This is almost like Style Thoughts Legacy from 2012, part 2 (part 1 being my recent epiphany here), I have one more thing I would like to share when I manage to write my thoughts down.
I'm less than a month short from the end of my own SYC turned SYN experiment, but as I don't see things changing radically I have decided to start wrapping things, or my thoughts, up and sharing them with you.
A short intro
Six months ago I have gone through major changes in my life circumstances. We have moved from England to Germany. I am familiar with some of the brands which are more popular in continental Europe than in Ireland and Britain where I lived over the past 12 years, but I had absolutely no idea how they would meet my wardrobe and style needs. Either way, shopping for me is a tall order in many aspects and just as I had identified a selection of retailers where I knew I could expect some success back on the islands, it was practically back to square one on the continent.
In addition to this, I have stopped working for the foreseeable future, which meant my wardrobe needs have changed significantly, I use different form of transport which adds a new set of criteria in order for my wardrobe to function, and last but not least, my budget had shrunk. But as it turned out, it wasn't a bad thing at all, I dare say the effects are surprisingly positive and eye-opening.
The major trigger for deciding to go on SYC was the day our things were packed for the move. Boxes after boxes of stuff, my wardrobe included, were loaded to the removals truck and I had tried to wrap my head around how come there is so much of everything despite all my attempts to minimize. Although the guys from the removals company had said ours was a tiny move, to me that wasn't enough consolation. For one thing that was 100% under my control solely, I had decided I was going to wear everything I owe without buying anything new until the end of the year.
How did I do?
In the past 6 month I have had only one fantasy buy, which was a great deal - comfortable and pretty dressy shoes.
What I've realized along the way:
- The size of the wardrobe storage space partially determines the amount of clothes. In another words, the more the storage space, the easier it is to accumulate more things. While living in the more spacious house, most of my clothes were stored neatly on the hangers and I never had the problem to see what I have. It's different now in the smaller apartment where we all share one spacious wardrobe, which however big it is cannot offer the same ease of access, thus effectively reducing the amount of clothes that is in regular rotation. Which brings me to my next point...
- ...There are always favorites and workhorses, either specific items or dressing formulas, no matter how well curated the wardrobe is. This is what we'll reach for when having little time to get ready. To overcome this and basically use most or all that we have, if that's what's wanted, we need some discipline and thinking things through ahead (planning) in order to put everything available in rotation. On the note of discipline...
- ...I have come to the conclusion that any form of shopping restriction (e.g. SYC, SYB) is basically a like a form of dieting. As such, unless you are totally committed and ready to do it all the way, it plays tricks with the mind, and suddenly all one can think about are those sweets and cakes that are a big no-no.
The cure? To continue on dieting analogy, when on diet, you don't go to pastry shops or browse chocolate isles, but avoid the temptations. Easy. I think it is completely pointless to do SYC-esque challenges and then browse the shops or read the newsletters knowing it is all effectively out of reach. I've gone through the viscous cycle of feeling bad about myself because I could not resist the temptation at the times when I had to demonstrate a strength of character and my own word. So I had to change the mindset to... - ...Go easy on yourself and know the difference between needs and wants. This is how my own SYC became SYN (Shop Your Needs). And this is why I bought puffer coat in July because even then I knew I'll be needing it in much colder winter than what I was used to. I bought oxfords and Mary Janes because the moment I realized I'll do a lot of walking, I needed quality flat shoes that lace or close up. And, I bought not one but two linen shirts because I realized the material works beautifully in the new climate, plus the sale offer with quality brand was such I would never forgive myself for passing either f those. I bought a jacket that is perfect for cycling on a mild autumn day, because I genuinely needed a casual but pretty jacket to keep me warm. I also bough second messenger bag, this was more of a want then need, but it is in heavy rotation. And finally, I bought woolen fingerless gloves / hand warmers, which were initially purely a want but have since become a necessity as they keep me warm.
To sum it up, I'm not saying don't shop your wants, just know the difference. It helps a great deal when you need to decide and to justify the purchase. I receive a few newsletters by the brands which I know might (just might) stock pants suitable for me. It is such an issue to find the right length, that there is no shopping restriction that would prevent me from snapping the right ones when they next come up.
And, I don't avoid shops. I do walk in, look at things, I don't torture myself with thinking "I shouldn't have" knowing if I can justify the purchase, realistically, I will make it. But, I wear my existing wardrobe, I have plenty of things that serve my current lifestyle perfectly, some of them purchased years ago and still going strong. I simply rethink how I style them thanks to the endless inspiration available and that's it, or wear them the same way over and over again.
What comes next?
Life goes on. So does my SYN regime. There is absolutely no need to change the approach at the moment.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading and I hope it all makes some sense to you too.
