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A shabby wardrobe

anne

Veteran

As I dressed for an unseasonably rainy day today, about to go to town (with the possibility of being seen by my new about to be co-workers, which is affecting my sartorical eye) I realised that a great deal of my wardrobe is shabby. I have hardly a pair of practical shoes that isn't scuffed. most of my knits are pilling and my jeggings are wearing pretty thin.

Replacing things isn't really possibly within the constrainst of my 12-12 challenge. Am wondering about just trying to embrace the shabby look!?

Dressing

33 replies

Latest reply was from Lisa

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I feel definitely unfab when things are shabby, especially with pills! I'd say replacements don't count as 12-12 ... it's like buying a carton of milk. You need to buy more milk when it runs out, right?

Amy

(website)

Veteran

I agree with lyn. Replace one or a few depending on your budget.

You might also consider polishing your shoes and using a sweater comb to de- pill your sweaters.

Deborah

Veteran

Anne the items you mentioned are wintery pieces. How is your summer wardrobe looking? And are congratulations in order? You go the job? Well done. How many days a week are you working? That will help to plan just how much you will need.

kkards

Veteran

do you have a good shoe maker/cobbler in your town? it's amazing what they can do to an old pair of shoes! a little polish, a new heel, and wow they look like new shoes!

Anonymous

You didn't mention what your new job is. Perhaps shabby can work for you. Perhaps it won't.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I agree with Lynn and think the comparison to to buying a new gallon of milk when the other is used up. You need to walk into your job with confidence. If replacing isn't an option financially, then spruce up them up and replace slowly. Good Luck!

missvee

Veteran

I agree with Lyn as well. When your basics get shabby they need to be replaced, especially if you are wearing them to work. And if you can't smarten your shoes up with a good polishing, then you'll need to start replacing them too, as the budget permits, of course

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

I think the shabby look is much like the slouchy look in that it needs to be deliberate. I would go with Lyn on this one and say replace the staples to ensure that you look and feel fab for your new job. The rules and challenges are intended to help manage and maintain the wardrobe and not to constrain.

anne

Veteran

Thanks for your thoughts.

Lyn - I guess I HAD invisaged replacements as part of my 12- in -12. At the time I formulated it, there was input from La Francaise who said she only bought 4-5 items a year and 12 seemed like a lot in comparison! ( I did exclude underwear, BTW) Most of the list I had planned to buy are replacements - namely
-white and black turtleneck
-black cardigan
-jeggings
-flats
-tracksuit pants
Apart from these I have bought a running top, a 3/4 sleeve striped top, a skinny belt (thrifted) and 2 summer dresses.

Amy - I have a de -piller but it doesn't do much good - and yes, do need to polish my shoes! I guess I am not sure how much wear and tear is approriate with shoes - eg I have shoes that were new this year and are still in good condition, but there are marks on the shoes where the leather has ripped a bit.

Deborah - I has planned to try and get through summer with no further purchases (having already bought 2 dresses). Yes I got the job. It is just casual, filling in when needed (I haven't really discovered how often this might be). The regular staff seem to wear uniform a lot, and I don't yet know if I will be too. I am probably okay for work clothes for a bit ( I have some clothes in good condition saved from when I worked previously). Shoes might be a problem.

I think what worries me is more my casual dressing.I live in a smallish community, and my new workplace is right across from where I go to the supermarket, and often I'll see the employees in there, will pass cafes where they are at lunch etc. The job is a public one, and so I will be recognised by more people too (and I already routinely stop and have conversations with people almost every time I do my groceries - I do like this BTW)

KKards - yes we have a cobbler and I use his a lot!! I am hard on my shoes and get some of them reheeled and resoled. My shoes are damaged on the uppers

TraceyLee and Miss vee, thanks for your input too.

Dianthus - I know I can leave the challenge if I want to, that it is a servant not a master.
I guess I just need to work out if this is a legitimate "out"!
What makes this much harder for me (unlike Queen Mum, who did this too) is that my wardrobe wasn't that new to start with. I only bought about 19 things last year, and quite a lot of my wardrobe are from my first YLF year ( in the first year of the forum)

And yet! I see the phrase I have just written ("only 19 things") and think - how can I say only and NINETEEN in the same breath. 19 seems so huge. My sister is travelling the world long term with her family with about 4/5 outfits!!

