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Dressing

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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Maneera's insight

Roxanna

Veteran

Maneera made an interesting insight about herself on Janet's recent post -
that her style evolves more quickly and accordingly she tires of things more quickly, so it makes sense not to overly invest in a trend. I think that is such a relevant and applicable insight to apply to your wardrobe. I have friends who are like this too - will buy a few trendy things, wear the heck out of them for a summer, then donate them. This is so different from me, as I hang onto things for ages and like to wear a lot of different things depending on my mood and style that day.

I think it struck a chord with me because I am a maximal shopper who likes variety and purchasing multiples - as I think I have said here before, I have probably 15 of the same Tippi sweater in different colours, 15 silk blouses, and 12 pencil skirts, all in different colours. The problem is that when I tire of them (like I have recently), there is such a huge chunk of my wardrobe I am not wearing and it makes me feel guilty.

I suspect the answer to Maneera's question for me could really impact my wardrobe size and shopping strategy. Are you someone whose style evolves quickly or not? How does this impact your shopping strategy and wardrobe size?

Dressing

15 replies

Latest reply was from Angie

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Wow I have to look for this conversation unless you can paste the link. I understand about what you are saying but, that is where I benefit. Well, I am a maximal shopper and maximal when it comes to wearing clothing. What I am is a op shopper or thrifter. I am the receiver of the clothing items that come into the stores. Multiples in my size or end of season no longer will wear or never worn with tags still on them. I know my fashion sense and what I will wear. No item in the op shop will really be over $20 on average jeans/slacks $7 tops $5 jackets $7 and shoes less than $10 even brand new. Stores like Macy, Layne Bryant, Target etc etc donate monthly. I choose to spend my money on this type of Long term and fast fashion. I keep what I love and donate clothing back to smaller op shops. That way I know my clothing are going to the people who really need it for less than what I paid. I never pay full retail for clothing.

Joyce B

Veteran

I also like to wear my clothes for more than just one season so I try not to overdo it with the trends though nowadays the advantage is that most things can be adapted to a current look.
Good shoes help with that too.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for this, Roxanne. In fact I wrote my own post about it!

I'm quite like you. When I like something, I go maximal. I do have 20 skinny jeans, 15 pencil skirts, 10 sheath dresses and another 10 fit & flare dresses. Last year I fell in love with flared/bootcut jeans and got 6 of those. Yikes! Like you, I too have multiples of the same thing because I always thought "If one feels so good, 10 will feel better. I'll never have to worry about What To Wear Today again". Well, it works.....but only for a time.

I rarely love the same silhouette as much the next season. How I know this? I realised it when I packed away 15 palazzo pants and 10 maxi skirts to give away. I was "over" them and I wasn't going to go back to wearing them....even though they're still pretty popular here.

So this season, I'm being a *little* smarter. I discovered I love joggers and bought only 3. These I wear for everyday home wear, so all 3 will get plenty of wear. In fact, I'm not shopping for my 'out & about' clothes at all. I just play around in my closet and come up with things. On the other hand, what I wear at home has gone through a complete makeover, but that's justifiable because these are clothes I wear more often and hence wear out faster.

Classics never fail me. So I did take 3 sheath dresses to my tailor (not my favorites) and had them chopped off so they look more flattering with sneakers and flats. Others....I still intend to wear with heels....whenever that may be!

My advise - try to repurpose. Wear same things in different ways. Try a sheath dress with sneakers. Try your pretty heels (I know you love pumps) with joggers. It'll give you more variety, freshen up older pieces....

Chris987

Veteran

Ledonna here is the original posting by Janet called "changing preferences".....where Maneera made the original comment

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....references

SandyG

Veteran

I'm not a maximal shopper but often end up with several items instead of one. It's almost always because none of them are 'just right' so I buy what's 'close enough' and then don't want to wear them.

When it's perfect, it gets worn all the time! Victory!! But you know, I'm petite and hard to fit (therefore limited selections), it's really hard to find that great item, and my real life shopping time is limited. I get frustrated and bring home things that almost work (but really don't) so the trip won't feel wasted. Gonna have to work on that bad habit and gain patience when looking at new styles, sigh.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

Thank you Chris I'm going to read it when I get a moment. Thank you Maneera. Lessons learned

Roxanna

Veteran

@SandyG - I totally feel you. Being petite with limited time to shop myself, I do the same thing - or I order online and then convince myself that that 'almost right' thing is just right, just so i don't have to go through the bother of returning it. A bad habit I have to work on too!

Anonymous

I have made this mistake many times - and moreso over the past year or two than ever before. The mistake being : buying too much of a trendy look because I like it and love wearing it. By next season or that time next year, I'm done with it and sit looking at 5 pair of cropped flared jeans (for example) and am horrified at the waste. I know I'm different than many of the forum members in that I really, really do not want to have a lot of clothes. There is no possible way to wear anything out and this vicious cycle of buying , rarely wearing ,and then donating is shameful and wasteful I never used to invest in trendy pieces - maybe one at a time, or one of something....not 3, and that way, I actually looked forward to pulling clothes out for the season and wearing pieces that had more longevity or a more classic feel to them .
Clearly, this is a hot-button topic for me...this is my second rant on this today. Lol. I do acknowledge though that my feelings toward certain pieces or styles or tends is directly related to how I am feeling about myself at any given time - thus the dramatic change of mind in wearing something.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

That's why I'm a firm believer in underpinning my style with modern classics, mainstream patterns, and embracing Modern Retro. I don't tire of these style integrities. It's like Style Health Food that stands the test of time. I DO tire of very trendy pieces, too casual items, too slouchy items, and OTT patterns. That's like Style Junk Food. And when I wear too much of it - I need to Style Detox.

