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A Year In Numbers Part 4: What I've learned And Outfit Recap

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I've posted about the result of counting the wears of my wardrobe pieces for a whole year in these posts:

Part 1: Tops, sweaters, etc
Part 2: Bottoms and dresses
Part 3: Outerwear and shoes

Here's a short summary of what I've learned and some of the outfits I've worn during the past year:

My wardrobe statistics showed that I am a casual/smart casual dresser, and I wear jeans and sweaters most of the time. Well, that doesn't sound too exciting, does it?

What I've learned, in short:

Fall, winter and spring is when I need the most variety, while summer is very casual. My summer wardrobe should be very small.

- I need more jeans than trousers

- I need a lot of knitwear

- I don't need many dresses and skirts

- I need a varied selection of footwear, but not many dressy shoes
- My preferred silhouettes are structured, but never too fitted. I like fluid and tailored
- I much prefer cotton, wool and silk to polys and blends. No acrylic sweaters for me, please.

- My best neutrals are navy and light grey, with black and white on second place. These neutrals are all essential in my wardrobe. A few red pieces are great, too.

- I love blue colors in almost any iteration.

- A little olive, forest green and purple is fab. Coral/tangerine as well.

- Yellow is difficult for me, as is pure orange.

- I don't like muddy colors and patterns.
- Earthy colors/tones need some contrast to work, preferably with white
- I like classic geometric patterns like stripes, dots and plaids with some contrast. I also like classic florals
- I don't like abstract prints, ethnic etc
- I love a simple, crisp modern classic style with a few fun accents
- I prefer fewer layers when possible
- I prefer minimal jewelry

#1-3 Fall and winter looks
#4-6 Spring and summer looks

Next up is how to translate this into a vision for the next leg of my style journey. I'm excited!

Thanks for reading! Any thoughts are highly appreciated.

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Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

rute

Veteran

Gorgeous, gorgeous outfits: amazing work! I refuse to count my wardrobe items eh eh

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Insightful and inspirational Ingunn! I really like you in flared skirts, love how you made the big cuff with your jeans in the second picture, love the black jacket over white outfit, and think you look fantastic throughout.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Fab photos, a year's worth of beautiful and practical outfits, and insightful realizations.

I could repeat most of what you have said word for word. In fact, the only place we differ is (slightly) in our preferences for accent colours. No coral or olive for me -- I sub those for my berry tones and fuchsia. Oh -- and I do like an occasional oversized item. Favourite fits remain fluid and tailored but once in a while, I adore an oversized sweater.

Anonymous

Fabulous, Ingunn. I truly enjoyed following you during this assessment. I learned so much about myself in the process. Thank you.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, Rute, Shevia and Sterling!

Suz, I'm not surprised that we share both preferences and experiences. You are always an inspiration to me. I guess you will second what I forgot to list in my post, too: I crave variety and will never manage to feel content with a small minimalist wardrobe only. I tend to renew quite a lot of my wardrobe regularly, but I strive for longevity.

Joy

Veteran

Your Year In a Numbers has been fascinating and enlightening for us too. I don't know if I can keep it up, but Sept. 1, inspired by you I started keeping track of what I wear, although I think I have a pretty good idea.
You look beautiful in your outfits, playful but ladylike. And you have the best hair!

Alassë

Veteran

Very succinct summary, Ingunn. Funny, I think of you as wearing more skirts/dresses than you actually do - I wonder why?

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Alassë, you might be right! I think the ratio of outfits with skirts vs pants that I show here is different from what I actually wear.

Joy, I'm humbled to have inspired you. I hope you find it entertaining and interesting to keep your own register like I did. Now I've started the second year, to find out where that will take me.

lyn67

Veteran

Are we twins, Ingunn? (Hah, I wish I had your slim frame, and the impecable pieces you already have, but I meant twins in the likes and the lessons learned. Even our numbers almost coincide, except that I do have so many skirts like your trousers (or a bit more)...but then, only a few pants:-)) So great you posted these, I'm still taking notes!

Anonymous

Gorgeous as always, Ingunn! I think of your style as very dressy and polished, especially your pumps and boots. I guess part of that is how casual my part of the world is. Anything besides jeans is considered formal, lol! Whatever you call it, I love your style and always look forward to seeing your outfits.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes, Ingunn, I would echo the second part of what you said, also. At this point in my wardrobe building I'm looking for a balance between classic quality and longevity and a bit of that "fun" factor -- slightly more trendy pieces that might indeed prove tiresome over the long haul, but which add so much zip and pleasure and modernity to a look.

I haven't yet worked out how many I need of each type. How about you?

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Thank you, Lyn! I'm sure we are twins, separated at birth! Great minds think alike

Claire, thank you. I do like to wear a heel, but I also think that what you see here on YLF is a slightly dressier version of me than the one I present to the world locally. It's not that I don't actually wear these outfits, but I think I dilute them a bit with more casual jeans & sweater with flats-outfits regularly, too.

