No wonder nothing fits

Fig. 1.  "Hi, I'll take that in
a size 12 with a FBA,
swayback adjustment, and
sloped shoulders
adjustment, please."

The process of fitting the Sorbetto pattern has really opened my eyes to why I have such problems finding RTW clothes that fit me properly.  It's not as if I can go into a store and expect it to have shirts with all of the adjustments that I've made on the Sorbetto.  And, I think the swayback issue is why I can never get jeans to fit me around the waist and hips at the same time, particularly low-rise jeans.  Skirts and dresses are usually not too much of a problem if I choose styles with a bit of fullness in the skirt (sheath dresses and pencil skirts can be a problem).

Fig. 2.  This is exactly what my
personal croquis will look
like.  Also, I have a bridge I
want to sell you....

So, really, it's no wonder I mostly buy knits, especially tops.  With a knit, I can get a top that stretches over my bust and still be slightly fitted around the waist.  It's difficult to find knit pants that don't make you look like somebody's grandmother, but I do have one pair that I bought for postpartum wear that still fits and are actually stylish.

Because of these fit issues, I think I'm on the right track in making my own clothes.  In the past, I've shied away from it because I didn't know how to alter patterns to fit.  Also, there's always the chance that I could spend huge amounts of time (and money, sewing your own clothes isn't necessarily the cheapest option) making something only to find that the style doesn't flatter my body in any way.  For this reason, I think I'm going to make a croquis, although I'm not certain I have enough image manipulation skills to really use one effectively.  We shall see.