[twistelette]

(I don't mean shopping for whole outfits at a a time, but a shift from the question: is this a beautiful item? to the question: how will this item fit in with what I already have?)

[RedandNavy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistelette (I don't mean shopping for whole outfits at a a time, but a shift from the question: is this a beautiful item? to the question: how will this item fit in with what I already have?)

Yes, that's very much what I meant. For years I always fell for the gorgeous item but didn't really think what this item means for my wardrobe. Now I really try to focus more on my wardrobe and a certain image I want to achieve. That helps a lot! And suddenly you can really be excited about "boring" items like simple tees or jeans because you know they will complete so many of your looks!

Ta-ta: Wow, those gloves are so stylish! Congrats! And I like the shoes, too, they look cute!

[fashionista-ta]

^ Thanks, girls

I tried on the same shoes for size in bright blue and green. The SA said they looked good on me (and the colors did look good with my skin, I noticed after she said something), and I said I didn't wear those colors. She said basically that it didn't matter, that they would be worn as an accent piece, and I stopped explaining. But those shoes had nothing to do with my wardrobe--I'm sure you understand And the colors just aren't me.

[salomelovesjohn]

RedandNavy, gorgeous coat! Love the color!

Tata, those shoes seem very "you" to me, in terms of color and styling. The pattern on the gloves is quite nice. I have a black leather pair with ruching that are elbow length and I just don't wear them enough.

[salomelovesjohn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twistelette (I don't mean shopping for whole outfits at a a time, but a shift from the question: is this a beautiful item? to the question: how will this item fit in with what I already have?)

Oh this is what I'm trying to do as well. Although I will say when I was younger and sometimes just went for the beautiful item it worked out very well for me.

So I picked up this top by Clover Canyon and I just love the print! I'm planning on wearing it on my trip to Miami in December, but I think I can generally get alot of use of out it. Tucked in it works as a shell with a great print, while out it is a comfy top to wear over jeans. Plus the back subtly shows off my back tattoo. I'm not thrilled that the top is polyester at this price point but the print is too cute for me to pass up and at least polyester tops are hand washable and wear like iron.

I also this Prabal Gurung sweater and I'm really torn on whether or not to keep it. I think I need to size down to a small, since it is a bit on the loose side for my taste. Also, I just feel like this top is too formal for the weekend for my lifestyle and not a great fit for work during the week. I probably need to send it back, really I WANT it to work for me more than it works for me. I do love the color and the print. Somehow the crazy glitter vampire lips Lupfer sweater I ordered feels much more casual to me!

I'm also considering the skull print tee from that collection, but then again probably will wait to see if it makes it to the sales.

Pictures from saks.com

[fashionista-ta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by salomelovesjohn RedandNavy, gorgeous coat! Love the color! Tata, those shoes seem very "you" to me, in terms of color and styling. The pattern on the gloves is quite nice. I have a black leather pair with ruching that are elbow length and I just don't wear them enough.

Thanks, salome, I thought so too I had turned and was walking away, and they pulled me back.

I plan to wear these gloves all winter ... I let longer gloves gather near the wrist, and wear them longer if I'm wearing them with, say, a 3/4 sleeve jacket. They keep the cold wind from blowing up your sleeves, and they're more dramatic than driving gloves

The ruching sounds beautiful ...

I have a number of examples of the 'pretty item' ... the only problem comes in when you don't buy anything else, and don't have anything to wear the pretty items with. (I usually shoot for half statement, half basic.) Or if the pretty item has some major limits around it, so that you can barely wear it. It's also important to have a color scheme.

I have some that have been eminently practical--I'm thinking of slides with a coral ornament. I have worn those to death, and keep wearing them--still get compliments.

I consider the black pencil skirt I just bought really beautiful ... and that's a basic, a real bonus if you can find that.

The sleeveless blouse is really pretty. Which one do you think is too formal?

[salomelovesjohn]

^^
Thanks, I think I'm only keeping the sleeveless blouse, the orchids on it are amazing and I really do need some more fun tops to wear with jeans when I go out. I've decided to be very picky and only keep something that I love and that really fits into my lifestyle. Because I order so much online I need to be more ruthless and send things back when they aren't as great as I thought they'd be in my head!

I also got some pants, but they are just replacement pants in a size smaller than my current favorite dress pants since I've been losing weight.

I definitely need some more statement items, I've been definitely wearing too many basic items. I agree that having a color scheme certainly helps with having a workable wardrobe!

[fashionista-ta]

^ One mistake I made many years ago was buying a blouse from a label I wore a fair amount then, in a print, on sale, that I knew darn well didn't go with a single thing in my closet. It then proceeded to hang in my closet for years, long enough to fade actually, until I donated it. I'm not sure I wore it even once. I learned a lesson from it, though, and have never made that compound mistake again ...

Now I think of my wardrobe as an ever-shifting puzzle, and mentally slot things in in various ways before ever buying them. It's almost an unconscious process now ...

Stopped by to mention that my shoes came today ... I have a black leather + tan on black animal print bag, as well as a leopard print knit skirt. What I think is really cute, and makes me smile (though I'm sure I could find a hundred humorless people to tell me I should never do this) is the shoes with their little bit of animal print + another animal print item. Like the shoes + bag worn with all black. I will probably do that this weekend--naysayers be damned (Not sure what it says about me that I get such pleasure from breaking silly rules ... )

[RedandNavy]

I had a presentation yesterday and I was wearing my new Roger Vivier shoes for them (plus some clothes, of course ). I felt so good with them on my feet, even if most people probably couldn't see them from where they were sitting. And the day before with had a reception and I wore my black Miu Miu pumps. Another great feeling. Awwww, shoes... I never paid much attention to them when I was younger but my life (and style) definitely changed for the better since I do...