So part of me is thinking, if I am serious about limiting consumption etc, then I should just wear things through the shabby stage until they wear out.

And another part of me is thinking - what a lot I have to replace if I am to be "polished"!!!

Huge essay here! (and I didn't even get into the part of the to only buy "ethical fashion" though not much movement here since I last updated)

anne

Veteran

Mary - I didn't get to your question. The job is a clerical one in a customer service type position.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Anne, shoes can be spruced up.

anne

Veteran

True Angie, but I am not sure the shoes in question are worth it
One is a hand me down pair that I have worn intensely for 2 years (the upper is flaking off)
The other is 3 years old and also seen intense wear. The sole is not patchable and is holey in one foot and worn around the heels. I'd take a pic except that I put the camera down somewhere this evening and can't seem to find it again

Thistle

Veteran

Not sure your budget. If you can afford to replace, sounds like they need it. If not, a cobbler may not be an option. A cobbler's services cost more than my Clark's, so I only use him if the shoes themselves are amazing or were very expensive to begin with.

Couple of thoughts:
1. Try cleaning and polishing them with approriate leather cleaners.
2. Start looking for replacements. Good shoes are worth investing in, and when things are tight, sales are your best freinds

ironkurtin

Veteran

Here is my two cents.

Shabbiness in general is a turnoff. It looks like you don't care about your clothing or yourself. If things wear out, they should be replaced. Other people don't know about your 12-item rule. They just see shabby.

I understand your desire to be disciplined, but if you have worn your items to the point where they aren't suitable for your job, you have gotten your use out of them. Personally, I think the 12-item rule is arbitrary and unnecessarily strict. In this case, given a new job especially, you should break it.

Gaylene

Veteran

Anne, first of all let me say that I think the actual number of items that you buy during a year is less important than your commitment to buying thoughtfully and carefully. It's what you are trying to do that is important, not whether you buy 5 or 12 or 15 items. And a change in our lives can mean that we sometimes need to alter our plans.

With all that out of the way, I do have a couple of suggestions. First--SHOE TREES. When I was first married, I thought my husband was nuts because he always used these in his shoes, along with carefully polishing his brogues every few days. But, when I saw how great his shoes always looked and how long they lasted, I was a convert. If you buy good footwear, and treat your shoes well, you can get them resoled and wear them constantly for a LONG time. I have Fluevogs in my wardrobe that are close to 15 years old that I still wear regularly. Even less expensive shoes will last much longer if you use the shoe trees to help your shoes keep their shape.

My second suggestion is to buy with an eye to how long you expect an item to last. The construction and fabric of many inexpensive clothes will not usually hold up for more than a season or two, especially if the items are worn frequently. For example, leggings have a lot of stretch so they probably would need replacing fairly often.

And finally, only you can decide how shabby is too shabby. I personally think looking polished is more about taking care of your clothes and appearance than having new things. My grandmother was the most polished dresser that I've ever know, but her closet was truly miniscule. But, even as a child, I marveled at how she always managed to look good whenever she went out in public.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, I would say that deliberately shabby only works for certain types of things and looks - i.e. distressed leather jackets and tough boots, ripped jeans, that kind of thing. Threadbare, moth holes, pilling, etc just makes things look worn out IMO. For the shoes, some polish might help a lot if they are otherwise still in decent condition. (Try the Doc Martens wonder balsam!)

I don't remember whether the motivation for your 12-in-12 challenge was financial, ethical, or self disciplinary. If it's financial, then of course you have to think long and hard about replacing these basics. However, if it's for ethical or self-discipline reasons I think you can justify buying replacements if you follow a strict one-in one-out policy. (i.e. maybe it is best to limit the number of items in your wardrobe rather than the number of items you buy, and maybe only allow yourself to replace those things whose CPW is already low enough.)

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Sorry Anne, are you needing clothes for work or are you more concerned you will bump into your colleagues outside of work and may be judged by your clothing?

If it is the first then I believe many of the clothes you wear to church may provide the right level of formality for your new position. The second is a little more tricky but I think Gaylene is right, providing you continue to shop for what you need and in an ethical manner you would still be honouring the ethos of your challenge.

Lastly, congratulations on the new job, it must feel like the start of a new chapter for you.

