Fast fashion is cheap to buy and expensive to throw away. Every garment that ends up in landfill is fabric, thread and labour that never gets a second life, and…
A special-occasion dress lives or dies on two decisions made before a single stitch goes in: the fabric, and the fit. Get those right and even a simple pattern looks…
Accessories are the cheapest way to change an outfit's entire feel without touching the garment itself, but only if you follow a few rules that keep a look from turning…
Summer in the Free State means heat, harsh sun, and sudden afternoon thunderstorms, which makes fabric choice more than a style question. Here's what actually works, on you and in…
You don't need a full new wardrobe to feel like you've refreshed your look. Sometimes a handful of custom accessories, made from fabric you've chosen yourself, does more than an…
It sounds counterintuitive (surely getting something made takes longer than buying it off a rack?) but for a lot of people, custom tailoring actually saves time in the long run,…
Geometric print and pattern work is forgiving in a way florals and abstract prints aren't. Because the repeat is predictable, it's easier to plan cutting layout, match pattern lines at…
Collars are one of the parts of a garment that separate an amateur finish from a professional one, small in area, but very visible, and unforgiving of uneven stitching or…
A pattern block (sometimes called a sloper) is a basic, fitted pattern made to your exact body measurements, without seam allowances, style lines, or design details. It isn't a garment…
A well-chosen suit says more with less effort than almost anything else in a wardrobe, but only if a handful of basics are right. Here's what actually matters, beyond trend…
There's a simple rule that covers almost every suit jacket and blazer you'll ever wear: "sometimes, always, never."
On a three-button jacket: the top button is buttoned sometimes (optional, mostly…
A shirt that looks sharp in an air-conditioned shop and then turns unbearable by mid-morning is almost always a fabric problem, not a fit problem. Here's what to actually look…