Ta-ta: Hehe, it's fun to read about you and the rules. Well, I think it's good to know the rules. To think what might be true about them. And then, when you know yourself and your style better to decide what just isn't true for you. And break the rules.

As winter comes closer and as I'm moving in very different worlds right now (from mum days to school days to work days to receptions to presentations to family meetings etc) I do discover some serious holes in my closet. No idea how I can fill them up with my 1 item per month strategy...

[twistelette]

just popping in to say I found a great new bag yesterday: forest-green nylon (but non-shiny/non-scary), large enough to hold a ton of stuff, which will make it perfect for library going and grocery shopping. closed, it looks sort of folded together. it looks like it came from COS - but I got it at the thriftstore, for 2,50! nice one.

[fashionista-ta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedandNavy I had a presentation yesterday and I was wearing my new Roger Vivier shoes for them (plus some clothes, of course ). I felt so good with them on my feet, even if most people probably couldn't see them from where they were sitting. And the day before with had a reception and I wore my black Miu Miu pumps. Another great feeling. Awwww, shoes... I never paid much attention to them when I was younger but my life (and style) definitely changed for the better since I do... Ta-ta: Hehe, it's fun to read about you and the rules. Well, I think it's good to know the rules. To think what might be true about them. And then, when you know yourself and your style better to decide what just isn't true for you. And break the rules. As winter comes closer and as I'm moving in very different worlds right now (from mum days to school days to work days to receptions to presentations to family meetings etc) I do discover some serious holes in my closet. No idea how I can fill them up with my 1 item per month strategy...

Always good to wear clothes to a presentation--I hear people have nightmares about forgetting to do that I love it when a purchase really works out

So what are the holes you're finding? Has something just shifted--a lifestyle change?

[fashionista-ta]

Didn't post these because I wasn't sure I was going to keep them ... but these will work well with tights, and right now I only have two pairs of flats I can wear in the winter, so this makes three. These are hair calf, and as you can see, the patent is very well placed to prevent wear. They are also designed by an orthopedist ...

The shoes are pieces 5 and 6 for the season (though I don't know that I count the other inexpensive pair as a key piece), but in any case, I now plan to be done for the season.

Btw, got my Nordstrom statement today, and triple points netted me another $60 in Nordstrom Notes--yay! I plan to wait until the 10x points event before Christmas to stock up on tights for the winter, lingerie, and whatever else I may need at that point.

Also received the underwire-less bra ... it was a nice thought, but no. It has a cone thing going on, and I won't go into any negatives beyond that, though I could ... but it is going back. I guess I better stick with what's been working so far ...

[RedandNavy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fashionista-ta Always good to wear clothes to a presentation--I hear people have nightmares about forgetting to do that I love it when a purchase really works out So what are the holes you're finding? Has something just shifted--a lifestyle change?

Hey Tata, those polka dot ballerinas are cute! I love polka dots... They always make me feel happy when I wear them.

As for the holes in my wardrobe... My life has maybe changed a little, yes. Last year I was mostly at my office when at work and now I'm much more out for presentations and discussions. So I feel I need to stock up in the formal wear section. I finally should buy a pair of good formal pants, thinking of light wool pants in grey, brown, beige or navy. Maybe two pairs would be better. At the same time I will start another masters degree soon and there people will probably dress very casual. So I could also add one or two stylish casual sweaters. Then I do need more fall/winter shoes. Ankle boots with or witout heels and a heeled knee high boot. And I want to go on with my new practice of buying at least one dress per season, because I really want more of a dresses wardrobe. And I need some wool sweaters for work. Ahhhh! I feel like I seriously need to go shopping!!!

[fashionista-ta]

^ One thing I do when I notice an area where I have a shortage is to make a mental note to begin buying one of that item every season until I feel I have more to choose from. I had already felt I wanted to stock up on casual pants for work (it's business casual), and then two pairs wore out, so I've bought 3 pairs between spring and fall this year. Same thing with winter flats--I had two pairs, and wore one out--bought two pairs this season.

So you could start buying a nice pair of slacks each season, and a pair of boots each fall. Maybe something like this ...

Oct slacks
Nov boot
Dec dressy sweater
Jan dress
Feb casual sweater
Mar whatever else you need most from your list

PS I feel exactly the same way about polka dots

[RedandNavy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fashionista-ta ^ One thing I do when I notice an area where I have a shortage is to make a mental note to begin buying one of that item every season until I feel I have more to choose from. I had already felt I wanted to stock up on casual pants for work (it's business casual), and then two pairs wore out, so I've bought 3 pairs between spring and fall this year. Same thing with winter flats--I had two pairs, and wore one out--bought two pairs this season. So you could start buying a nice pair of slacks each season, and a pair of boots each fall. Maybe something like this ... Oct slacks Nov boot Dec dressy sweater Jan dress Feb casual sweater Mar whatever else you need most from your list PS I feel exactly the same way about polka dots

Thank you!! You are right, I should try to see the big picture. Even with my one item per month strategy I can slowly improve my wardrobe. I might not get everything I feel I need, but then again there usually isn't a huge hurry. For example: I will need ankle boots sooner of later but the truth is so far I haven't really spotted the perfect pair anyway. So until I see them, I'll try to go with what I have. Which might not be perfect but it's not that bad either.

I'll try to write down the seven things I still want to get this season and see which four to five I actually can get. And I'm sure I somehow can organize my wardrobe around the other holes...