Red/blue plaid *issues* + other musings - YouLookFab Forum

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Red/blue plaid issues + other musings

rachylou

Veteran

Ohmigosh. I have severe issues with red and blue plaid. I saw this shirt this morning online and did the head whiplash. I was half way to clicking when it hit me - *again* with the red and blue plaid. I don't know how this started, why it happens. Other people jump into the ocean to save drowning people before they know. Me? I buy red and blue plaid shirts before I know it. That's so weak. It has got to stop.

My second musing for today: You know, it bothers me to donate something after only a year / one season of wear. It's a little bit weird, because I enjoy following trends. I guess I just like to squeeze every last bit of life out of them.

What's all y'all's tolerances on keeping things around?

1

General

28 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Diana

Veteran

That's an awesome shirt! I kind of want it too (in all three of the plaids, actually).

I am also a slow purger. I can very easily go a whole season without wearing something, and it's not that I don't like it. It's just that sometimes I just don't want to wear a particular type of thing, you know? Then the next year I could love it and wear it every week. On the other hand, if it is itchy or too tight or something, then out the door it goes.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I usually have to have an item for at least two years in order to be sure I'm going to purge it. Unless I know for sure it was a mistake.

And I have a grey sweater problem that is like your plaid shirt problem. I just automatically see one I like and get excited and I'm ready to go for it and then I say, well, I wasn't supposed to get more grey cardigans. But the new one is always a little different in terms of length, fabric, season or whatever, so it's hard to turn the little dears away.

AviaMariah

Veteran

I like that shirt too. I think if I were to purge something after only one season I would consider the purchase a mistake. I usually let them languish in my closet for at least another year "just in case".

rachylou

Veteran

I think I think that too, Avia. Purchase mistake.

Ummlila - So true, yes? They're all different!! Lol. I've got my wannabe Italian red/blue, my cowboy red/blue, my preppy button down red/blue...

Oh man, Diana. I didn't even see they had other colour plaids. You know, I've been walking around bemoaning the dearth of plain black and blue plaid. *Ahem.*

catgirl

Veteran

I want the green! What is viscose?

rachylou

Veteran

Learn something every day: Wiki says its rayon - specifically wood cellulose.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I usually hang onto things at least a couple years if I liked them enough to keep past a few months. Some more special occasion items I'll keep for many years and only wear maybe once in a year. Like my 25+ year old London Fog black trench with removable plaid flannel lining. Still love that old thing.

Now I think I have to have the green plaid shirt.

Aida

Veteran

Hm is it a thing with red and blue together specifically? I had a good period there were I was buying only red plaids and blue plaids. Once I noticed I made myself branch out and I don't regret it. Off the top of my head I've now got a red/white, blue/blue, black/white, and black/emerald plus a blue gingham, yellow gingham, and oversized white/gray gingham (we're talking tops only, don't get me started on pants!). Nice mix, the red/white plaid gets the most wear by FAR (I think it's the best quality one, that could be part of it). I think you could do your country punk with other plaid mixes, if you were looking to add new plaids.

And all that said, that looks like a fabulous breezy summer plaid shirt. Worth replacing an older shirt with a more traditional fit with this one that has a more current fit? (Aside, dang the green version is just gorgeous!)

I don't mind replacing some things after a season; cheaper sweaters, active-casual tees/tanks... Usually knit things and the occasional experiment that I didn't end up enjoying (I don't consider these mistakes -- if I don't play sometimes I don't know for sure if I'll like a trend!). I wear sweaters sooooo much from Sept-May that I just get tired of them! But I usually hang onto my sweaters for a few seasons before replacing.

Gracie

Veteran

That mega plaid pattern on that shirt looks great. I have two plaid shirts on probation. I just don't reach for them and I don't know why. Maybe I feel too Country/Western. I should try them with a pencil skirt and teach them a lesson. And I just bought the Paige Indio plaid skinnies, I really like them. Maybe I can do a plaid bottom and solve my issue.

I give my items a year/season before culling them unless they develop or I discover an issue that I can't live with - itchiness, sliding, drooping, etc. - then is bye-bye quickly.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

That's a gorgeous shirt. I'd have had to stop myself from buying it, too.

I have a similar crazy sugar eye for pretty much any Chelsea boot. I just love them. It doesn't matter if I already have a pair -- I will drool over any iteration I see.

