Keep/Cull/Buy - My Closet in 50 Pieces (Long) - Goal: Flirty Tailored! - YouLookFab Forum

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Keep/Cull/Buy - My Closet in 50 Pieces (Long) - Goal: Flirty Tailored!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Dear YLF,

I am trying to change my fashion outlook to a quantifier of "Flirty Tailored" and as such, I defer to your expertise! I have enclosed all 50 pieces of my closet (yay; 50!) that I hope you will be able to tell me what will work for me, what won't and should be culled, and hopefully what items I still need to buy.

I am hoping to stick to a mostly monochromatic scheme for now, to maximize workability, and have colours in my accessories. These are just my winter clothes; I'll have a new post when summer rolls around

I don't physically own all of these pieces yet; some of them have been ordered and I am waiting for them to come. I think these things fit reasonably well, and don't think any of them need culling for that point of view.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Pic 1 - The Blazers
** I would like to add a red blazer, but haven't come across one I love
** Navy Peplum - Dorothy Perkins
** Brown Check - ?Zara/H&M
** Chanel-esque Crop - Rickis
** Cobalt Blue - Rickis
** Black - RW&Co

Pic 2 - Cardigans
** Teal: Rickis
** Black: Rickis
** Robin: Rickis
** Pink: Rickis
** Striped Navy: Winners
** Black: Rickis

Pic 2 - Belts
** I didn't count these; but thought I'd give you an idea what colours I had

Pic 3 - Tops
** Striped Peplum - Modcloth
** Dotty White - Forever21
** Navy Stripes - Smart Set
** Black Peplum - Modcloth
** Blue High Neck - Jacob
** Navy/White Pattern - Modcloth

Pic 4 - Tops II
** Black Turtle - Rickis
** Black/White Dot - Rickis
** Jumbo Dots - Jacob
** Black Pussy - Modcloth
** White Dot/Pussy - J. Crew
** Purple Pussy - Le Chateau

Pic 5 - Skirts
** Plaid Flare - Rickis
** Painters Splash - Anthropologie
** Forest Pencil - Rickis
** Dotty - Modcloth
** Magenta Pencil - Rickis
** Teal Pencil - Rickis

Pic 6 - Dresses
** Black/small pattern - Jacob
** Navy cowl neck - ModCloth
** Navy/red bow - ModCloth
** Black/White - Closet UK
** Navy Flare - Closet UK
** Burgundy Sheath - Le Chateau

Pic 7 - Dresses/Pants
** Purple Flare - Closet UK
** Black/Feather/Tie - Jacob
** Charcoal Trousers - Le Chateau
** Jeans; casual wash - Zara
** Green Flare - Closet UK
** Dark Grey Trousers - Rickis
** Black Trousers - Rickis

Pic 8 - Assorted
** Dotty Sheath - Le Chateau
** Peplum Sheath - Le Chateau
** Floral Sheath - Jacob
** Royal blue wrap - Jacob
** Colour block skirt - Rickis
** Charcoal skirt - Rickis
** Black skirt - Le Chateau
** Black wrap - Jacob

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions! Be ruthless! I can toss it all ... and show up naked at work (or in scrubs) - har, har.

ETA: I have my navy plaid dress that everyone loved on here too on its way! Forgot to include it, but I figured you all loved it - so 51 pieces

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Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from lyn*

anne

Veteran

I just love your choice of dresses, tops and skirts and these all seem to typify "flirty casual" I guess the other items are more supporting acts.

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Wow, what a great set of clothes you have! I am amazed at how streamlined your wardrobe is that you can post pics of every single piece! I love your style. I don't think there's anything that *has* to go, but if you were looking to cull something I'd say the first ones I'd put on the chopping block would be the mint green cardigan, Anthro painter's skirt, and the navy/red bow dress. Not that they're bad, but I just think if your goal is to dress more professionally you should minimize the pastels, floaty skirts and pussy bow dresses as they tend to read a bit too young and sweet. And I think maybe you should get a crisp white button down shirt to wear either on its own with the pencil skirts, or layered under sweaters and dresses. And maybe a pair of lace-trimmed cami's in black and cream to layer under the cardigans. I'd minimize the cardigans over flare dresses (kind of a girly look) and wear the cardigans with the streamlined pencil skirts instead, and use blazers over your dresses instead for more structure if an additional layer is needed.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

They all look they would work with your style goals. I find it difficult to make suggestions without seeing you in the clothes. Do you have any favourites? I'd like to see you in the clothes you love best.

