Suz, I'm really whizzing thru this fascinating thread, haven't read most of the comments and am not giving it the thoughtfulness the topic deserves for now. Maybe I can slow down and have more to say tomorrow. That said, my impression on glancing at the pics this morning: Your style has apparently changed, which would explain a great deal.

I feel that way especially when I look at the second pic.

WIth the first pic, I see that the jacket looks very you in the moment. I'm finding it strangely juxtaposed with the other components like the skirt. I mean, it's a perfectly fine and spiffy outfit. It's just that, at least to me, the entire combination seems less sophisticated and well-thought-out than what you're now putting together. And the jacket seems totally salvageable in regards to your current look. I don't feel that way about the other components. And for all I know, you are sick of blue. Or dead sick of this jacket under any circumstances.

I promise I will take another look at your and everyone's thoughts later. I really have been thinking about this a lot myself.

Suz, I'm at work so dont have time read all the responses until later but I find this an interesting conversation.

My initial thoughts are:

1. If you purchase a bigger ticket item and wear the heck out of it, then are you not getting to cost per wear (that is is you feel the need to justify the expenditure).

2 Just how many clothes do we need? I have scaled my wardrobe down immensely and I still have more clothes than I can possibly wear on regular rotation, and I like variety.

3 These items in the photos, don't seem to fit your current direction. I would store them until you are sure you are ready to pass them on.

4 Is there a reason, aside from financial, that you feel you need to get a 'certain' life span out of your clothes.

Prior to YLF I had two wardrobes stuffed full of clothing. Now, everything fits (with room to move) into my walk in robe. I have noticed that in this process my mindset has slowly changed too. I used to feel I had to 'hold on' to garments (Im still not sure why) but now I feel free to wear and enjoy until I am no longer enjoying them. I don't seem to need as many clothes because I am now buying with much greater intention. I also was looking forward to being 'there' with my wardrobe but I realise I will never be 'there' because my wardrobe will always be evolving because my life and lifestyle will b changing at different times. Personally I find quality can come at many price points and big $ does not always guarantee a wise investment. For example my black and white foral blazer was bought on sale for $40.00 and it wasn't ridiculously expensive to start with, but it has already proven itself to be a bit of workhorse, a statement piece, and while it is polyester, so were a number of similar jackets I looked at for $300 plus?!?!?

Apologies for possibly going way of tangent, but I think the point I hoped to make is that our style journey is just that, a journey and I see it as something that is fluid and ongoing. I think you have really found your base style in recent times and I can see that foundation remaining constant, but what you add to it constantly changing. Does this make any sense?

Thanks, Nancy - you might be right about that jacket. It's the highest quality item of that bunch, for sure....and so might be save-able on that score alone.

Beth Ann, I was VERY struck by what you said. You are absolutely right - I get caught up in a project, one project at a time....and then I'm onto the next thing...it's like this even in my paid work...deep immersion followed by deep immersion in something else and I almost forget the one I was working on before, so wow, that WOULD be like my wardrobe!! Hmmm. this is important food for thought. Thank you!!

Shannon, I think it is absolutely true that I would probably tire less of high quality items I had paid more for. That has been true in the past. The trick for me is in picking the *right* high quality items. And I guess if I did not know my own style direction, that made sense. Now that I'm slowly refining my own style a bit better, maybe I will make better choices in the year ahead. I do know that the retro elements of my style are taking a back seat at least for the moment.

I wonder if this means I'll eventually be moving out of my 1860s house and going to live in a 21st century condo???

I've heard it happen!

I can't wait to read through all the responses here, Suz, but just wanted to tell you first, I feel so much better today reading your thoughts about feeling fickle with fashion. I'm experiencing some of the same confusion at the moment. Sometimes I feel like I'm experiencing fashion schizophrenia and other times I feel very confident in the direction I'm headed. Part of the exploration process for me has resulted in some mistakes and missteps but I suppose that's part of the style journey.

Deborah, we posted at the same time -

Yes, what you say does make sense.

And your question #4 is a good one. Is there are reason (aside from financial) that I feel I need to get a certain lifespan from my clothes?

This goes to my sense of not wishing to be wasteful or profligate in any way. Of not wanting to be self-indulgent...buying things I don't even wear or need when others are in such serious need.

In reality, when it comes to those four items I showed, at least, there really is NOTHING for me to feel even remotely guilty about.

