Dress Of The Day with Angela

  Who wears the pants? Americans call them underpants. I thought these discarded men's pants (US underpants) were too good to throw away. I thought of making a cushion, a scarf, a scarf and matching cravat and cap, a headband, a dress for a doll or teddy bear. I washed them and held them against myself and considered turning them into a skirt. I have converted several pairs of trousers into skirts. I decided a cape looked best. I used pinking shears to cut up the inside seams to the crotch. I tried it on as a cape. It looked great but felt tight, constricting, across the upper arms. So I slit up the sides almost to the top, first half way, then further, finally further. It was loose around the neck. I did not want it low and revealing at the front. Low and revealing at the front would be great for evening wear in a satin slinky fabric. But this was matt and cottony with a print. I could have sewn across the two shoulders at the outside edges, leaving the centre open for the neck.. ...

Angela Lansbury wearing pyjamas, with pyjama bottoms slit to make a skirt. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Why convert trousers into a skirt? I didn't want trousers. In hot weather I like to feel free in a skirt. I hesitated. Would I wear the garment? I told myself, Go on, wear it. My internal dialogue went like this:   No. I am not interested.  In that case, it is just taking up space. You have nothing to lose. You might as well cut the bottom half.  If it goes wrong, I still have lots of fabric Or could sew it back together.  The decision was made. How To Cut? I took the trousers and a pair of pinking shears. The material was catching. I used ordinary sharp large scissor, holding the join of the fabric very carefully a short distance from the blade.  I slit the trousers from the ankles to the crotch. Where to cut the hem? I had previously realised that if you have a large hem it is worthwhile separating the two sides by unravelling the sewing along the join to gain a ...