What Aida said on replacements. If I buy something with the express purpose to experiment -- say, a new trend, or a different silhouette for me -- then I have no problem sending it away after one season, or even before that if it doesn't quite work out. Often with items like that I have "worn them to death" (like at least a couple of times a week for months) and I'm just tired of them. Distinctive looking sweaters can fall into that category for me, too -- because I just wear them so much I get tired of them.

rabbit

Veteran

Really nice shirt, so flowy!

If I want to purge something after a year it's usually a mistake, something that I wore once or twice so couldn't return but then realized it didn't really work ever with anything (or my weight changed enough from when I bought it that it had no possibility of redemption). Bummer.

But I'm wondering about Suz's distinctive top point. I can see that, especially if it was something I wore so much that I felt I got good use out of it. With a larger wardrobe not that much of mine gets 'overworn' that is a distinctive piece though (versus neutral shoes, bags, jeans, jackets).

carter

Veteran

Teal. If you gave me a box of 300 crayons and asked me to pull them out in order of color preference, the teal crayon would be languishing with the rust and lemon yellow crayons. However, put a teal jacket, pair of pants or sweater in front of me, and I'm going to buy it. I bought a teal blazer and a teal pair of jeans this week! Go figure.

Love the plaid shirt. Thank heavens it doesn't come in teal.

rachylou

Veteran

I love me a London Fog. They're excellent coats.

Anyways, ya, I really have a thing about red and blue together. I see a plaid like that and I'm all *ooh, isn't that nice!* Lol. It's sort of made a little worse, I realise, because they're usually very preppy, conservative cuts - so they don't see any wear.

That's an interesting point about wearing something tons and then being over it (or having worn it out within a short time). Hmm. All of a sudden I see a role in my life for CPW.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I wonder what it is about red and blue plaid--what pull does it have on you? Did you have a favorite red and blue plaid item as a child, or some beloved person wore it, was it the school uniform you wished you had but didn't, something like that? Ver-r-r-r-ry eeenteresting!
I like to keep things around for longer than a year, although sometimes I do buy them with the idea of fast fashion in mind. I actually bought my coral sweater and trench coat with that thought last year: "Oh, I'll probably tire of this color after a season, but I don't have that much invested in it, and I know I'll wear it a lot this season." And I wore them again this year--though not as much as I did last year. So a bright coral trench coat is taking up valuable real estate in my coat closet!

Peri

Veteran

I used to have a black velvet issue. Anything in black velvet, I wanted. I'm not sure what my issue is now.

And I am very slow to purge. Even if I'm tired of something I wonder if I will like it better in a year. And that has happened often enough to make me wait several years before deciding, no, I'm never going to wear that again.

rachylou

Veteran

Lol. Perhaps I should sign up for a past-life regression. My response is positively Pavlovian.

Funny about fast fashion. It never occurred to me that it could mean the items will leave my closet fast. I buy with every intention of babying the item so it will last forever.

Interesting about the black velvet, Peri! I had a really great velvet dinner gown once upon a time. Also interesting - I'm not sure I've ever gotten tired of something and wanted to come back; I'm not sure I've ever wanted a little break from wearing something. Hmm. That's something to think about.

Aubergine

Veteran

I can see why that shirt would tempt you!

I think the main thing I keep buying is black cardigans. And easy print dresses, especially if they combine black with something warm and muted. And metallic summer shoes. So a lot of things, really.

Thinking about it, I do feel a little wasteful donating something after a year or less if there's not a real, concrete reason. So something that's wearing out or impractical or unflattering is fair game, but I'll hold onto something if I'm just kind of sick of it. And there's a good chance I may end up un-sick of it eventually anyway.

unfrumped

Veteran

Naw, I love plaid shirts, too!

I don't like buying something for just one year, let alone just one season. I'm not saying I won't do it, but I just don't go at it that way. I might try something kind of out there, for me, and recognize it could be a bust.That could be an indication of too many items as much as anything--I don't feel most things are worn enough in just one year. Or if I really like something, I'm usually not tired of if after one year, unless it's a mistake. A mistake is usually a different feeling than being bored or having a style shift, for me.

