60's Style Dress Remake

When I was looking for self-made garments in my closet to wear at MMM12, I got hold of this dark green wool crepe dress again. (Please excuse the mess in the background...)

I made it about a year ago from a vintage Simplicity pattern from 1968. That was also the first time I tried myself in pattern grading, as the pattern came in one-and-a-half size too big (grading went surprisingly easy and well!).

I wanted to go with version 1 (the green one at left), but for some reason I put on another self-drafted collar, which I removed a bit later because I didn't like it.
The sad thing is, I only wore the dress once or twice, and then it stayed in my closet to be never worn again. I don't know why, but I felt rather like wearing a period costume in it than wearing a modern 60's style dress. Maybe it just wasn't my style, but I didn't really like it (although I liked the fabric it is made of, a nice wool crepe!). I also found that the pattern looked somehow plain made up in this dark green color.

So when I pulled the dress out of my closet yesterday, I started thinking over again of what was the reason I didn't like it, and if I could maybe change that. So I decided to try it with cutting off the sleeves and making it short sleeved. I also took in the waist at the back darts a little bit. 

So here is the result:

Ok, it's still not the best dress I've ever made, but it does reflect my style more than before, and in any way, it now can be worn even for a weather like we have these days in may, not only in winter (long wool crepe sleeves can be amazingly warm!). And I don't feel like being in disguise any more!

Preparing for Me-Made-May'12

As I signed up for Me-Made-May'12, I thought it would be a good idea to tidy up my wardrobe, which was in a terrible mess. I was sure it may be too difficult to overlook my self-made garments to chose.

Oh! What a terrible mess!

I took me almost the whole morning, but I like it much better now.

Looks a lot better!

There is a bunch of garments that have to go (self-made ones included). Either they became too small (too much chocolate, ahem), or they don't reflect my personal style anymore, and two or three of them were even never worn. What on earth was I thinking when I bought them??

They make space for new self-made garments!

In the back of the wardrobe I found something nice: a pair of dark blue gabardine trousers, one of the very first garments I ever made about six years ago! I wore them a lot at that time, but now they are a bit tight around the hips, and too short. I keep them for sentimental reasons, though.

One of my very first garments!

I was frightened when I put all my self-made, season appropriate tops together: there are only seven pieces, and one of them was never worn since I made it in 2005! I can see now that may will be a very hard month... But I also think that this is one of the goals of taking part in this challenge, to see what I need more of in my closet...