7.05.2016

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making harem pants


Ruggy had one word for me when he caught an unexpected eyeful of these pants:

NO.


I responded in the only way I could: I began to croon "The Girl From Ipanema" (Frank Sinatra version), and gave him a nice, leisurely sway of my viscose clad hips, rotating sloooooooowly around for the full 360 view....


At which point he really started hollering: STOP IT NO STOP NOW I'M GOING TO ASSOCIATE THAT SONG WITH THOSE THINGS


He really likes that song. Not so much the pants. These pants are not the droid for Ruggy. Actually, I'm not a fan of the look of this shape either. But the first time I made a pair of harem pants and tried them on, the feel of them was like...the heavens opened up and started singing. Or maybe it was just the musical kids at rehearsals, since I only wore them in Texas, when I was away for work, far from Ruggy's pained eyes. I reserve my Ruggy Repellant for when miles separate us, kind of like a consolation prize, I guess. See: here; and here.


Joyously, the only thing separating us at the moment is our odd hours at the gym. When his workout time rolled around, I took the opportunity to don these and shoot them by myself, because I love my man, and I know which ensembles are better done solo. Alas! His workout was truncated, and upon my return, he was greeted with an image that apparently seared his retinas.


Sound drastic? Y'all, he REALLY loathes them. And listen, it goes both ways, there are plenty of items in his closet that make me want to go postal. I am thinking in particular of a dusty mauve, hole ridden, oversized T shirt that gives him a...pallor..like all the lifeblood has been replaced with antifreeze. Not a good look. But we bear each other's eccentricities.


This little eccentricity started out as an off-the-shoulder peasant dress. Those colorful side panels were center front and center back of a voluminous, gathered alien swath that looked like it was trying to swallow me whole. (Maybe it still does... but at least the mouth of it is only getting as far as my hips.) Would that I had photographic evidence of said dress. It might make Ruggy feel better about the pants. Basically, I succumbed to a trend which does not look good on me, realized my mistake, and then turned to another trend that does not look good on me as the solution.

When things went south with this Mood Sewing Network make, I couldn't bear giving up on this paneled beauty. (I'm shocked it's still on the site, considering the price and the print!) WARNING: NONSENSICAL EXPLANATION AHEAD. To "save" it, I laid the dress out flat, dissected the raglan off-the-shoulder sleeves, cut it open at the side seams, and made a new, longer seam from hem to top, creating a trapezoid shape. Then I googled "make harem pants" for an approximate shape, and sewed them back together. It's basically a trapezoid with a wide curve on the bottom edge, from leghole to leghole. I used the original, truncated shoulder elastic casing for the waist. Yessssss, again, pictures would help. But when I get on a stubborn roll, I just keep the freight train rolling. 


I think that a lot of my garments get finished because I'm far too stubborn to take No for an answer. Ironic that Ruggy's answer to these are exactly that.

I tell you what though: they are SOOOOOO comfortable. I don't care if the final product gives me junk on both sides of my trunk!!! But, these might be reserved for Girls Night and Rehearsal Wear.

I'm okay wth that. I LIKE specialty clothing.

these extra special pant were made using my mood sewing network fabric allowance. ruggy does not join me in thanking mood this time around.

32 comments:

  1. I love those pants. They are seriously the best. I'm saying this unironically. :)

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  2. I think my husband would refer to these as "crap catchers and side with Ruggy. I say seriously you make them look hawt. Love how you've styled them too.

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    1. yeeeeep. crap catchers! i'm at odds whether or not to share that label with ruggy, because he would whole heartedly embrace it.

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  3. Those are genius and I love them. Always wanted to make a pair of harem pants.

    (I think it's a husband thing. My husband also hates them.)

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    1. yeah, the other halves are not so much into it. go for it! there is much giggling to be had over their grimacing!

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  4. Well they look great on you. I wouldn't go anywhere near them. They would only make me look bigger! Love the fabric though. I can understand how you wouldn't want that fabric to go to waste!

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  5. Ruggy is WRONG. These harem pants are EVERYTHING!!

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    1. HAHAAAA! RUGGY! i'd call him out to defend himself, but he can't even look at *pictures* of these!

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  6. love love love loeve love looooreve - i have a self drafted jumpsuit/harem pant combo that I was JUST thinking I needed to make again and then LOOK WHAT I SEE! Great minds!!!

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    1. i was like, *who's sugar booty???* um, HI! not only would you rock these, you would rock these as a couple. PERKS, baby.

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  7. I laughed my way through this post! And I love those pants but my husband would say "no way" too.

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    1. i could totally see you lounging at an open cafe in these! perhaps, paired with a nice sauvignon blanc to ease his pain?

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  8. These are great, and they look like they were planned to be harem pants, what with the cool print placement and everything! Boys are dumb!

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    1. your boy is the KING of critique. i kind of want you to make a pair just to hear his response. pretty please?

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  9. I personally love those pants, my husband would be pretty iffy about them on me though. I would get a lot of humming of "Hammer Time" if I made myself a pair. I love the print. Cheers, Michele

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    1. he couldn't even look long enough to make the connection!

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  10. Long long ago Marie Claire ran an article where women chose a garment from a selection of 12, and their partners also chose one. Not one single couple chose the same outfit. But, several of the men chose the little red cling dress, and several of the women chose a seriously funky silver and black trouser suit that did not fit at all. I think this speaks volumes about the need to live and let live in our wardrobe choices, non?

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    1. that's fascinating-- i wonder if we could find images of the items! and i wonder what age range they tested... you know, i think we need a blog version of this...

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  11. You had me laughing at the title :) If there was ever a fabric for harem pants this is it...love em

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  12. Oh my! You can wear anything and make it rock. Harem pants on me would be truly scary but I'm tempted to get some really cheap fabric that I won't care about ruining and give some a try just to freak out the hubby, which is fun sometimes. :-)

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  13. ha ha. I love me some man repeller harem pants too. Really they are like pants, skirts and pjs all rolled into one!

    Awesome fabric.

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    1. girl, you rock some man repeller items, you do. and he still makes you madeleines :)

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  14. I have all sorts of problems with harem pants, but for whatever reason, I love these! I think I like the pattern placement.

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  15. Great pattern and such fun result! :)

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  16. I adore these!! I love everything you make, but honestly these might be my favorite! That print is gorgeous - you look like a living sculpture

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i thankya truly for taking the time to comment, i love a good conversation-- and hope you know my thanks are always implied, if not always written!