Talking of cosy, I'm currently loving this chunky Paul and Joe Sister cardigan:
I think I would get lots of wear out of this over the next few months, layered over a white tee like the model, or a striped tee. I think it would be perfect transitional piece for spring too. I'm pretty sure the sales will be starting next week so I'm going to look out for it then.
I think part of the reason why it took me so long to think of some successful outfits is that a lot of days pass in a blur of going to work and doing the same old stuff each weekend, and admittedly I don't put a great deal of effort into dressing for work, and tend to rely on a striped tee and jeans combo at weekends. There's nothing that's wrong about these outfits, but then again there's nothing remarkable about them which would make them stand out and for me to think 'I look great, that worked well'. I tend to rely on fail safe outfits, and although I hope I always look presentable and put together, I'm not likely to get stopped and photographed by Scott Schuman any time soon!
Then again, I think I'm ok with this. I don't like to stand out, I'm not extroverted, I don't want to look 'sexy' and have men looking at me, that's not what I'm about……its just not in my nature.
Anyway, back to the original point which was dressing for those awkward (for me anyway) smart/casual occasions, and the idea of basing outfits on the times I got it in the past. On these occasions when I make a bit more effort, I'd say I have a success rate of about 50%. I always feel that there's more pressure to get it right, to try something new, and so it seems to me there's a much bigger chance of getting it wrong. I don't know if that makes any sense, so I'll try and clarify. It's easy to blend into the background in an office full of people in drab outfits, and when I'm going for a walk in the park and a coffee on a Sunday, I don't feel any pressure to look great and wow anyone, I just want to be comfortable and warm mainly! But when I'm invited to a party, go to see a band or go to a bar, I know that I'm probably going to be surrounded by people that have made an effort, and are dressing in whatever hipster style is currently in, and I feel that it's harder to measure up.
I know that for me, often this has little to do with what I'm actually wearing, and what it essentially boils down to is self confidence, which I think I lack big time. I feel like I never measure up against other people, I feel awkward and unstylish and just 'not quite right' a lot of the time. I'm way too self critical, and I pick over minor faults and magnify them in my head.
There are 2 things that I need to sort out here really, the first is that I need a few outfits that I feel fantastic in and that I know I can rely on because they've worked in the past. The second is that I somehow need to try and work on becoming more confident and to stop being so critical of myself. I think I've always assumed that as soon as my wardrobe was 'perfect' that I would immediately feel confident in everything I wore, and every outfit would look great. Its about so much more than having the right clothes or bag though, its about being comfortable in your own skin and accepting yourself, faults and all. I'd never envisaged this blog veering into oprah/self help territory and this is becoming an epic post so I think I'll leave this particular rambling train of thought for now.
If I want to create the perfect, pared down minimalist wardrobe which reflects my lifestyle then I need to think seriously about what I actually spend my time doing. So, I've tried to come up with a list of all the things that occupy my time, and have grouped them by the kind of clothes that might be required for each occasions. A few notes: *In three weeks time I won't be working anymore so work clothes don't feature on my list *I haven't included being at home since I tend to wear pretty comfy casual stuff like hoodies and leggings which I don't count as part of my core wardrobe *I haven't included very occasional events like weddings, christenings, christmas parties etc since I don't include formal wear as part of my core wardrobe. Casual Running errands, going to the supermarket Going to friends houses/having friends over Weekend breaks to seaside, countryside Walks in local parks/national trust sites Casual/Smart Going out for lunch or coffee Going over to parents or parents in law for lunch/dinner Weekend visits to cities for shopping/lunch Weekend breaks to cities Going to see bands Going out for dinner (eg. country pub) Smart Going out for dinner (eg. city restaurant) Going to the theatre From past experience, I've found that I'm pretty much there with the casual and smart outfits but the ones that I always seem to struggle with are smart/casual ones. Those that require something slightly smarter than a t shirt or sweater, but where a silk blouse might be too smart, for example going to see a band, meeting friends for lunch, or going for dinner to a country pub. I want to address this in my wardrobe planning so that this time next year this won't be an issue. This leads me onto the next step, what do I actually NEED for Autumn and Winter? I'll cover this in my next post. |
I am by nature a very analytical person, I have a maths degree, and have worked in an analytical/statistical role since graduating 7 years ago. I am definitely guilty of over thinking things, I love writing lists, organising and planning things, and am also a bit of a perfectionist. It’s perhaps not that surprising then that one of my favourite things to analyse, plan and organise is my wardrobe!
