Hmm, perhaps it’s time to visit my jewelry-artisan colleague who lives in Amsterdam. And I must have a VERY furry Rachel-vest for the trip! LOL

I justify it with the knowledge that I get most of my clothing by thrifting — either from consignment shops or buying gently used stuff on Ebay. So I haven’t put all that much money into my closet.

I may not have as many occasions to wear every piece in my closet as a woman who has to dress for work, but I think something about spending ten hours a day in shapeless polyester scrubs just makes me crave a lot of variety. I take every opportunity to dress creatively that I can get. I will put on a cute skirt and sweater just to walk the dog. I will wear a ponte knit sheath dress with a cardigan and sweater tights to go to the grocery store. It makes me feel more confident and happier to be able to dress up a little bit when I have the slightest chance!

But i may have too many dresses and not enough casual wear? Or at least tops. I have a hard time buying tops/finding tops that i want to buy.

1) What about when one purposely dress towards the life they aspire to instead of just the one they have, as a means to influence how one’s life unfolds a little?

In this case, instead of dressing completely outside your lifestyle, just adding a few elements to your outfits everyday, in every situation. Applying the 90%/10% ratio to your daily outfit.

2) Lack of attention to the 10% in my closet (due to secret guilt? Denial?) in my experience, has led to creating a 10% mental “wall” when buying for fantasy. Every time I was tempted, I’d stop myself thinking of those wrapped items hidden somewhere in my closet. It is only when I started paying attention to (and nurturing) that crazy side of myself that I was liberated and the 10% started making sense, if you will, in its own nonsense way. I got rid of the old fantasy and replaced with new, up to date, craziness.

My personal delusion is “something to go out in the bars” (“sortir en boîte”). My god! I am 43. Although I do many different, sometimes strange things, I NEVER go out “en boîte” anymore. (Mind you, now that my son is 15, I may return soon to go fetch him out there?). 10% of my closet is prepared for that event, anyway.

NDMom, I love your attitude! When I was alone in a posting where women did not go outside freely, I also used internet heavily to get my “fix” of social life and YLF helped me lots!