I bought that 9 west jacket for $35 on consignment and must have worn it AT LEAST 50 tiimes last fall/winter.

I bought the little red cord jacket at a thrift store for $7 and wore it about a dozen times ore more.

Both skirts cost around $50 each and were worn at least 20 times or more each....so when we figure CPW there is nothing to be ashamed of.

And yet to donate these items after only one year still feels somehow wasteful.

I purge quite easily as a rule; if something no longer fits or is worn or REALLY doesn't express my style, out it goes without a pang!

Perhaps I am worried more about spending to replace these former workhorse items! Hmmm. Now we are onto something!!

What a fun discussion! I've haven't read it all, just wanted to chime in to say that's something that I'm learning about myself too - that I aspire to a small wardrobe, but I like variety soo much (and in a similar way to you - I can repeat lots, and want to, but once I'm tired of that item, I don't wear it for a year or two, unless I suddenly think of some new way to mix it up).

I tried, this season, to reduce my wardrobe to 33 items for 3 months (the 333 challenge). I failed miserably, but did reduce it to about 60 items, and it taught me which things are my favorites. (And I'm keeping my 'out' big here until the season is over, to see if I really had any idea what I would want to wear). In that experiment, I learned that I like to wear different colors - not one color more than a couple days in a row. So I kept lots of different colors. Having the color variety makes me happy. At least right now:) Who knows what it'll be next year!

Learning new things is so much fun!

I had to comment on this thread, Suz, because it sounds so much like what I was going through last year.

The proverbial light came on when MaryK made a comment about thinking of clothing as a "consumable" as opposed to an "investment. That really clicked with me. My thinking now is that I'll spend serious money on items that I don't want to replace on a yearly basis--like coats, basic pants, a LBD, basic shoes/boots, and cashmere sweaters. I think of these as "investments" so I choose classic styles and neutral colors. That means I can think of my other clothes as "consumables".

I now set a budget for my consumables and plan out a capsule for an upcoming season. Since I like to wear things over and over, my capsules don't need to be very large. I do recycle some items from a former season into my new capsule but only if they work well with the direction I want to go in for the new season, still fit and look good, and, most importantly, still give me that happiness quotient when I try them on. Otherwise, they get purged. Because these capsules are consumables, I buy both inexpensive and more pricey items, but always with my overall budget in mind. For example, I find that most T's last only a summer, so I'm reluctant to spend more than $15, with most being around the $8 mark. But I will spend more for a pair of navy linen trousers that I know I'll probably wear for a couple of seasons before I get tired of them.

I find that dividing my clothes into "investments" and "consumables" works for me. By the time I have worn a "consumable" item fairly constantly for several months, I can think of it as having served its purpose and don't have to feel bad about purging it. On the other hand, I can also justify spending $1000 on that perfectly fitting, classic coat that I am quite happy to wear over and over for many years. But that timeline means that I don't bestow the term "investment" on just any item; I really think long and hard about how happy I will be wearing that one item for several years. If there are any doubts, it is a "consumable".

Gaylene, this sounds like a brilliant solution to the dilemma; thank you!!

I guess the issue then becomes figuring out which items are investments and which are consumables in any given wardrobe. And that would differ depending on lifestyle, dominant climate, etc.

For us in Canada, good coats are clearly important and so I did invest last year in what were, for me, two fairly expensive coats (a puffer and a dressier wool coat); I know I will be wearing them for at least five years each. But this year I supplemented with a "consumable" short wool coat for wearing with pants...it will probably last at least two seasons. It might even last longer, but I won't feel badly if I purge it after two years, at the price point.

From that example, I think I understand the process you are describing.

One point that does confound me a bit....I think I would always want some classic items as a core (e.g. well-fitting jeans, a LB (or navy) dress, certain simple style of trousers, etc. BUT, at the same time, I might want more current or even trendy cuts of these items as well. Those are the times when it might be difficult to decide whether this is an investment or consumables purchase. In the past I have sometimes bought an inexpensive version of an item first if I am not sure (either waiting for a sale, or going consignment or thrift or fast fashion.) I guess this remains a possibility.

I think, too, that because I love jackets so much, and because there is so much workmanship that goes into making them, I had assumed they HAD to be investment pieces. But in fact they might be consumables for me. I will just need to get a good amount of wear from each one, per season.