Suz, we just have to keep up trying the find that sweet point in our wardrobes. In regards of numbers, I think the past year has given some indication, but I'm not sure if these numbers are insistent or not. I will keep up registering to see If I can find out more.

Deb

Veteran

What a beautiful wardrobe you have! Really like your taste and everything here so suits you. Great styling Ingunn!

Joyce B

Veteran

Those are beautiful outfits, you look fab in all.
It will be interesting to follow the next leg of your style journey, I'm sure it will be fab as well.

Anonymous

Hi Ingunn. It was really nice to read this thread again. I gleaned still more interesting insights from your post.

The second picture in the sixth frame interested me very much. I recently bought a couple of pairs of pants that mirrored the pair you wore in the picture. I found them very unflattering on me. It was as if a big round circle was focused over my hip area. I saw the same thing in your picture and suddenly realized it WAS the pants and how they were shaped/cut.

I made the decision to continue to wear them, but only in the house. I really don't want to be seen in public in these particular pants. I am curious if anyone else on this forum experienced something similar and if they know why this particular cut of pants focuses the eye around the hip.

Is it the volume? I purposely bought pants that had less volume and still ......

By the way, I thought this was the perfect pair of pants to wear casually. Comfortable. I thought they could be dressed up or down. I just felt significantly less than fabulous wearing them. I won't be buying any more.

Sigh.

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

Hi Sterling, it's an interesting point you make about the slouchy track pants. They are indeed unflattering in any conventional way. I like how they have a drop crotch and are low waisted, which adds some structure for me. I can totally see why you find them hard to wear. I wear mine mostly around the house, too.

PalmFronds

Hi Ingunn, I'm so glad to read this post and see more of your insights! Like some of the other YLF family I feel like I could have written the same words in terms of style preferences. Right now I'm working on effectively putting my " dressier" prior work wear into more casual rotation and your smart casual style is gorgeous inspiration for me to stay true to my style aesthetic . Thank you!

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

Great observations! Whenever I start to feel pushed toward 'shoulds' or 'coulds' in my wardrobe I try to remind myself I'm only buying things that make me think 'yes, please!' I feel the gallery of looks you have put together really convey that.

Adelfa

Veteran

Hi Ingunn, haven't been around much so just now am tuning in with your series. I too think of you as a frequent dress/skirt wearer and, before your explanation, was wondering if the discrepancy was (1) that the 50% frequency above didn't reflect what you actually wore or (2) that you're wearing more pants now than you did a year or so ago.

I love dresses and skirts, but am wearing fewer of them these days. Hardly any in my Fall capsule.

I'm looking forward to catching up with the rest of your series. I find historical breakdowns like this super helpful. Plus you look fab!

Elly

Veteran

It is amazing to see you look back at an entire year-- I admire how quickly you rebuilt a beautiful wardrobe and stayed true to yourself while encorporating trends. I have a favorite outfit from almost every picture set and for the most part they fit your own reflections--- neutral, a lot of pants outfits, tailored and fluid fits, and a nod to juxtaposition which livens a very classic style sense up-- whether it be masculine/fem or sporty with classic, that juxtaposition I'm beginning to believe is the key to looking current and urban.

unfrumped

Veteran

Oh, total plonkdom.

So, how do you square your jeans focus with you look so great in skirts, dresses and trousers? Is that your shadow style or an imaginary lifestyle thing (not totally imaginary, of course) and you feel you need to limit those items due to wears and practicality?

I've had the knitwear lightbulb for some time. Even without its being so trending, I need the drape of it, I need a lot of untucked looks, and also I can't wear my shirttails out, for button-fronts, except for off-duty looks.
So, point of that aha was, I should aim to add or have or upgrade several really good sweaters each season, in the appropriate fabrications for the weather.
This has changed my shopping strategy from just grabbing random sweaters on sale, or whatever styles I come across, to becoming much more intentional as to color, style, quality. Second, the same sweaters can often be worn with straight dark jeans or possibly BF jeans and that helps with versatility and should be one of my main weekend outing-type look.

Does something like that fit in with your journey--such as how did the Ted Baker sweater work out this past year (I thought it looked fab).

avicennia

Veteran

You look lovely in blue and navy! After seeing these photos, I'm inspired to try larger cuffs on my jeans. I find myself gravitating to a similar color palate silhouettes, so your analysis is very helpful to me. Thank you for posting.

Lisa

Veteran

You have some great observations here. And for more than one of these, you could be talking about my wardrobe. I am also a big jean wearer and do not need many trousers or dresses. And I don't even own a skirt, nor do I notice that I do not have one. I am also not a fan of acrylic, too itchy for me.