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Feeling oversaturated

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I can see why the minimalist closet movement takes hold. Suddenly I am just so over every little detail of the latest trends or which shades are in and collecting just the right this or that.
I kind of feel lately that there are a few basic outfits and our collective constant attempts at variations thereof is sort of a futile endeavor that simply takes up our time and doesn't make that big of an impact. For example, shorts and a tank is pretty much just that. Sure, there are varying shorts lengths, and bodycon ribbed tanks or flowy swing tanks. I could spend all summer amassing lots of colors of each silhouette to endlessly mix and match. I'm feeling much happier with having the basic light neutral, dark neutral and a pattern and/or color and calling it a day.
This goes along with me deciding to try and think in outfits instead of items. A few that came to mind:

Sleek, uptown, tony
Cuddly cozy winter knits and boots
Festival warm weather boho casual
Apocalypitc badass, warrior future-wear
Resort/vacation, carefree poolside w/drinks

I could see clickity heels and a slim skirt with a silky button front for the first, skinny cords and a cashmere sweater with booties for the second, shiny flat sandals and a floppy hat with cutoffs and a swingy tank for the third, etc, etc. I know my core style is casual with a slight rocker vibe, and a bit of sporty thrown in there. These are my peripheral looks, if you will. I don't need more than a couple of any of these, but I want at least one of each of them. And one version, that is a 10 or darn close, is all I really want at the moment. Not the ability to make 5 or more for a capsule.
Anyway, I might be rambling at this point. I just find myself not that interested in the nuances right now. I'm feeling the drive for simple. This does not mean I'm chucking it all and living with one pair of jeans, but it does signal a change in my wardrobe mindset that I think might be staying with me, moving forward. This also might be why I've not been posting outfits lately. I'm still reading occasionally, but my focus is definitely not where it once was. Hmmm.

General

29 replies

Latest reply was from MsMary

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You don't need to get dressed for work or evening events each day Mo, so your need for outfit variation straight off the bat - especially in a FL Summer - is limited. You've built up a sufficient assortment of capsules to suit your lifestyle and fashion persona, and are happy with what you have. That's brilliant. Enjoy where you are. Relax into it until the mood strikes you again. It's a fun place to be - not a stressful one. Hope that makes sense.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Yep, does make sense! It's a bit of a relief, truth be told, to not be hunting down the next great _____. I will enjoy it

kellygirl

Veteran

I've been feeling the same way. Fashion has taken an even further backseat for me. My summer clothing requirements are pretty minimal and I've been enjoying the ease of getting dressed in the morning. Nothing is stellar but I feel appropriate and even sort of polished most days. Not sure how fall will change things but I'm hoping that it will be more of the same.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Kelly and Mo, let these fabulous wardrobe feelings be a testament to how well you have shopped. You have reached Style Zen for a while. Well done. xo

kellygirl

Veteran

Thanks, Angie! It is a relief to be happy with my closet

unfrumped

Veteran

That all seems like the perfectly normal warp and woof of things.
Also it gets back to what are the "roles and goals", or occasions, for which we dress, and why I've learned that playing in closet is more important than shopping, per se, in terms of % time. It's when I have to get dressed for a specific occasion (not even a special occasion, but just a defined role, weather condition, group of people, etc) that the rubber hist the road on whether I like what I've got to wear. And while slowly my wardrobe is becoming more predictably versatile (not predictable-dull, but more likely that items that I think go together, actually will go together and make a good outfit), I still am not the best at coming up with the "10" on the fly,even though I might have the makings of it. I still do best when I've test-run something or tried it and laid it out the night before, if I want to be picky.
So, that just reminds me to keep mentally listing my version of the categories you listed, and see that I've got them covered, and not aimlessly add items.

I also am still intrigued by clearlyclaire's attempt to use her everyday things to meet most needs. I'm not averse to special-occasion dress or jacket or "party shoes" at all, when I can find them. but I am becoming more and more interested in the kinds of items that feel stylish and comfortable and "me" to the extent that they work in more than one venue.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Mo, I've been having these feelings too, and I'm wondering if it's partly related to this particular phase of my life (and yours, too, since we're about the same age). It's not just with fashion. I'm feeling an irresistible urge to simplify everything in my life -- my closet, my house, my time. For me, these feelings follow the chaos of a decade raising small children in the midst of my husband's demanding work schedule. It was a bit of a frenetic time, and my husband felt it too. Our early years together were acquisitional. Now we are regrouping, reassessing, and focussing on what's really important to us. We are "cleaning out the cruft" in our life!