I feel your frustration! I'm struggling to want to wear many of the items I picked up last season. I'm attempting to style them in a way that feels a bit more current since I don't feel like I can let go of them yet. I will be interested to see if you can "reinterpret" any of your less loved items to fit your current style

I'm on my way to work in a minute, but I just want to say that your post really resonated with me, Suz. I haven't had time to fully read all the comments, but the first impression told me that I must go back and reread this. I can see myself in exactly the same position: Wearing a few favorites to death each season, and I crave more variety than a basic minimalist wardrobe can provide. I do have a few pieces, though, that stands the test of time. Maybe that's not so bad after all? You had to replace everything due to weight loss, didn't you? Then you haven't had time to find out which pieces that will resurface in a year or two in your wardrobe. You might get surprised.

This is my first year here and the first year of consciously trying to create a functional wardrobe, so I'm excited to find out what my next leg will be. I suspect it will look a lot like yours.

Just a couple of other thoughts, Suz.

I don't feel that price is the major determinant of whether or not an item is an investment or a consumable. Generally, I do spend more on my investment items, but I'd also include my inexpensive, vintage evening bag in this category as well as a $50 LBD that fits me perfectly. To my mind, the key element is that I can see myself happily wearing all my "investment" pieces for several seasons.

And, I'm careful about using the term "classic" too loosely, especially when it refers to an item, rather than a design. To my mind, anything that has a design or silhouette that changes fairly often would be more of a consumable to me. For example, I find my jeans tend to change from bootcuts to skinnies to straights from season to season. That's why I have hard time of ever thinking of a pair of jeans as an "investment". The same goes for my black pants. To me, both of these are consumables because the shape and styles change quite frequently. On the other hand, my current V-neck cashmere sweater looks a lot like the one I wore 20 years ago; to me that makes it a "classic" in a design sense which makes it easier to think of the sweater as as "investment" piece that I'll wear for several years.

For me, the key was to figure out what I was happy to wear from year to year without feeling dated or frumpy or bored. I guess, in one sense, my "investments" are so useful for my lifestyle, or so much a part of my style, that I couldn't conceive of my wardrobe without them, making these items my wardrobe "core". But this is a very exclusive category.

I consider most of my clothes as consumables. Because consumables may be around for only a few seasons, cost and budget are important factors to me. I'll look for bargains and carefully consider CPW if the item is pricey. For example, if I know that I'll likely wear a $100 jacket a couple of times a week from September to March, a CPW of under $5 seems quite reasonable, and, if I don't want to wear the jacket next season, I'm willing to let it go. I still make mistakes and sometimes will spend more than I ought to on a single item that doesn't end up being used as much as I'd thought, but such is life. As long as I've stayed within my seasonal budget, I don't beat myself up about it.

I think it;s totally legitimate to get sick of certain items, provided you wear the heck out of them. That's where consignment stores and donation comes in. I'd see it as an "entertainment" expense, like going to see a movie or the (large) fraction of the iPad price that is essentially spent on games and other non-productive enjoyments - if you have the money to spend on a really pretty piece that warms your heart for a season, then that's money well spent on something that makes you happy.

Like you, I also get obsessed with certain items, but my obsession lasts more than a season... I usually wear my things until they fall apart, mourn them, and move onto the next exciting thing. Since I'm pretty broke, I buy almost everything thrifted, so generally by the time something falls apart its cost-per-wear is somewhere in the pennies - but that's all I can afford at the moment, haha.

These all all important points for me to ponder - thank you.

Yes...one of my "investment" pieces is a LBD that was actually free -- donated by a friend! Others would include my evening clutch bags (given to me by my mom and MIL). Scarves (because while I'll certainly pick favourites year to year, I could simply add to my collection and not purge very often).

I am wondering if some of this might also be fashion-persona dependent. Someone with a strong classic bent would happily wear the same cut of essentials year to year for about five years. Someone with a less classic bent would want new shapes. And I am not entirely sure which category I fall into.

Jeans, for me -- I don't change the silhouette every year. Instead, more on the lines of those who prefer a large wardrobe, I actually like to own several cuts of jean every season, and I wear different silhouettes. But jeans are SUCH an essential for my work at home life....they are the pencil skirt of my working life, I guess....and most people who own pencil skirts own at least one A-line, too, or one pleated skirt, or one midi....

Thank you everyone....you have really given me much to think about!

Hi, Suz. I thought I'd start up a thread to say a few things I have on my mind concerning this (maybe tangentially--it's a topic that encompasses many different thoughts for me).

