My (rest of) 2015 goals - YouLookFab Forum

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My (rest of) 2015 goals

BethT

I just joined about a month ago and I have learned so much from this site already. From Angie's amazing blog posts to the honest opinions expressed in the forum, I feel like I may actually have a chance to be stylish some day.

For the rest of 2015 these are my fashion goals to work on:

1. Dress my body type. [I don't care how much I love an items of clothing, if it doesn't sing on my body, I'm not buying it!]

2. Find my style. [Right now, moving from jeans and T's, I'm just all over the place. I see a lot of styles I like, but need to figure out what's me.]

3. Do a closet inventory. [I've added a lot lately, but now I need to regroup before I buy anymore.]

4. Regrets can be returned to the store. [Returning a bad decision is a skill I've only recently learned and still struggle with. I feel so guilty when I return something. Why?]

5. Stop being so damn matchy-matchy! [I love when I see someone with pop of color, but when I dress I think...navy sweater, so I need navy shoes, navy purse, navy earrings....ugh...I know that's not right!]

6. Purge often. [The money is already gone. Keeping it in my closet is not the same as $$$ in my wallet. Just toss it, learn from it, and move forward.]

7. Hair. [My cut-once-a-year-hair-style really, really has to go. My hair has got to take a higher priority in my life!]

8. WIW on YLF. [Post more pictures so y'all can help! And keep looking at all your amazing photos for some wonderful inspiration.]

9. Learn how to Accessorize. [I suck at it. End of story.]

10. Shop smarter. [Want vs. Need. Do I love it? Do I look awesome in it? Find a set of criteria that clothing must pass to come into my life.]

I have no doubt that the wise wisdom of the YLF forums will help me as I work on these goals.

General

22 replies

Latest reply was from

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

These are a great set of goals: comprehensive and well articulated.

rachylou

Veteran

Nice and concise. I need to do a #3

Joyce B

Veteran

You are doing very well. I can use several of your goals.

Anonymous

These are great goals. Some of these goals would fit nicely into my life as well. Number 7 (making hair care a priority) really resonates with me. After a bad hair cut earlier this year, my hair is still growing out. More frequent cuts may help the process along the way.

I've always tried to dress for my body type, but reminders are always good.

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Very nicely put! I need to start going #5 myself! I've always loved matchy-matchy:D But....I am making a conscious shift this season, and I love the small changes. Start small....and soon it'll come naturally.

Same for #6 - it's a great goal. Your closet should only have clothes that look and feel good....even if they aren't too many.

You're doing a wonderful job, Beth. I look forward to your next WIW post

Susie

Veteran

This is very thought out, though I think pretty ambitious to accomplish them all in 2015! Choosing a few priorities to focus on- whether that is doing a little toward each goal or concentrating on a few key ones- might be a good starting point.

May I suggest that you start with your hair? As Angie says, that is one accessory that you wear everyday and it deserves to be a priority. And I am only suggesting this because you listed it as a goal, not because I think you necessarily need to!

Definitely try to overcome the guilt of returning things! I order a lot online so returns are inevitable. But even when shopping in a store where we are able to determine the fit and flattery of an item, we may find that when we bring it home it just doesn't work with our wardrobe. So returns happen; you really don't need to feel bad about it.

You don't have to dismiss all ideas of matchy matchy...for instance, a column of color can be elegant and flattering. And I often wear fairly simple tops and bottoms and then match my shoes and bag. Or you can wear similar shades for a cohesive look without actual matching.

I do think wardrobe inventories are helpful and some of us have found that it is good to keep track of what we wear too. Careful editing is helpful too but be careful of purging too quickly, especially if you are still trying different styles. If you have things you don't love right now and want to streamline your choices a bit, perhaps you can use a 'holding zone' for those things so they aren't in your active wardrobe but still available if you change your mind. Of course it's good to go ahead and cull things that you know you don't like or like to wear or don't fit or are worn out.

For the goal of find your style, I found it helpful to make lists of things that I like and, just as helpful, things that I know I don't like. After a few years of experimenting I've not found that many drastic changes to what I like to wear so I feel like my style is 'me' but hopefully a slightly more stylish/current me.

Good luck with the journey...and remember to have fun with fashion

BethT

Thanks for all the support everyone!

Susie, I don't expect to actually accomplish all of them...just get to work on them. I imagine for many of them, they'll be life long goals. Thanks for your insights! So helpful!