I have a system that I use to organise my wardrobe and the system is basically this: I think of my wardrobe as having two main elements, the first is my core wardrobe which is comprised of clothes, shoes and bags which are worn on a daily basis. This is further broken down into current season and out of season. The second element I consider to be ‘non core’ and this is comprised of:
*comfy clothes for wearing around the house
*sports/outdoor wear
*formal/occasional wear
*holiday/travel wear
*maternity wear
*work/office wear
*items to donate or sell
*items that I’m not sure about (I usually pack them away for 6 months, while I make up my mind)
(Usually, the work/office wear would be included as part of my core wardrobe since I’m at work everyday but seeing as I can’t fit into any of it and next year I will be off work this is currently in storage. The maternity wear is part of my core wardrobe at the minute, but this will also get packed away next year).
I find it helpful to maintain a list which looks at each element of my wardrobe, in this I list each item, flag up anything which needs tailoring, which I plan to cull, or which needs replacing etc. I also use this to identify any gaps, and keep a wishlist of things I plan to purchase. It probably seems unnecessary and far too time consuming to most people, but I find that it helps keep me accountable and keeps me from buying things which I don’t need.
Over the last few years I’ve really been conscious of trying to pare back and declutter my wardrobe. At first I started by just focusing on my core wardrobe, but I gradually realised that I was still ending up with bags full of unwanted clothes in the loft, or lurking in the wardrobe in our spare bedroom and I needed to look at everything. When I first began to seriously consider what was in my wardrobe a few years back I started with over 250 pieces of clothing, shoes, and bags. I found it was helpful to break things down into the categories listed above and to gradually assess what I could get rid of from each area. I also made a conscious effort to bring less into my life, which hasn’t always been easy at times. However, I’m pretty happy with the progress I’ve made and as it stands I currently have around 120 items in my wardrobe (both core and non core).
The focus of this blog is mainly on my core wardrobe, as the rest does not get as much use and remains fairly static. In the next few posts I plan to look at my core wardrobe for Autumn/Winter.
Following on from my post entitled ‘Changes’ I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how I can move forward, avoid making the same mistakes, and work towards the goal of a wardrobe where:
*Everything is loved and well worn
*Nothing is superfluous to what I need
*Everything is right for me, and fits my style/lifestyle
*There is a clear theme and a feel of overall cohesiveness
So how do I achieve this……
1.) By identifying the mistakes that I’ve made in the past and not repeating them.
2.) By selling/donating clothes that aren’t right for me.
3.) By defining my personal style; identifying what themes I’m drawn to, thinking about what inspires me - self knowledge is key.
4.) By identifying what I actually spend my time doing and what clothes/shoes/accessories I need to be able to dress for my lifestyle.
5.) By slowly purchasing the items I need, and replacing items which have worn out/are about to wear out.
So this is the plan for 2010, I’ve decided that this is something that needs to be tackled slowly… a gradual process of shedding things which don’t work, making some acquisitions and replacements. I want to acquire things thoughtfully and gradually, I need to remember that it’s not a race. Hopefully by this time next year I will be much closer to my goal, and will be able to look back on the things I’ve purchased without any guilt. I’m not realistically expecting my wardrobe to be ‘perfect’, I think there will always be room for small improvements and subtle shifts and changes; I don’t ever want to stop and stagnate.