Kristin SF

Veteran

Lyn, I think all these pieces are wonderful and look very "you", so I'm afraid I can't offer much helpful advice.

However, I do have a question. How do you track all your pieces with pics? Do you make it a habit - every time you buy something, you download the pic off the store's website?

I recall that you mentioned you use stylebook - are you still using it? Do you think it's easier to use stylebook, rather than play around in your closet and try on different combinations? (I downloaded the app to my phone but I don't even really want to try using it until it's on the iPad.)

Thanks for the info!

Raisin

Veteran

Jeeze I think this is a perfect wardrobe for you, I don't see anything that needs to be culled. Everything works perfect together, it looks like there are endless mixing possibilities. And the geek in me loves that you have such nice pics of it all, I want to go "catalogue" my own wardrobe now!

Love it all Lyn, I don't think you need to cull, and off the top of my head I can't think of anything else it needs. What shoes do you have and wear with these?

missvee

Veteran

I'm impressed with the great job you've done in cataloging all your clothes! I don't really see anything that should be culled. I think GP makes some good suggestions for using your jackets with dresses at work to achieve a more professional look. I'm glad you ordered the plaid dress - it should look amazing with the blue jacket that you're showing here.

Mellllls

Veteran

i think most of your pieces work for that style persona (which is great, you already have your style down) the only thing i didn't see working as much was the plaid skirt.

Anonymous

No advice, just in awe of your organization/efficiency. Fantastic wardrobe.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

Thanks ladies,

@ Anne - I will try to make them less casual I can see where you are coming from though!

@ Natalie - Thanks! This is so useful for me! Cardigan + Flare = NO. Cardigan + Pencil = Okay. Blazer + Flare = Okay. Blazer + Pencil + Okay. Blazer + Cardigan = Confusing!

@ Caro - I have pics of some of these, but I'll do some mash ups today if I get out of work early (HAR HAR).

@ Kristin - This is Stylebook and I use it on the iPad (as an iPhone app, I just blow it up to maximize on the screen). I have been faithfully using it for 2 years. There are some problems with it (ie: can't delete old stuff if you have it in an outfit) but in general I will download a pic from the website when I order something - far easier than taking the pic yourself like they recommend!

@ Raisin - This is part of the problem; I only really wear one pair of boots (cognac; riding) because my other heeled boots are totally dead (roan red; worn them almost every day in the fall/winter/spring for two years) and I can't find something I love equally as much. My black booties have also died and I cannot find a replacement. Ugh. I have a pair of gold flats, and dark pewter flats.

@ Missvee - I think that will be a fun combo! I look forward to trying it

@ Mellllls - Ah; it works with the robin cardigan That's the only thing I've worn it with so far! The manufacturer suggests that it can also go with my purple moto too (in my spring collection).

@ Tracina - I think it's just a touch of my OCPD!

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

All I have to say is that I admire all the dresses and skirts and the limited number of pants... What a great very well planned out wardrobe!

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

First of all, this is incredibly impressive the way you've been able to show us your entire wardrobe. Fab!

From my perspective and based on what we've been chatting about, I would cull the following:

Blazers - purge the brown check. I'm not sure the colour would be completely flattering for your skin tone and it doesn't seem very "lively" to me.

Cardigans - purge one of the black ones. Do you really need two black cardigans? I'm also wondering about the navy striped one. I don't like the shape in this pic but maybe that's not how it fits on the body?

Tops - keep them all. They are great layering pieces and you have a nice variety of pattern and colour.

Skirts - purge the painter's splash. Although the colours are pretty, I think the shape makes it difficult to pair your tops and cardigans with.

