Me Made May 2019
Hi! I’m Jenna, usually on instagram as @theladywholunches.
Last year was my second year participating in Me Made May and the first year of Me Made May Plus! I participated in a big way, challenging myself to wear mostly me-made garments everyday, and to post the outfit everyday to my Instagram grid. I usually rely on my reluctant husband to take my photos, so I knew if I wanted to get a daily shot, I needed a different plan. I got very lucky in a new office colleague who is also a photographer and great admirer of my wardrobe. She agreed to trade 5-10 minutes of her services every weekday in May for a Jenna-made jumpsuit, made to measure in a fabric of her choice. I also taught her to knit. Win-win! Our little mid-morning breaks were a welcome respite from our windowless office in San Francisco’s Civic Center. Weekends, I still relied on my husband.
Taking and sharing a photo of myself everyday was great for me. It allowed me to become more comfortable with my body, especially with different angles. Part of this was being photographed by a professional. She encouraged me to try different poses and wasn’t shy about positioning my arm or leg the way she wanted. As the month progressed, our photos got better as we both became more comfortable. If you ever have the chance to be photographed by an empowering and supportive photographer who wants you to celebrate your body, do not say no! In terms of my outfits, I didn’t follow any rules. What I wore was largely dictated by the weather and a desire to highlight as much variety as possible. Here are the outfits by week–lots of sewn and knit garments represented!
What did I learn from the month of making and sharing? Mostly I learned that I had made a lot of clothes in the last year or so. A lot. And I needed to transition to more mindful making. Or my closet was going to explode. This was a challenge for me, as I love making, but I have been fairly successful at reducing the quantity of my makes this year, and instead increasing the quality, both in finishes and fit. I loved following the #mmmayplus2019 hashtag, and discovered new sewists to follow.
Me Made May 2020
This year, I still plan to document my outfit everyday. However, I have a new challenge before me. I am 4 months pregnant (!), and my body is slowly slipping out of my control. Structured waistbands are already out, and I am not sure how much longer I’ll be able to wear some things that are only elasticated at the back. My bust is growing and overall, my body feels unpredictable. Like many people in the world, I am also on continued lockdown for the month of May. So there isn’t really a strong motivating factor to get dressed each day. Leggings and a t-shirt are just fine, thank you! But, I don’t wear leggings and t-shirts all that often, so my me-made wardrobe is a bit limited in that regard. So this May, I am going to make the effort to get dressed, and to wear items that I’m worried may not fit for much longer. I plan to concentrate my making efforts on pieces that are maternity and/or nursing friendly. Hello new hashtag #memademaymaternity . Follow along, let’s see where this goes!
p.s. my husband is going to be my daily photographer this month. Poor Ashwin.
Great to see all your lovely outfits together. And many congratulations on the impending arrival. So exciting and a great excuse to make maternity clothes. And of course cute little baby things! My friend had a grandchild lately and I really enjoyed making a selection of cute little tracksuits.