I know your life path has been different than mine, but early midlife is a time when a lot of people do some re-evaluating and streamlining. It totally makes sense to me that you are feeling this way about fashion. Doesn't mean you don't have awesome style!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

It seems that many of us have been striving to reach that feeling of not "needing" to shop. And Mo, I actually seek out your posts because I want to read more about not shopping so much, but working out my needs and making the most of what I do buy to stay on trend but not over budget.

What I noticed lately is that when I see a new trend - like forest green, or dark red - I realize if I really like the color, I probably already have at least one item or even multiples of that color in my closet and I feel satisfied instead of feeling a need to go shopping for something "new" in that color.

I still sometimes want to "go play in the closet" with a new trendy color or item, but I'm feeling less of the need to shop for it than I was say one year ago. I haven't stopped shopping altogether - I'm still a bit shoe focused but that's a need.

I have been wearing the most recent acquisitions (some in my Finds) quite often which is a good sign as there have been many times in years past when I didn't wear several of the new items I thought I loved. I figure that means I've gotten better at shopping for my real life and better and choosing things that fit and make me happy to wear.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

It all comes down to figuring out our real needs and then dressing for them -- and enjoying that!

I think for some people, this might be the hardest part. When the real life and fantasy life don't match then perhaps it is hard to be satisfied with the real-life outfits. No matter how brilliant they are.

When the wardrobe suits the real life and the real life is working for the person, there is closet nirvana.

And even if the real life doesn't suit completely...if the wardrobe suits the real life, there is acceptance. A huge step.

Suja

Veteran

I guess I'm feeling the opposite. My new job and my husband's new job have given me a huge range of occasions to dress. I have my usual business casual, dressed down business casual for when I am doing techy events where everyone is in sneakers and a hoody, business formal when I meet CEOs of big companies or other VIPs (the Governor, Senators, Foreign Dignitaries), cocktail attire for meet and greets with my husbands colleagues, conservative dressed up outfits when spending time with husbands colleagues who are 20-40 years older than us, fun and cute outfits when we are out together or with friends our age or younger, weddings, funerals, home lounging clothes, chasing after kids but need to look presentable clothes, exercise clothes, holiday party dresses, Indian formal attire, Indian casual attire and maybe a few occasions I am forgetting. I paired my wardrobe down significantly and am wearing the heck out of everything *but* I do wondering if I should add to my wardrobe, rather than doing one-in, one-out.

Being in style-zen sounds awesome from where I sit right now.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

There goes that Suz again - summing up perfectly what's in my head

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Elisabeth, you might be on to something there with the life stage, although you are right that we have not been walking similar paths. It's almost like you wake up one day and think, "enough!"
Texstyle, sounds like some smarter shopping has gotten you into a better place. I like to think the same thing has been happening for me. I appreciate the thought that you find my posts enlightening in any way.
It's funny, at first the buying with a budget was to keep the home life happy with our finances. Then the item limits came as a sort of challenge. Not until just this summer, maybe due to No Buy July, did it become an actual internal desire to just have less and make it work.
So I should reiterate that I do have the range of occasions Suja alluded to covered in my life. What I'm talking about is more the need for variety within any one of those. I've always been one to think I need (want) every iteration that's within my color palette. Now I'm not so sure. I can see having my leather/ponte panel skirt be the only pencil in my closet. It can go from rock n roll to dressy for dinner if styled right. I can also see having just one casual cotton skirt. I purged no less than 3 just a few months ago - white, olive, and black. In contrast I might get one gray one and have it be THE casual straight skirt, you know? That kind of thing. This is where I'm feeling the more minimal thinking coming into play.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

That's how I look at my black EF front drape dress too Mo - like your ponte skirt. I can dress this LBD up and down in all sorts of ways and always feel great in it. Why would I need/want another LBD? Would I wear the second one as much or would it linger in the closet because I prefer the EF?

This is also how I arrived at the need to simplify my closet. I do have a need for a bit more variety than you do due to my job, but I am so enjoying the "smallness" of my summer closet.

