New Year's Resolution: Getting the Missing Pieces

So I read everyone's update on the blog last week about how we are all doing with this year's clothing-related resolutions. I didn't make any at the time, but I'm ready to add one now.

I need to focus on finding "the things I need to make the things I already have work." Does that make sense? In other words, I have the key pieces, but am missing the other stuff that would enable me to actually wear those pieces.

For example, I have a white button-down shirt that needs a white cami underneath, yet I do not have a white cami. I have skirts that go well with boots, but now I realize that all of my boots are too wide at the calf to go properly with skirts, so I need to prioritize finding narrow-calf boots. (In case you've been following that particular saga, I have not found anything better than Duo, so may have to bite the bullet and pay the $30 shipping. Ouch.) I have boots that I love, but have been stuffing regular jeans into them instead of finding skinnies that fit.

You get the picture. I am resolving not to invest in any new looks until I complete the ones I could have if I took the time to find all of these "missing pieces."

Why is that so hard to do?

17 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I think it’s a question of “feeling so close” but “still far away”. Budget and time constraints slow down the process too. You can only do so much with the resources that you have available to you.

Rome was not built in a day, April. Slowly you’ll get there. As long as you continue to make the best savvy shopping choices, you’ll be able to prioritize and feel that you have a handle on your look as soon as possible. I probably haven’t reassured you, but I want to continue encouraging you that you WILL get there. With our help especially

April

Veteran

Thank you, Angie. I do find so much encouragement on this site, and it helps a great deal. I love that there are other women struggling with the same questions and helping each other find the answers.

Ariadne

I think part of the trouble is that often those pieces that make everything else work seem boring and it's hard to want to spend our limited funds on them. But it's so important because they actually make our wardrobe go much further! Recently I finally bit the bullet and got good black and white camisoles (I was very specific--had to be smooth, stretchy, non-cotton material without any kind of built-in bra), a couple of white button-down shirts, two good bras (nude t-shirt and black convertible strapless that can also be worn as a normal bra) and a couple of pairs of (inexpensive) skinny jeans because my wardrobe really, really needed them. My clothes are working much better for me now. Next on my list are great 8-hour black ballet flats (if only I could find some Me Too Swanns in size 7.5 or 8!), black pants, and a trench.

So, April, what all is on your list? So far we have:

White cami (I think Angie likes a type that Nordstrom carries in their Brass Plum section; I got mine at Reitmans, a Canadian chain)
Narrow calf boots (here is a little nudge to go for the Duos since you've looked so hard everywhere else--if you love them and wear them a lot, that $30 shipping is negligible)
Skinnies--what do you need in these and what is your budget?

Maybe we can help you find what you need.

shiny

Hmm, I think the problem with this is by the time you find boots and skinnies to wear with boots, it'll be spring and too warm to wear either. So I would give yourself a pass on these items - but if you see something on sale, go for it. Just don't worry too much about these items at this particular point.

Meanwhile, yes go get the white cami! You will wear it a lot in the spring and summer. I like BR's camis, and they go on 2-fer sales fairly often.

So get the cami, you'll feel better about that, and skip the skinnies and boots for now. Focus on your list for spring/summer and be ready to fill in the gaps in your wardrobe earlier rather than late in the season.

I think it's just really frustrating to look for seasonal items at the end of a season. I would love chestnut boots but I'm of the mindset "if some should magically appear on the end-of-season sales rack, I will grab them" but I am not driving myself crazy trying to find them right now. I will look LOTS earlier next season, now that I can envision how they will work with my wardrobe. Does that make sense?

Tanya

I agree with Brianna, I also have problems making myself spend my limited budget on relatively simple items that make things I already have work, I am always tempted by some new statement piece. But I am getting better at it. I am finding it helpful to write down all the outfit combos from my closet that would become possible by addition of that one simple thing, it is really motivating.

Brianna, you nailed it completely. I think Angie had a blog entry about a similar topic around the holidays -- how we should put those things on a gift wishlist since they are essential, yet it isn't that much fun to buy them.

And Tanya -- yes, it's so hard to stop looking at those statement pieces! Especially at this sale-rich time. I am resolving to stay off, for instance, the Anthropologie sale page.

Shiny -- I do have boots that are good with jeans, just haven't found the right jeans. I ordered some skinny jeans today, so we'll see if they fit. Given my "always freezing" nature, I think there are still a couple of months when I can (will) wear jeans with boots. And I also ordered a couple of white camis. You can tell I had the day off.

I'm thinking of today as my own little economic stimulus package.

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