Might be shifting over to wearing more times per unit time, though, since items may wear out style-wise before wear-wise.
This whole idea is something I'm pondering much more this year.

shedev

Veteran

The combat boot is my plaid shirt. Actually, I've banned myself from buying several items because of overbuying.

I give most items at least 2 years to fully integrate into my wardrobe. I wear a lot of things more in the second year than the first. I do still have a classic boxy biker leather that I bought in 94. I wear it a lot some years, others not at all. I keep it because I still want to wear it.

I really only wear trends that are things I like in the first place. I have to wear shoes that I can run in, so I do wear sneakers to work but they don't really make me feel fab so I still prefer boots.

bj1111

Veteran

Well, i really want to get that blue/black plaid and i HATE plaid.

I just started wearing a red vest i purchased in 1995 from bendel's when it was still a real dept store. So i guess things do come back in style.

I still regret discarding a pair of oxford pointy toe lace ups from the 90s a year before they came back in a few years ago.

Windchime

Veteran

Your red and blue plaid is my navy and white. Until this summer, I'd barely worn either navy or white. Now I'm crazy about the combination and have basically compiled an entire navy and white capsule without intending to.

I like the shirt and think you should go for it, get rid of one item in exchange, and enjoy wearing red and blue plaid!

Melaine

(website)

I picked up a red, black, and blue plaid dress at the thrift store. I was a little on the fence because I was afraid it would look Christmas-y (only a tad of blue) but I wound up seriously loving it once I found a scarf to emphasize the blue. It became a favorite.

1

Lyn D.

Veteran

I aim for 3 seasons, but have only specified this in the last year or so.
Now I am tracking things more closely I think I am buying much more carefully; whilst I might be attracted to a certain item over and over again it must be a replacement for similar (1-in-1-out) or so different as to warrant a category of its own!

JAileen

Veteran

You should get the shirt because it's at least slightly different from the rest.

I love utility/field/60-40 jackets and light weight quilted jackets. I have several jackets in these two categories already (five in the first and three in the second). The truth is I do use them - errands, dog walking, hiking, birding. Yet I'm actually considering new ones.

T

I too find myself very drawn to everything with classic patterns - polka dots, plaid, gingham & stripes. I gotta have it all, in all colors, even if a version is already hanging in my closet. I am very happy that these patterns are available in abundance right now. There was a lean period in between of 3-4 years where I couldn't find any! And I would definitely wear these past when they are not in trend. I think patterned shirts are my style and I would keep them till they fall apart.
Colored denim though is something I regret investing in. I went a bit overboard buying purple & pink denim and honestly they didn't get much wear. The red jeans are the only ones that I wear often enough. As a lesson I now try *all* new trends at the thrift shop or F21 first. If my liking for the trend, and the trend itself lasts a year, only then do I go buy it in a quality brand.

Mona

Veteran

I don't purge after one season either. Especially now, that I practice PPP with my shopping. I have a few items in my wardrobe that are not a year old and I have stopped loving them but I will hold on for another year and see if I can rekindle the love.

viva

Veteran

Sometimes I do purge after one season, although I am aiming to do this much, much less -- and since I have joined YLF (almost a year) I have done this much, much less. For me, the quick purges are almost always a matter of poor purchasing: impulse buys, emotional buys, sale goggles ... and because I am more at peace with a smaller wardrobe than a larger one, once I realize it was a poor purchase (whether it is a month or a year into the buy) I have to get rid of it. I know myself; I know whether there is a chance I will wear it again. (Although there have been a few times that a style has come back and I have rued my quick purging.) It feels wasteful and I hate the quick purge, so that is why I am trying to limit the quick buy; but it does happen.

PS I do love that plaid shirt, and I am looking for one .... but I am being really, really picky.

rachylou

Veteran

*update* - I succumbed and got the red and blue plaid. And of course now I'm having a hard time letting go the red and blue plaid I'd planned to justify this purchase with (!)

Also speaking of coloured denim... I'm not enjoying the nod to radiant orchid I made with a pair of lavender jeans. The only place I want to wear it is to the bakery, and if I do that, it's going to be ruined by canola oil and flour. I guess that was a test run that's not gonna last a year.

I like the idea of cobalt and red plaid a lot, btw. Also, I notice the lack of white takes some of the preppy out... and I think I need to really minimise the preppy in my closet.