I also MUST have a balanced mixture of colour and neutrals in my wardrobe. If things look too neutral, I miss my colours. When things look too colourful, I miss my neutrals.

I LOVE my straight cropped jeans and wear them very frequently in blue and white denim. That's an example of a trendy piece that I've made a wardrobe essential. It's like having a cuppa with cake or chocolate - a daily ritual at the Cox Castle.

I tend to think more of the vibes of items and how they relate to my style moniker "Urban Pretty" as opposed to how trendy or classic a piece is because I'm going to mix it all up my way anyway. And wear the heck out it for a while.

Anonymous

Everything Angie wrote is so wise!.

up until very recently, I would definitely wear something for only a year and then donate it. I think I got bored of things because they ultimately weren't my style. After about 5 years of solid experimenting with many different silhouettes, I think I've figured out a few key pieces, or essentials, that are my favorite favorites. The best of the best. These are all classics, as Angie mentions. I feel confident now to bulk up on these items. Oddly, these items are not much fun to buy, but give back a lot (I think I'm just re-writing Angie's post on "essentials" here :)).

There are still a lot of areas where I haven't 100% figured out my style. The main examples for me are footwear, leisurewear, bags and winter tops. So yes, I should be careful about investing too much in these areas and maybe only purchase 1 specimen of each. For example, I have a strong urge to buy many pairs of sneakers after the success of my white ecco sneakers, but I know that this feeling might pass, so I'm trying to be disciplined and not go crazy buying a ton of them! (maybe just 1 more pair? :))

Sally

Veteran

I answered this on Maneera's thread. I don't think my style has changed much but my size has changed. I am hoping through my new lifestyle habits I can stabilize my weight and start putting together a more classic quality wardrobe. I wear a lot of black so I would like to purchase some good quality black trousers and a black blazer. Like Ledonna I do a lot of thrift shopping which enables me to get some quality stuff at good prices and it also means I can churn through clothes without guilt. I have heard of people who only buy a few things for a season and wear them constantly then get new things next season.

rachylou

Veteran

I have to think about this. I've had a multi-year get some control project going on ... a lot of closet change ... so I don't know where I stand. I really love trends and shop often, but I don't think I buy as much and I don't think I buy as much anymore that I'm done with after just one season.

However, it could be I'm setting myself up for the need for a big purge in the future.

Even the tunic tees I was complaining about... I think maybe I have found another year at least of life left for them, as summer starts to make itself more at home.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

My style evolves fairly quickly but it's grounded in the essentials which for me are classic items (the slim jean, the chelsea boot, a navy blazer with a great cut, a leather moto, a great sheath dress for cocktails, etc.) Those don't date and I don't tire of them, period. They've been in my closet for years and get wear after wear after wear.

I tire of certain patterns quite quickly, except in scarves. I tire of a style that does not include any trends as well -- so I like to incorporate something "of the moment" to wear with my classic essentials. Today I'm wearing sarong shorts (on their 3rd season but still looking pretty trendy); cage heels (ditto); a classic tee, a denim jacket. It's all neutral (blue) but blue is my power colour so it makes me happy; it serves as colour and neutral for me. Also, no pattern, which on the whole I prefer as a rule.

Roxanna

Veteran

I am in the run this weekend, but I'm just popping in to say This is so illuminating - love reading all your responses!

Ledonna - I love thrifting too and I love how it aligns with your values.

Angie - the junk did vs health food insight really hit home for me ; what a great way to think about it! I have to think about that one more. As did the relation to your style descriptor - I don't use that enough.

Suz- I think you and I are very similar, and what you did hit home. I also feel very at home in the classics but need since on trend items to keep me feeling current, I am realizing.

Rachy - isn't it funny how weather can suddenly male something that wasn't feeling wearable, wearable again?

Maneera - I think it is all a process for all of us, but kudos to you for getting better at it! But I do love your idea of making things fit your style by altering them. I'll have to try that...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks and high five, Smittie. High five to Suz too. We have a similar wardrobe philosophy.

Roxanna, I'm glad that hit home. As in real life, I mix up healthy food with junk food in our diet. Having just one of the two would bore me to tears and make me unhappy. (To Suz's point). I need trends to sass up the classics. I need the classics to ground the trends. I need casual items to ground my dressy persona. I need dressy items to reflect my style preferences. I need neutrals to lay the foundation of my wardrobe. I need brights to satisfy my Freudian id. I need a wardrobe that is large enough to give me ample variety, but small enough to manage and control.

I am a VERY emotional shopper, but the emotion is highly organized. Not at all suppressed - merely regimented. That's what creates the style balance that I have found works for me and my style evolution.