A belt in your trousers or skirt to match the blouse? How neat. I'll tell you about the catalogue which inspired the thought, then how you could cut or adapt your clothes so they co-ordinate.
I was just looking at the JDWilliams.co.uk catalogue and noticed that a stone colour trousers with trouser tabs had a pretty coral pink and white belt, with curbed ends, £12, for the trousers, 'great value' they say, on page 10 of the bargains leaflet inside their solid bound catalogue.
I thought of ordering it - here's the details in case you or I decide to buy:
tel: 0871 231 2000 order DS 462 UK, sizes 12-32 in navy; and 14,18, 20,22, 24, 28, 30, 32 in stone, alongside the same coral print blouse in machine washable cotton, coral print, sizes 16,20,22,24,26, 28,30, for £10. However the text does not say belt included. So the total for the matching outfit would be £22 - plus postage. It the belt included or isn't it? The belt is not mentioned in the text? Was this a two piece outfit now divided into two so that if you already have separates and just want one half you can buy it - and might be tempted to come back and buy the other half of the outfit later? Or maybe you have a figure which is larger above the waist than below, or vice versa, and would like to order the two halves separately?
They phoned and said the belt is included.
Digression on catalogues - for idea on making belts go to next paragraph
Usually if the matching item such as a belt or a bag is sold separately, catalogues refer you to another page, or the designer doesn't yet know the page, I'm guessing, so they try to make a game of it, as if you are clever to find the item, and text irritatingly says 'find this belt/bag'. So you have to find it and go back and mark the page number. I cut out the pages and staple them together, then junk the bulky catalogue and keep just the item I want. Unfortunately I'm often left with the picture and the text and vital ordering numbers!
Making a matching belt from a blouse
If you are wearing a long blouse outside other people won't see the belt except when you are undressing. A light fabric belt holds the trousers up and in, and won't show through like a heave belt with a big, bulky metal buckle. If you tuck the blouse in, you display the matching belt. When the blouse is worn tucked in, extra fabric might keep you warm and give you another option, but often its simply extra bulk. So you might like to cut the hem off the blouse, and re-sew the blouse hem. A straight line of hand sewing is easy and can be done anytime, anywhere - even if you are stuck in a hotel waiting for other people or a shuttle bus.
Then the seam of the belt material is easy. Lots of options. Start with the belt inside out. Sew one line of stitching, or two parallel along both the long sides. Sew one short End. Then pull inside out. Finish the second short end sewn neatly, or cover the hand-sewn outside short edge with satin ribbon or lace or even an iron-on patch to hide your stitching. Or tie a bow so the neater short edge hidden by having the sewing on the inside is on top.
You might also enjoy my other blogs, especially posts on travel, plus my books on quotations on lulu.com
I was just looking at the JDWilliams.co.uk catalogue and noticed that a stone colour trousers with trouser tabs had a pretty coral pink and white belt, with curbed ends, £12, for the trousers, 'great value' they say, on page 10 of the bargains leaflet inside their solid bound catalogue.
I thought of ordering it - here's the details in case you or I decide to buy:
tel: 0871 231 2000 order DS 462 UK, sizes 12-32 in navy; and 14,18, 20,22, 24, 28, 30, 32 in stone, alongside the same coral print blouse in machine washable cotton, coral print, sizes 16,20,22,24,26, 28,30, for £10. However the text does not say belt included. So the total for the matching outfit would be £22 - plus postage. It the belt included or isn't it? The belt is not mentioned in the text? Was this a two piece outfit now divided into two so that if you already have separates and just want one half you can buy it - and might be tempted to come back and buy the other half of the outfit later? Or maybe you have a figure which is larger above the waist than below, or vice versa, and would like to order the two halves separately?
They phoned and said the belt is included.
Digression on catalogues - for idea on making belts go to next paragraph
Usually if the matching item such as a belt or a bag is sold separately, catalogues refer you to another page, or the designer doesn't yet know the page, I'm guessing, so they try to make a game of it, as if you are clever to find the item, and text irritatingly says 'find this belt/bag'. So you have to find it and go back and mark the page number. I cut out the pages and staple them together, then junk the bulky catalogue and keep just the item I want. Unfortunately I'm often left with the picture and the text and vital ordering numbers!
Making a matching belt from a blouse
If you are wearing a long blouse outside other people won't see the belt except when you are undressing. A light fabric belt holds the trousers up and in, and won't show through like a heave belt with a big, bulky metal buckle. If you tuck the blouse in, you display the matching belt. When the blouse is worn tucked in, extra fabric might keep you warm and give you another option, but often its simply extra bulk. So you might like to cut the hem off the blouse, and re-sew the blouse hem. A straight line of hand sewing is easy and can be done anytime, anywhere - even if you are stuck in a hotel waiting for other people or a shuttle bus.
Then the seam of the belt material is easy. Lots of options. Start with the belt inside out. Sew one line of stitching, or two parallel along both the long sides. Sew one short End. Then pull inside out. Finish the second short end sewn neatly, or cover the hand-sewn outside short edge with satin ribbon or lace or even an iron-on patch to hide your stitching. Or tie a bow so the neater short edge hidden by having the sewing on the inside is on top.
You might also enjoy my other blogs, especially posts on travel, plus my books on quotations on lulu.com
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