https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Thu, 30 Apr 2026 15:54:45 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1323030 Mon, 04 Aug 2014 15:58:57 +0000 cheryl 1323030@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a fantastic and functional exercise. I don't think I have done exactly this but I plan to because it sounds like a lot of fun! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322930 Mon, 04 Aug 2014 13:50:40 +0000 Rambling Ann 1322930@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>rabbit - I love this:&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;"I felt both very free but also grounded at those points, so revisiting elements of some of those looks tends to make me happy now." The memory triggers for what we put on our skin have to be similar to scents and music, I think.</p> <p>caro - can we see the photo? Sounds fantastic! I'd wear that today too.</p> <p>Vix - I hope so on the olive. Doesn't it seem like once you start looking for something, it is everywhere and you just didn't notice? I just need to pay attention.</span> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322611 Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:37:26 +0000 Vix 1322611@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Rambling Ann --</p> <p>Lots of cool introspective posts on the forum lately; so glad you added yours.</p> <p>Looking forward to seeing how your "<span>extracting the elements of happiness of the memory" continues to translate into real-life purchases!</p> <p>ps Seems like it'll be a good fall/winter for olive -- you may end up with too many choices!</span> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322594 Mon, 04 Aug 2014 00:15:34 +0000 Dee 1322594@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a really neat idea. I was always dodging photos in high school and college, so I doubt I could go back that far very easily. Then again, at that point in my life, I had a lot of clothes but no cohesive style/wardrobe, so I'm not sure it would have helped much. I do find it interesting how many people have some aspect of style continuity between then and now though. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322559 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 23:48:49 +0000 Caro in Oz 1322559@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've just rediscover olive too &amp; I love it. I've done a similar thing in the past &amp; realised dressy or casual I prefer pants to skirts or dresses. The only time this doesn't hold true is for our really hot summers - I love linen dresses. My favourite photo of me is at 19 I'm wearing a thrifted green Harris Tweed riding jacket, cream shirt, jeans &amp; boots. I'd wear the same outfit today for sure. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322528 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 23:21:42 +0000 SarahTheWhite 1322528@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a great exercise! It definitely shows preference across time. I love looking for patterns! I will have to think on this one... I love how focused it has made your shopping. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322505 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:45:42 +0000 rabbit 1322505@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Very interesting! &nbsp;Useful insights. &nbsp; It reminds me of the threads where folks discussed their emotional responses to colors based on past outfits, and how sometimes the style journey is a spiral (trademark <b>clearlyclaire</b>?) and we return to the same design preferences&nbsp;again and again but in a new way.</p> <p>I'm definitely comfortable with colors and silhouettes I wore in high school and some in college. &nbsp;I felt both very free but also&nbsp;grounded at those points, so revisiting elements of some of those looks tends to make me happy now. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322504 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:45:26 +0000 Gigi 1322504@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great idea! I haven't been very fashion savvy for very long, but I did think back over my life in general to see which clothing items&nbsp;made me feel the best. All of the items were tailored with regard to fit; nothing sloppy or oversized made me feel good. I see that tailored items are very much a mainstay in my current closet, and even with fluid fits, I have to be careful that they aren't too oversized—I still need to show my body silhouette.&nbsp;</p> <p>Nice finds! But yes, expensive, even if stalked. As far as epaulettes, that seems like something that White House Black Market might do.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322496 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:36:51 +0000 Kristin L 1322496@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think you've done a great job analyzing your wardrobe. I would not have thought to take your approach, so I may have to steal part of it. :)&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322492 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:32:46 +0000 Rambling Ann 1322492@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Mona</p> <p>Isn't the snakeskin print gorgeous?&nbsp;</p> <p>No jacket in mind, since I just had this epiphany.&nbsp;It seems like theyhave been rarities in the shops for a long time. I don't even recall seeing them before the Fall 2014 catalogs, but then again, I haven't been looking. Probably in one of my neutrals, black or olive. If I found an olive tweed that went with black, that'd be so cool. What would Isak Dineson wear on a trip to Ireland?&nbsp;Or something like the snakeskin at a price point less than our year's livestock feed bill.&nbsp;But I can hold out for a home run since it's not a need. If you see something awesome, keep me in mind. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322485 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:15:17 +0000 Mona 1322485@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This is a great exercise. How awesome that you have realized what your favorite silhouettes are. I actually really love all three that you have pinned. Do you have a longer jacket in mind that you want to buy? