I am now well on my way to fall wardrobe planning....but I am still wearing my summer clothes...more than ever before! Actually I am enjoying immensely trying to to get the most use out of my rather small summer wardrobe and haven't bought anything in that category since except one extra white slack since May. So summer feels under control, yeah for Angie's planning and wearing advice!

So here comes fall...and this is the current plan:

Fall in my neck of the woods is usually not too wet, but gets progressively colder until real snow appears (enough that boots are absolutely necessary) or cold under -4 C appears (and boots are absolutely necessary) and skirts are forbidden. SO I try to focus fall on skirts and dresses to enjoy those while the conditions are right and switch to slacks when I have no choice for winter. (4 season dressing here)

I allow (?? so I can have lots of clothes) myself to have separate wardrobes for each season, reusing mostly tops and jackets between those. So while bottoms are firmly marked for one season...I don't do the same with toppers. Again, skirts are for fall, and slacks for winter.

Then comes color. I am not the kind to like head to toe black, but the darker winter gets (and we are nearly in the arctic here), the more I am drawn to black, grey and maybe ink blue. But I I don't reserve these for winter only...but I know I will wear more black in winter so I try to enjoy colors more in fall and plan the clothes accordingly.

(Please note, it sounds like I know what I am doing, but this is all work in progress and my first ever attempt to make a plan and understand myself)

so here goes

basic colors - navy, black, grey, and accent with white
bright colors - hot pink, kelly green, purple, bright/cobalt blue, cardinal red, and burgundy (trying to keep control there)
most of the above translates to winter also

fall specific colors - copper, gold/mustard yellow & orange. (I doubt I will use those in winter too)

then the items:

work targeted (but some reused for casual and going out with friends):

3 dresses (2 are leopard he he)
7 jackets
9 blouses
2 slacks
9 skirts
2 outerwear coats
32 total

casual only:
4 jeans
3 fall outerwear coats
3 shirts
4 vnecks and cardigans
endless Tshirts and camis
14 total

I have one item on a wish list for use in both casual and work - a cardinal red jacket/blazer

Then comes shoes
ahhh

they are 99% black. I have 1 pair of purple pumps and 2 pairs of gold/camel shoes/booties

Of the black I have pumps, may janes, booties, loafers, and boots. Seems well covered!

I have to replace my high flat riding boots (the soles are shot) so that is on my budget for fall

Total numbers: 7

I have tried making outfit combinations with all this to know how many I can make but I have no idea how many I would actually love when the proportions are seen on my body. So I think this is where I have learned that although the viviennefiles makes sense on paper and I have planned things to mix and match together, there really is no guarantee I can wear every possible combination. This will be the fun in fall....trying, and posting here and figuring out the right looks for me.

Finally, do you want to know how many items are new versus old?
deep breath....21/16 and 5/4 (work and casual) which means I have bought more new...like 60%. Let's hope next year is more old than new or we will know I am totally out of control! This was supposed to be investment and not splurge.

Sorry for all the analysis...I find it comforting to check what I am doing now and then to reassure myself I am not blindly throwing money away but have a plan and it fits together. It took a real aha to see that shopping without a plan meant a closet full of clothes that did not work together.

The first half of this year was spent finding a style and purging out the bad. This fall will be my first real chance to try out a new way so I hope, really hope, I am going to wear and love all this together and not feel that I have nothing to wear or worse,, that I am bored after 1 month and crazy to go shop! (now to solve my burgundy addiction....)

thanks for preservering to the end of all that! Jayne
who else is ready (in theory) for fall..I would love to see how many items you all plan on using...

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