I am getting my hair cut this Thursday and when they ask if I need to set up my next appt., I'm going to say yes! Otherwise, 6 months later, I'm wondering why I hate my hair so much.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

*applause*

This is VERY good, Beth T. You've done extremely well if you only achieve a quarter of what's on that list.

carter

Veteran

Great goals! Posting WIWs will help you make great progress on numbers 1, 2, 5 and 9. Also, doing Keep/Return and Keep/Toss posts will help with 1, 4, 6 and 10. Go YLF!

viva

Veteran

This is a great list!

I have experienced guilt around returns -- not so much about returning a particular item, but I used to feel guilty about how much I returned. I tracked purchases and returns for a year or so and found that I returned more than half of what I purchased! Most of my returns were online purchases but some were local stores. What I realized is that I can't always tell, even in a local store, if something will work for me in real life, and with my real wardrobe, until I get it home. It's not always a bad decision! Sometimes it's just that the lighting in the store was off, or I thought I had things that would go with an item and I was wrong, or it looked great online but when it arrived I had questions about quality. Or, frankly, sometimes I realize that I just can't afford something. Try not to make "getting purchases exactly right" such a personal test. Shopping should be more fun than that, right?

When I decided to really commit only to things that "sing" on me, I had to accept that I would be returning. You deserve to be able to test a purchase in the privacy of your home and really be sure it's right. And also, here's the thing. I have worked in retail, and the fact is, sometimes it is not fun to process a return, but it's part of the job. So don't feel guilty if you package something up to ship back, or walk into a store and hand something back to the cashier! It's all business. Retailers know customers will return, and you know you only want to keep the right things. Sometimes you have to try a lot before you find them.

So, the good news is that I am returning less, the more time I spend with YLF -- because I am getting better at choosing. But returns continue (one is sitting by my feet right now!).

Good luck, from a fellow returner.

Banoffi

Veteran

That is a great list. Many of your goals are similar to mine.

Viva - you make some great points about returns. My husband is horrified by the number of boxes that come in a back out of our house (online shopping), but I am trying to be ruthless these days about what I keep. I am really trying to only keep those items I love. It's hard, but I am so sick of donating clothes I've never or barely worn. I think that in-store returns are a lot harder than online ones. Some store employees make you feel really guilty about making a return and try to convince you to keep it or buy a replacement.

Gwennie

Great list of goals! I've been on YLF for over a year and a half and I was in a very similar place with a number of the same issues. I just wanted to say that in terms of style, what has helped has been taking the time to find items that I really liked - which took more patience (and more returns) that I thought it would. Good luck!

BethT

Viva, thanks for this: "You deserve to be able to test a purchase in the privacy of your home and really be sure it's right"

Powerful words, girlfriend!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Looking forward to following your journey, Beth!

Your #7 resonates with me. I've never been a salon/spa sort of girl, so getting my hair cut isn't a delightful/pampering experience for me. It's sort of a chore, even when I go somewhere nice. I need to be better about making it into a routine and scheduling regular visits, because I feel a lot better when my cut is looking great.

deb

Veteran

Wow, you are really good at identifying your needs. Way better than me.

Brooklyn

Veteran

Great goals! I look forward to watching and hearing about your progress.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I love a succinct and clear set of goals!

stainedglass

For goal #7, I've found it easiest if I make my next appointment in the salon right after I've had my hair cut. That way, it's on the books and I don't have to think about it for another 8 weeks (or else I might not get a hair cut for six months )

Shelly

I love your goals and I don't feel you need to be stressed about achieving them all right now. Goals are something that are clearly defined and something to work towards. You will get there even if you have to duck and weave a little.

Great list and congratulations!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

This is a wonderful, carefully thought out list of goals that I enjoyed reading. I also loved the responses and think there's a lot of wisdom here!

I am still working on not feeling too guilty about returns. It's much easier with online purchases. In-store ones are tougher, but I'm learning to become more ruthless, and Viva's words are my new motto!

viva

Veteran

So glad I could help a little! That return thing dogged me for quite a while. No need for you to suffer unnecessarily.

Anonymous

Keeping in line with number 7 above, I had my hair cut and colored this afternoon. I am going to really focus on my hair. I hope by the Holidays, my hair will have recovered from the mistakes made earlier this year. Thanks for the list. It was a needed reminder.