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322476 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 22:02:22 +0000 Rambling Ann 1322476@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Sterling - It's interesting too to think about casualizing (did I make up a word?)&nbsp;some of those looks that worked for the more formal business outfits.</p> <p>E - Agreed about high school! I promise not to bring back the genuine army surplus flak jacket! But I used to wear it with a cashmerish (no way THAT was genuine) turtleneck that was lavender, and I am wearing that same color combo today.&nbsp;</p> <p>What helped me was extracting the elements of happiness of the memory. That might not be the same thing that made it happy at the time (like being an irritating 16 year old to a&nbsp;mom dreaming of dressing her in modern classic. Sorry mom).&nbsp;</p> <p>Liz - do you have any of those kinds of skirts&nbsp;or is it a reason to shop :-)</p> <p>Clearlyclaire - that would be an awesome thread - how I wore it then, how I wear it now. I'd have to think about what pictures there might be of me in those outfits. Not many.</p> <p>Cerinda - isn't it great to be old enough to take what you like and leave the rest? </p> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/"></a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/"></a> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322423 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:54:55 +0000 Cerinda 1322423@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great exercise! &nbsp;I didn't realize until now how many of those favorite outfits were entirely, even <i>excruciatingly</i> fashion forward (My late mother worked in fashion, and dressed me as if I were&nbsp;her doll. &nbsp;In fact, she pretty much dressed me through my late 20s). &nbsp;I am most emphatically NOT fashion forward, nor do I think I want to be. &nbsp;This requires a&nbsp;<i>lot</i> more thought. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322386 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:02:12 +0000 Anonymous 1322386@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I loved hearing about your execution of this exercise. I'm going to try this as well. I usually concentrate on what's working for me&nbsp;<i>now,&nbsp;</i>as opposed to taking a trip down memory lane, but I think I should leaf through some old photos as well. I love epaulettes and safari looks&nbsp;too! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322372 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 19:43:54 +0000 Liz 1322372@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a great exercise! I tried it and was surprised at what I found: skirt outfits in two silhouettes -- aline and pencil. And outfits that created long, clean lines. Thanks for the idea! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322334 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 18:56:33 +0000 E 1322334@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a good analysis Rambling Ann &amp; I loved reading all about it. I don't think I had any favourite high school outfits: that was a really awkward time for me. Even in college, I hadn't really found my style groove yet. So I haven't done this &amp; don't think it'd be that helpful for me, but I look forward to hearing about the other exercises! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322278 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 17:38:41 +0000 Anonymous 1322278@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Your analysis is a little different than how I approach this exercise. &nbsp;I start with an analysis of how I spend my week and from there I decide how to apportion my wardrobe. &nbsp;If I tried your method, I would remember those work outfits that scored "perfect 10's." &nbsp;I do still remember them and the reasons why they scored so high. &nbsp;The problem is that at that time, my job required me to dress up significantly more at that time&nbsp;than it does today. &nbsp;Those perfect 10's would be overkill. &nbsp;</p> <p>I think what I am going to do is try to remember what outfits I adored on the dressy casual side and why. &nbsp;This is harder for me and may require reviewing old pictures. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/wardrobe-analysis-of-past-happinesses#post-1322239 Sun, 03 Aug 2014 17:05:58 +0000 Rambling Ann 1322239@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Now that I have a core, albeit minimal, wardrobe that is functional for most of my life, I challenged myself to do a few thinking exercises. One was to list at least ten outfits from my past that had a high happiness factor and what was it about them I liked enough to remember them. I listed outfits going all the way back to high school.&nbsp;The results had some surprises:</p> <p>Three outfits had olive as a main color. I had recently resolved to use olive as a core neutral. I have some olive items&nbsp;but I never specifically shopped for it. I am keeping the new olive shoes that came on Friday.</p> <p>Four! outfits featured epaulettes! One from high school, one from my 20s and two from my 30s. How many epaulettes are in my closet now? Zero! I don't know that I feel the lack of them so much as the vibe (lamenting the beloved linen safari suit of the old Banana Republic). This fits into the whole Hollywood Cowgirl love of drama and costume that I am exploring. Not sure how I will use this tidbit on the epaulettes though.</p> <p>One happy silhouette&nbsp;is completely missing from my closet: long jacket over lean pants. I used to have&nbsp;a couple of long JCrew flannel coats that I completely wore out and never replaced. My other go-to silhouette is cropped jacket over pants or flared skirt, but I'm getting a bit bored with it. &nbsp;I'm adding a few finds to show what I mean. I'd wear both long jacket outfits with great happiness, and the short one as well. And I'd run&nbsp;away from anything that hit&nbsp;in between. Since I don't have the lifestyle that led to the initial purchase, I hadn't considered replacing them, but the hunt is on. Sadly, the finds themselves are not in the budget.</p> <p>A last observation is that I like and am short on tweedy textures. &nbsp;</p> <p>Writing the memories down has led to a nicely focused shopping list for the next few months. Has anyone else done this? </p>