What is your "protected" wardrobe item?

DressLover

Otherwise known as your "weird" item that you love, but doesn't necessarily fit your style and/or is a favorite of others. No matter what others think of it though, you won't get rid of it.

12 years ago

Dressing

32 replies

Latest reply was from Erin

bj1111

Veteran

hubbie...

12 years ago

DressLover

Veteran

bj1111, ahahahahaha, winning answer!

12 years ago

ironkurtin

Veteran

I have a knit wool hat with ears on it I've had for ten years. And the unicorn necklace I've had since I was thirteen. (I won't tell you how many years *that* is.) I have a feeling both of them may wind up being my daughter's but for now I love still owning them.

12 years ago

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Micromini skirts

12 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

Ohmigosh, I have a ton of these. My craft apron which I'll wear instead of carrying a handbag. All my "snow hats" - balaclava, earflap hats, beanies, teddy bear hat - when I live in sunny California. My Anthropologie "carpet bag coat."

And I have to throw in a pair of ridiculously high, spindly Manolo Blahnik's. They require a person to have a chauffeur, they're that kind of useless shoe. But they're a work of art!

12 years ago

Laura B.

Active Member

This is a great thread! I'd love to see one with everyone posting pictures of how they make them work. Mine is definitely my dreadlocks.

12 years ago

Isis

Veteran

Black leather skirt with zippers. Too short; too tight. (But it looks great in my fantasy life!)

12 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

Short, slightly destroyed denim miniskirt. It's leaning way into MDAL territory, but it's the best thing ever in the summer. Only with flats, mind you.

12 years ago

nancylee

Veteran

My super-thick Aztec print long cardigan bought last fall at Banana Republic, and my long green print caftan/tunic top. The first looks like I'm wearing a blanket, and the second looks like I've escaped from an ashram, but I love them both.

12 years ago

mrseccentric

(website)

Veteran

These shoes! Italian suede, over twenty years old....due to nerve damage i've been unable to wear them for almost a decade. But they are so so so beautiful!

I put them on just for this recent picture - my nerve situation is better controlled these days, so if i attend a 'chauffered event' (thank you rachylou!) i'll bring these babies out to play.

Fun thread! steph

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12 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Short shorts.

12 years ago

krishnidoux

Veteran

A pair of tall, heeled Italian cognac leather boots bought in 2005 comes to mind. They cost me a little fortune and are right this minute busy amassing dust in their original box in my closet. They have sat throughout various closets of places where I have lived since I bought them. Despite the price, they are atrocious to wear - mainly because of the height if the heel. 1, 2 hrs dress-up events, with car. What's more, they are not adapted for our Canadian winters, so can be only worn mid season. But oh, what foot, what leg.

12 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

I have a tie-dye t-shirt from a Grateful Dead concert in 1986. I was working at Eagle Stadium in Philly selling sno-cones, and the band was setting up on stage, with no one but employees in the stadium yet. Jerry Garcia asked me for a sno-cone! The t-shirt is nearly rags, but I sleep in it and hang onto it because it's got such a memory attached.

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

A pair of high-waisted raw silk midi gaucho pants. I actually wore them once on the forum. I think they have styling potential and I adore the fabric and the colour.

12 years ago

Anonymous

A pair of leather low heeled mary janes. Round toe, dark brown leather, worn up ( to the beach, to the school , to work). My mom hates them, but they look cute and chic geek to me. They're kinda raggedy now. Still love them

12 years ago

missvee

Veteran

High heeled tweed boots with leather applique - very comfortable for sitting, otherwise completely useless....

12 years ago

goldenpig

(website)

Veteran

Heh, my 15 year old plaid mini that I posted for you before. Still waiting to let it out a little so I can wear it again.

12 years ago

Joy

Veteran

The clay fired broaches my sons made for me in grade school.
A flower pin of 3 nylon daisy-like flowers that I wore for Easter as a child sometime in the 50's .
A broach made from a gopher jaw by my dad.