TraceyLiz65

(website)

Veteran

I wonder if you might be able to find some shoes in a thrift store or other items for that matter...

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I think to replicate La Francaise ability to wear things for years, you have to invest in quality. Most of my premium denim is 3 plus years old. Jeggings aren't going to last as long because they are not a durable fabric. A woven is going to better than a knit.
My understanding is that you are on a very limited budget. You should pick an an area in wardrobe and invest in it. Shoes are going to wear out faster no matter what the brand if you wear the same ones all the time.

unfrumped

Veteran

Good suggestions above.

I guess I would say that intentional shabby doesn't sound like a good approach.

Sure, there may be different levels of tolerance for when a garment is showing wear and tear, but for work wear I would not plan to "wear out" the garment in the literal sense (the way you could with comfy T's and jeans for home casual wear, or a hole in your sneaker that you can laugh at).

So then it is sometimes a matter of learning more about fabrics and wear patterns. As noted above, a lot of knitwear gets shabby quickly, but within that category there are different levels of quality and fabric content, so you might see if there is something that doesn't even last a season then it may not have been a good value even if inexpensive. Woven fabrics may hold up better.

Garment care has been mentioned and it may be worth figuring out whether certain items that are machine-washable should be hand-washed to prolong life. Or not.

Moving items up or down the outfit food chain can be used to economize--start your new jeggings or whatever at work and cycle them into home wear as they wear down, and don't necessarily have a whole extensive separate casual/loungewear capsule. And the reverse if you have some much more special occasion garments-if at times it is possible for them to be ? tailored or conservative enough for work, then they can cycle in to your work wardrobe.

Carole

Veteran

I agree with Lyn, but some shoe polish and a little elbow grease could whip your shoes into shape, don't you think?

anne

Veteran

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses here. I have just a minute now to respond quickly and say that yes Julie (RoseandJoan) I am mainly worried about casual clothing
Oh and I found the camera and here are some pics of the shoes in question (I do also have some flat boots, not pictured, which I bought this year and are in better condition)
Pic one - the booties (leaking water at the foot(
Pic two and three (Mary janes 3 years old)

I had planned to buy new flats next winter as part of my 12 items, and the weather will warm up again soon so I won't actually need to wear them much for a few months (To Deborah's point)

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lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I think, in order to live the French way - and to only buy 12 items a year - your initial items have to be good enough quality that you can fix up or tailor if something goes wrong.

anne

Veteran

Lyn I think you may be right *sigh*

BTW I just put the mary janes on and the sole is so uneven that it isn't comfortable to wear them at all.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anne, I believe there are some decent consignment stores in Australia, right? Even if not in your area, it might be worth a trip to see if you can replace some of your worn items.

Why consignment? Because it answers to your budgetary AND ethical concerns at once, and gives you the possibility of finding something that is higher quality (at a lower price point) than you might ordinarily find. And that "something" is being reused, so it is not a waste (to the ethical point).

That is my first suggestion.

Another part of me just wants to say, Anne, forget the arbitrary plan; it is meaningless. Your situation has changed and you must change with it.

anne

Veteran

Thanks Suz, I was hoping you'd weigh in.

My town has little to offer in the way of consignment and the thrifting isn't great either - both might be a possibility for when I go to the city. There is a much more upmarket town in my area which could well have better thrifting too!

I'm inclined to think that you are right Suz, and that my plan should be dropped or at least modifed!

Deborah

Veteran

Anne I am sorry that I haven't read all the comments but if it's shoes you are most concerned about can you just invest in a couple of new pairs? I know we have both bought Rivers shoes before and I do find them quite well wearing. If they have something you like and is suitable there prices are pretty economical.

anne

Veteran

Yes I do plan to buy some new flats. I did buy some from Rivers in winter which were quite attractive.They are too high heeled for me to wear for a lengthy time, and are a marked on the toe where the leather has been damaged - I am just really hard on my shoes! I guess I hadn't planned to start thinking about it until autumn since I wear sandals almost exclusively, but the recent stormy weather had brought it up.

I got almost nowhere in finding a clearly ethical source of normal shoes.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Between the comfort and function issues you've mentioned, and the pictures of the shoes, I'd have to say its really time to find some new ones. Your feet deserve better!

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