Dresses - purge the black/small pattern from Jacob and the navy/red bow from Modcloth. The sleeve/shoulder shape make these difficult to layer with cardigans IMO. The rest are fantastic.

I hope I haven't been too harsh. I think you have/will have an amazing wardrobe and so many of these pieces can mix and match beautifully.

Raisin

Veteran

Lyn the Stylebook app sounds awesome, I might try it. How does it look when you blow it up to the iPad screen size? Does it make the resolution really bad?

cinnamon fern

Veteran

As someone who loves to purge and organize, your layout is very impressive!

A thought about pushing your look in the direction of more tailored. You can do this with hair and makeup as well as clothes - this is cheaper and requires less shopping - and you can still go younger/flirtier when you're not at work.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Lynn:

What a busy bee you are! I'd like the way you're reworking your wardrobe for your new life.

I wonder if you could use a couple more pairs of pants. Your dresses, which are your signature, have a nice variety of silhouette. I wonder if you might enjoy trouser outfits a little more if you explored them a bit. Oh --- forgot --- you hate to try things on! Let me amend that: It might take a weekend of shopping and trying on 40 pairs, but I think some of your toppers would look phenomenal with pants that are beyond the basics (which you have covered already). Trousers also play down the "young girl" impression you're trying to move away from.

cheryl

Veteran

You have an amazing wardrobe. I don't think anything needs to be culled. I love that you have nailed your style and that it looks fantastic on you. Don't get rid of the fun patterns/colors in your wardrobe in your quest because they look wonderful on you.

Kristin SF

Veteran

Raisin, I'm betting the resolution is probably no worse than other iPhone apps set to 2x on the iPad, so maybe I'll try it. I did download to my phone already but it's not as usable on the phone. And the thought of cataloging all my clothes....ugh. But, like Lyn, if you get in the habit, it's got to get easier once you get to a certain point!

bj1111

Veteran

i think all the items have potential...it's how you put the looks together that temper the flirty woth the tailored. flirty skirt/ruffled top? add a tailored jacket. sedate pants? top with maximally mixed polka dots and ruffles.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

@ Raisin - the resolution isn't bad depending on what you import. I don't mind it at all.

@ Cinnamon - I'm hopeless with makeup! And even worse with hair!

@ Beth Ann - I really hate pants ... even more than trying things on. The only people around here who regularly wear dress pants are the most junior medical students. Gah.

@ Cheryl - Thanks! I was having nightmares about who was getting my cool stuff! :p

@ Kristin - Yeah; it takes some getting used to, especially having to go back every day to make sure you've recorded your outfit! But it looks so cool to have 2 yrs of outfits to go back to and look at!

@ BJ - A ruffly dotty top sounds right up my alley

moira

Veteran

This wardrobe is to die for and I must admit to being overwhelmed by it. I looked at the culling that Shannon is advocating and, going back and forth with her suggestions and your pictures, I think she is right on the money with her suggestions.
I see no jeans. Did you leave those out?
Some nice trouser jeans in a dark wash would be something to consider adding to the fabulous mix, I think.
It also looks like you have duplicated some items in different colors. If I am looking correctly, you have the same dress in green, plum and navy. Is that necessary?
You also have two tie neck blouses, one in black and one in purple. Would you be better off with a different neckline in one of those colors?
Now considering that I just bought two identical sweaters from AT and 3 identical pair of pants from Macy's, (on deep discount, mind you), I may just be blowing smoke, here.

Joy

Veteran

Lyn, you are so organized and well on your way to your goal. I'm wondering if you have enough for casual times like weekends, or is the one pair of jeans plus trousers, dresses and skirts enough?
I don't see anything to purge, but can see you using more jackets for work.
Well done!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

@ Joy - I have one pair of jeans and that's usually good enough! I usually wear a dress or a skirt out!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Wow. It all looks fantastic to me. Your organization boggles my mind!! And yes, how about weekends? I also think you deserve a new pair of boots!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

@ Suz - What are weekends?