12 years ago

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I don't have anything old I am attached to in spite of everything: I guess I do not get attached to things at all.
However last year I kept the caramel leather trench against Angie's (and most of the forum) advice and concern about the color for me: that color was exactly what drew me to this trench in the first place. It makes me so happy and comfortable that I don't care if it suits me or not!

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12 years ago

Kate

Veteran

A vintage cocktail/evening dress from the 1950s. It's a sleeveless black, lower calf-length wool crepe dress with a high neckline in front and a plunging back. The dress has handmade roses (also made of the wool crepe, which has a very fine hand) that run at an angle in the front across the dress and then curve around the back in a way that accentuates one's assets! The dress also has a fishtail hem.

I've owned it for 25 years and worn it with great pleasure many times, usually with a short, silk-lined black cashmere cardigan that has a deep white fox collar — another vintage piece.

I will keep these pieces forever. Many happy memories there.

12 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

Does a wedding dress count?? I have no need for it, it is kept purely for sentimental reasons:) Otherwise I do have a vintage coat that I must have had in my closet for nearly 20 years. I love it, and still wear it.

12 years ago

anne

Veteran

This
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....-else-does

It isn't my normal style and many on the forum didn't like it, but I am not going to give it up
(I only wear it about 4 times a year at most though)

12 years ago

Deborah

Veteran

anne, I just looked at your post! Just skimmed and didn't read all comments but wow such a strong reaction. I just thought I would let you know this must be an Aussie thing because I have two pairs of these. Both are black and one is in the firmer fabric that you are wearing and the other is more flowing in a jersey type fabric. I don't wear them a lot and I am concerned about the pant length but I so love them. I had wondered why I had never seen them on the Forum, but now I have. I think I might not post mine We call them Skants. EDIT: just read through all the comments and see that you worked out what they were called. Hmmm should I post mine??

12 years ago

Vildy

Veteran

Sveta, glad you kept that caramel trench - I could eat that with a spoon!

As for me, I think I'm impervious to whether other people actively dislike something I am wearing. Hubby is one who doesn't seem to like much. I'm a hat lover, for instance, and he hates the look of hats on women. One time, I got rid of one: I was speculating on why some clerk at a government office would be rude to me and hubby said it must be the hat. He said it was exactly the kind of hat Nasty Grandmothers wore. Now, he did have such a grandmother who used to smack people with her cane. Maybe she had a hat like this.
It was black, wide brimmed felt and had that fabric that came down and you could wrap or knot it for extra warmth. I thought it looked dramatic, at worst. Warmest hat I ever owned. I'm really sorry I got rid of it.

12 years ago

Mander

(website)

Veteran

An impractically small vintage handbag and a huge mega-bling rhinestone necklace that belonged to my grandmother, some very teeter-y platform heels (that just happen to match a bustier I have... wink wink nudge nudge), my old black leather motorcycle jacket that I can't quite zip up. Maybe if I keep going to zumba class for long enough I'll trim my hips down enough that I can wear it again.

I'm not sure if they are still around, but I used to have a 70s tan leather sport coat that belonged to my grandfather that I never quite had the courage to wear, but could probably pull off now, and a very funky silk shirt that I wore all the time in high school. The next time I'm at my parents' house I am going to see if that shirt is still in a closet somewhere and turn it into a scarf if it is.

12 years ago

anne

Veteran

Deborah - I agree that it is an aussie thing. Nearly all the Australians who commented on it were for it!
You are so stylish, I'd love to see you take on skants!

12 years ago

rute

Veteran

Rain boots! My Hubby hates them but they are perfect for the rain!

12 years ago

(website)

Veteran

I guess my 'coffee cup' skirt. No matter how many times I contemplate putting it in the donate pile or getting it reworked somehow, I always end up with it back in the closet and I actually wear it pretty often, even if mostly just to lounge in.

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12 years ago

Lynne

Veteran

Mo, don't ever lose that coffee cup skirt! I love the way you've styled it with your wooden hoops echoing the skirt pattern. I think this skirt misses the doesn't suit you stipulation of this post :).

12 years ago

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