11.20.2008

this is ridiculous



i can hardly breath, i feel so superficial & materialistic, i'm distracted, there is money burning holes in more than my pockets. i've been suckered into thinking that i need to buy more clothes, from gorgeous blog posts at creature comforts, street style fashion blogs, wardrobe remix on flickr, the girl above, gossip girl episodes & my always well-dressed girlfriends, i can't avoid feeling that i have nothing to wear. i need to spend a day in my closet figuring out what i really need (i use this term lightly, as in "i don't have to have anything, i simply want a lot.) to make my wardrobe complete for this seattle winter.

i've been working on the staples for a year or two: black pumps, riding boots, flats, city sneaks, pea coat, empire waste evening jacket, velvet blazer, pencil skirt, black trousers, wide leg jeans, skinny jeans & day to night dresses. hell, i've even done pretty well with trendy accessories: skinny belts, wide belts, bell shaped sweater, bright cardigans, long cardigans, scarves, bright color clutches, linen tuxedo tops & printed dresses. although, i do have to blame the last year's 10 lbs for the disappearance of (or uncomfortable wearing of) certain items: pulling buttons of my favorite menswear tops, too-skinny jeans, muffin-top designer jeans & a bag full of too small trousers.

i decided to attempt a process that would make this mindful, careful & effective. first, i made a list of times when i feel like i have nothing to wear. it turns out it's every situation, every event, every day; maybe this makes my feeling invalid. second, i made a list of outfits i would want to wear to these events. third, i made a list of those items (independent of outfit). i found that a lot of these items overlapped. finally, i took a look at that list & crossed out items that i already own & highlighted items i don't own or need to replace (fit or wear). i came up with the following list, now i just need to prioritize:

plaid button up (maybe vintage menswear)
casual fall/spring jacket
mid length, black cardigan (thin)
short frilly/accented cardigan
silky floral tops
solid warm dress
dark work jeans
fun/accent pumps
rain boots

i'm all about questions today, so - what is one piece of clothing that you can't live without, how do you wear it?

2 comments:

please sir said...

My must have item for a wardrobe is a trench coat. Since I'm in NC where the winters are mild I prefer a lighter trench that I can wear in fall, winter and early spring. I love my neutral trench belted at the waist - great for work and going out. Makes me look good either way! I know what you mean - I have NO winter clothes but can't afford any either - what's a gal to do?!

Anonymous said...

Well, one think I cannot live without is well-fitting pair of deep blue jeans, because cliche as it may sound, it IS imp.

p.s. love those flowers you made