LadyGeek

Suz, your timely advice has zinged home colliding as it does with a major milestone for me: giving up the career and paid work altogether. Suddenly all those 'corporate' outfits seem to belong to an alien lifestyle. How do I know what I need now? By getting on with my real life and adapting to the changes. For instance, I didn't realise I had NO play clothes so they are top of my list. I'm making mistakes but trying not to worry too much as I'm finding out what I REALLY like now!

Vildy

Veteran

Style Zen, indeed! And you're my favorite Style Zen Philosopher. I get so much out of reading what you've been thinking - thinking and doing, growing out of each other.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I totally get this, Mo.

This comes of thinking in outfits, as you say. When you recognize the PURPOSES that matter to you, you can identify the items that are ESSENTIAL (as Angie calls them) for filling those purposes. Your personal wardrobe essentials. Anything else is "extra" and at a certain point might become "too much."

What's been tricky for me is figuring out those purposes. It's not as simple as those "items every woman should have in her wardrobe" lists, and we all know that. So figuring out what MY purposes are has been really key. I'm still working it out.

That's why even those capsules like unfancy's are a bit tricky for me to interpret. What counts as a separate "category" for her ( or for someone else) might not for me. And vice versa.

So for you -- the example of the ponte/ leather panel pencil is excellent. It's a LBD equivalent. And since you don't have that many dressy occasions, one of those is enough. Whereas for someone else, one would be far too few, even if it is versatile. Like in my life, one pair of jeans would not be enough. But I sure as heck don't need two dozen. And I would rather have 3 or 4 that I love and wear regularly than 2 dozen I don't enjoy.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Aw, thanks, Vildy!

Aida

Veteran

Always interesting to read your thoughts Mo! I was surprised to find that much of this resonates, and I'm definitely NOT on Team Minimal by any stretch. So thanks for giving me something good to mull over.

jackiec

Veteran

I really see where you are coming from, Mo. It makes total sense. I appreciate all of the other comments as well. I do get this feeling too - and have noticed that I run in waves. I frantically stock up on this must have, then another must-have. Then I hit this wonderful place where I feel confident pulling great outfits outfits from my well-stocked closet. Then I go on another purge. I'm personally very cyclical, but I really understand what you are getting at. I say well done. Truly.

Lyn D.

Veteran

You are not alone
Perhaps these feelings come hand-in-hand with a well-thought-out/ PPP closet.
Your posts have all made me more analytical about my approach to wearing-buying-purging, and I must Thank-you for that

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I sensed two directions from your thread Mo. One, is a shift towards minimalism for your everyday needs. No need to look to every last trend in that department, I am with you on this one.

The other direction is one of defining your non-at home wardrobe needs in a more lush, moodier yet occasion-focused way. Your descriptors are quite vivid -- I think this will help you create your non-everyday capsules with greater flair than in the past, because you are focusing on style rather than filling holes. This visual approach will allow you more freedom in creating outfits that project the image you seek. It might be a lot more fun too. I guess the only caveat is to keep the shopping quantity in check, but you are already the master of this.

Gigi

Veteran

Mo, I want to be sure I understand what you're saying. Are you saying that you have your basic look—shorts and a tank—which comprises most of your closet, and that the looks you listed here are just your peripheral looks? And of those peripheral looks, you don't necessarily need always to be on the lookout for items for the "festival boho" capsule, or the sleek uptown capsule, or the apocalyptic warrior capsule, but will instead assemble maybe two *outfits* for each of these peripheral categories and call it good?

That sounds very helpful indeed. I seem to have an eclectic style, and it can get out of control with the mixing and matching. And especially because I'm hard to fit, I end up buying the easier-to-fit items for each persona and then find that I have a wardrobe full of stuff that's not getting worn much because I don't have the right stuff to pair with it. If I focus on creating one (or maybe two) outfits at a time in each persona, things will be much more cohesive.

I actually started doing that subconsciously this last month. I found a look in a book that I wanted to copy, but the look was outside my style persona. Since I was just testing the waters, I thought that I would shop around for the exact pieces I wanted for that outfit rather than go whole hog into buying items for a new silhouette. Now I know I am on the right track!

