do with the backside in the jeans, but everything to do with the placement of the pockets.  The pockets were so high that they gave me Mum Bum!  Well that just wouldn't do. 

The jeans were so old, soft, faded and worn that I wanted to turn them into distressed jeans (see here) and thought I'd just wear long tops.  However, as I'm unable to leave anything alone I was determined to rid these jeans of Mum Bum... and it was really easy!

I simply unpicked the pockets (there were no rivets) and moved them down.  After studying my favourite jeans, I noticed that the pockets sat just above the curve of the bottom drawing the eye to your actual bottom, not some random lower back/top of buttocks region.

When sewing the pockets back on I simply followed
the original lines of stitching

These jeans were really faded, as you can see, leaving a shadow of the Mum Bum pockets but as these were distressed jeans I didn't mind & thought it added some interest.

A really simple fix!  Goodbye Mum Bum! 

I never dreamed I would be posting a pic of my rear on the internet.
These are the lengths I'll go to for a DIY explanation!

Just make sure you sew the pockets back on at the same level or you'll look all sorts of wonky!

Have you noticed the Mum Bum phenomenon?  It's not just me, right??

I Made It Monday - 50's Inspired Pants, self drafted

This week I made pants!

I have made a number of skirts, dresses and tops from self drafted patterns (for my non-sewist readers: self drafted means you make the pattern, it's not a purchased commercial pattern) however I have never attempted fitted pants.  I thought pants would be too tricky.

A lovely lady from my knitting group gifted me her 20+ year old Sure Fit Designs kits (they are still available, and I'd recommend them!) so I thought I'd give pants a go.

I love the 50's style high waisted cigarette style pants (sort of a jegging with a back zip!).  However, being tall it's hard to find them with a long enough rise (crotch length) - the tall girls know what I'm talking about!!

I used an inexpensive stretch denim to make a wearable muslin (sewing code for: wearable but okay to make many alterations on & junk if it all goes horribly wrong!).  After 4 fittings and rounds of alterations I was happy with the end result.

I was unsure about the high waist but they are so comfortable!  No muffin top to be found! 

Wool top: Country Road (old) / Pants: Made By Me / Shoes: Old

Photos c/o my wonderful Husband

What have you made with a self drafted pattern?

Winter Casual

Jumper: H&M (old) / Jeans: Wrangler / Shoes: Ziera / Bag: Colorado
Earrings: Made By Me

 



Rocking the messy bun look. 
If you missed my Instagram confession; this is how I put my hair up for a shower then don't bother to do it

 

 

Photos c/o my wonderful Husband

As much I LOVE my midi skirts, I wear jeans a lot.  I love them and they are practical for running around after 2 small girls.

There are so many different styles and cuts of jeans out there I simply can't keep up with what's "in".  I saw a fabulous and stylish London blogger rocking flares, saying they were back in a big way.  Really?  Others are getting back into their boot cuts; lots are still in their skinnies and I'm still seeing lots of distressed denim (which makes me happy, more on why here).  So what's the look in jeans??

I have no idea.  I say wear what you like and feel comfortable in. Unless you're a guy and wearing those jeans that hang below your underwear, that just looks silly.  Why even bother with pants?!

The jeans I'm wearing here I've had for a number of years.  I bought them from Tractor Supply (seriously!) whilst in Upstate New York.  They are Wrangler "Q Baby" jeans with a 36" (92cm) inseam - yay!  I like the dark colour and as they are riding jeans they don't gap in the back. 

On a side note: can I just say how much I love American sizing... these jeans are a 7/8.  Ha!  Love it!  The Australian ladies know what I'm talking about!!

This jumper (sweater for those who don't speak Australian) I bought from H & M (in USA) more than 10 years ago and I still love it.  I remember buying it purely because I was excited that the sleeves were long enough #tallgirlproblems! 

I'd love to know what your favourite style / cut of jeans is??

I Made It Monday - Top to Kimono Refashion

Kimono refashioned by me /
Jeans refashioned by me so many times I don't think Gap can still take credit for them
 

This Monday I'm wearing a refashioned piece that started life as a top I bought while in Mexico in 2004. 

Yep, I tend to hold onto clothes even if I don't wear them because there is something about them I love.  I loved the fabric of this top.  I loved it so much that it didn't matter that it was not a flattering fit (not that I tried it on before buying) and made me look like I was wearing a frumpy maternity top!  Mind you, on someone much shorter the waist would have sat at the waist and looked lovely, rather than under the bust like it did on me.

11 years later I decided to do something with it!  I love the Kimono trend and was going to make my own when I remembered I had this top stored away in a tote.

Here is the basic outline of how I turned it into a Kimono from a frumpy mess (on me) into a fabulous Kimono that I've worn more in the past few weeks than I have in the past 11 years!

Making sure you can see the pretty side detail!
Shoes: Target Australia / Necklace made by me

 

Photos c/o my wonderful Husband

 

 

Have you got an article of clothing that you can't part with although you don't wear it? 
What could you refashion it in to??

I Made It Monday - Distressed Denim

Welcome to the first "I Made it Monday" - this is a personal challenge to wear something I have made or refashioned every Monday.  I hope you join in!

I thought I'd start off simply with a refashion that anyone with a pair of scissors or razor can do - distressed denim. 

Jeans distressed & taken in by me / Ballet flats Target Australia

The practical Mama part of me could not bring myself to buy (let alone pay extra for) jeans with holes in them when I have so many pairs of jeans and anyone can make holes!

I love that distressed denim is back in vogue.  I remember when it was in during the late 1980's and I wanted ripped jeans in the worst pre-teen angst kind of way.  Everyone had them.  It was SO unfair that I didn't have them.  You get the idea!  However I was not allowed to buy them or "destroy perfectly good jeans". 

Well now that I'm a grown up I can do as I please with my jeans! (The irony of that sentence sounding very immature is not lost on me.)  When I saw distressed denim hit the market again I grabbed an old pair of jeans which had been given to me and were too short, which is why they are cuffed, (no money spent and no loss if they went horribly wrong!) and a pair of scissors and started to distress. 

To distress the denim I simply rubbed them with the blade of some sharp scissors until the desired level of distress was achieved.  I ripped out the knee a little, which later became a lot when my 2 year got her little hand in there and ripped them some more! 

Here's a handy hint: don't distress whilst wearing them...I think I took off some skin.  Do however, mark where you want the distressing to be whilst wearing them.



Shirt: Mix Apparel.com not a Tall size, but a good length / Necklace: Made By Me! 

Ta da!  A pair of distressed jeans of my very own and it only took me almost 30 years to get them!



Photos c/o my wonderful Husband

Have you tried to distress your own jeans?  How did it go?