Liking this. Mo, feel free to tell your BF that we all think you are brilliant here.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Cocolion, yes! The idea that a certain look or vibe will appeal to me, but I don't need to go and make a full capsule of it, came upon me when I started writing down the specific looks with full description and detail. I can then imagine the exact pieces themselves to make that particular outfit.
Gigi, I was using a tank over shorts as my current example, but I've mentioned this before with black skirts or blue jeans. At some point, a black skirt is a black skirt. Sure, there is mini, and midi, and full vs pencil and on and on. But I don't want to have 7 black skirts to 'cover all the bases' anymore. I have 4 and it's too many frankly.
So, for my shorts I can have 2 denim (one light one dark), 2 cotton twill (a dark and a color), one drapey (a neutral), one bermuda (dark neutral), and one dressy (a shiny pattern). See how I have many shorts but they are not every color and then every length of each category a) denim, b) cotton twill, etc. Does that make sense? I have one or two in a category, and spread my colors and lengths between those categories. For the record, I have only one of each of these colors: olive, black, denim blue, purple, brown, white, brocade pattern.
And so for the peripheral looks, I needed to think in a more focused way. The problem I was running into with filling gaps item by item is I started to expect most items to pull too much duty. In my mind they would cover 75% of my needs since I dress mostly on the casual side. But in reality I found a had a lot of things not quite casual enough for, say, a baseball game, but not dressy enough either for lunch at a fancy restaurant. I had a lot of in between, neither here nor there. Because I had not thought through into outfits for occasions. I'd just sort of generalized like, a black flowy tank will go with a lot. I hope that makes sense!

Basically, I want to have both a more streamlined closet for my everyday style (be happy with less variations on the same theme) and a more focused set of specific peripheral shadow looks (of which I'd prefer one or two killer versions than a mini capsule of 'almost there').

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rachylou

Veteran

I like your outfit thinking, Mo. Outfit thinking upped the functionality of my closet 200%. Learned that here on YLF. 'Course, I backslide a lot, especially when shopping. I still start with "hey, cool item!" when I'm wandering amongst the racks (...eh, there's a lesson to be learned there, I suspect).

And as Angie says, it also sounds to me like you're in a really good place with your wardrobe. You have a really good understanding of what you need, how much, etc. There's no issue pressing for your attention. You can wear your clothes and enjoy life in them, do what you do in them. You may not even have to think much about them.

I've been enjoying my wardrobe too, kicking back and just wearing it. Enough so that not everyone knows that I've ever posted a pic. Lol. Right, but life is not complete until everyone has experienced an Episode of Native Wear...

Gigi

Veteran

I am remedial today, ha ha. Let's try this again. So for the peripheral looks, you might say to yourself, "OK, I've already got a dressy black skirt in the closet, as well as a pair of black heels. What kind of sleek, uptown [style descriptors] outfit can I imagine creating from these two items?" And then you go and aim your shopping list at finding exactly those items that you are envisioning in your head?

Sorry if I'm being a dolt! My brain has taken an early weekend.

catgirl

Veteran

I totally relate, and it's one of the reasons I've been less present here. I love you all but I feel overwhelmed by choices not only in my own closet but for others, and i don't want to give bad advice!

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Gigi, I think Alaskagirl said it better than me - overwhelmed by choices. I don't want so many choices anymore, in a nutshell. I'm not looking to buy a, b or c to complete any particular looks - I'm not looking to buy anything much at all if I can help it! For now, that is

Caro in Oz

Veteran

"Basically, I want to have both a more streamlined closet for my everyday style (be happy with less variations on the same theme) and a more focused set of specific peripheral shadow looks (of which I'd prefer one or two killer versions than a mini capsule of 'almost there')."
Couldn't agree more My first attempt at this kind of wardrobe was last summer & for a first attempt it was really good - I had something to wear for every event in my life. This spring/summer I updated two pair of sandals (bought from the US thanks to Angie & other fabbers) & I bought some flats. As for clothing, I have also bought x2 tops & x2 pair of pants & already I have about 15 more outfits. I really love shopping this way & somehow I don't need "willpower" any more to stop me buying stuff. I've tried heaps of clothes that I would have bought in the past - now it's so easy to see what is wrong with them (for me & my life).

MsMary

Veteran

I'm another one who is feeling less need/inclination to chase after the latest items at the moment. I am in full swing with a whole-house remodel, and believe me when I say that is taking every single bit of both my creative energy and my discretionary dollars! So I am falling back on my tried and true favorite pieces and outfits when it comes time to get dressed in the morning.

It's a tiny bit unsettling to not be right up to date in my fashion choices, but it is fantastic to have a serviceable wardrobe I can relax into while my attention is elsewhere!