I will therefore stick with something that came to me regarding your outfit in the first pic, and this isn't even on-topic either! Neither did you ask for my opinion. But I thought I'd offer it I'm seeing that in this outfit you're wearing a bunch of blues that have completely different values (if that is the correct terminology). The jacket, the skirt, the hat and scarf--one is warm, the other electric, one is a cool blue; they're clashing to my eye, as opposed to the similarly-valued blues in the pic I linked to recently:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....rks-for-me

Now I realize that this completely bypasses what you're concerned with overall about moving on and feeling like you're giving your clothes their due respect (not to mention the question of "respecting" yourself in how you decide to purchase an item of a certain "value", "quality" and price point).

Fascinating.

This is such an interesting thread, Suz! Not least because I had an 'analysis attack' yesterday where I sat down and decided that I need to budget for about six new garments in certain categories for every year... and that I need them to be able to swap out last year's six. So I need six new shirts, six new tunics, six new pairs of shoes each year.

This came from realizing the same thing you did---I am more than happy to repeat the same outfit on a weekly basis, when it becomes a favourite for reasons of comfort, colour, silhouette (usually all three). And I am reminded that this is an old pattern for me---my mother used to get SO exasperated at my teenaged self because I was always picking the same things out of the laundry basket to wear twice or thrice a week... completely overlooking the last season's equivalent in perfectly fine fetter still!

Like you, I still held on to last season's favourites because they made me feel wasteful otherwise---how can I throw out something not only serviceable, but something that actually isn't necessarily outmoded, and spend some more replacing it when the budget is tight to start with? And so I ended up with an elephantine wardrobe of clothes I no longer wanted to wear or knew how to freshen up.

Indeed, my decision to have a smaller wardrobe in recent years comes from this precise place---if it's smaller to start with, a turnover won't be that expensive or irresponsible (I hope!).

I notice the four garments you show as examples are all pretty distinctive. In that they aren't 'background' or completer pieces. Does there very *presence* militate against longevity, do you suppose? To my mind, it is sort of a meat and potatoes thing (or perhaps, in context, rice and curry)---I don't expect the potatoes or the rice to change form; but I'd be pretty cranky even if you served me my favourite steak or curry for seasons together, even though they are 'favourites' and I'm happy to repeat them frequently through a fortnight. For me, I show favouritism for---as well as finally tire of---pieces that are decidedly NOT neutral (not in terms of colour; in terms of character or distinctiveness). Which means those are what Gaylene calls 'consumables' in my wardrobe.

In fact, the usual holes in my wardrobe are the bland neutrals that should be staples and links and completers. I barely 'notice' them when planning or shopping---which is why I'm often missing them... But I've realized THOSE are pieces that need to be 'investments' for me. I either need them in duplicates (or triplicates even), or need them in a more long-lasting quality; but above all, I need them to be NEUTRAL. Does that resonate at all? Maybe the items you love most and tire of soonest are the ones with maximum visibility, that read as one 'project', like Beth Ann said?

One thing to accept about the investments too, I think, is that they can be on 'repeated refresh' at a lower price point as well as a solid one-time purchase. What works will depend on the individual's lifestyle and environment too, as well as budgetary or style considerations. I can use the same pair of jeans for five years and keep at those 'neutrals' till they are hole-y because I don't wear them every day and don't crave variety in the silhouette or wash of them. My SO buys five at a time, all different, because he wears them every day and replaces them every couple of years but doesn't like to wear an 'uniform' (variety). Mine see laundry more often; his see more work and wear. Both represent investments; both sets are worn threadbare (workhorses); mine are usually mid-range while his are a mix of mid-range and budget because he replaces more and often. Our approach is exactly reversed when it comes to shoes... Maybe jackets are like that for you? Perhaps they need to be both workhorses as well as investments, so you need a mix of price points there to satisfy both variety and budget? And maybe, conversely, you need just a few skirts a season to favourite and then forget about?

Sorry about the long ramble. Guess I'm grappling with a wardrobe issue of my own and waiting for that elusive epiphany too... :-/

Hi Suz, I'm late to the party but followed a link here and cannot be silent!
So many great things have been discussed and I wanted to chime in too. I'm in the same boat as you and many others are, and I realized it a while back when I was in my dominant season. You know how all the fashion mags talk about your "New Fall/Winter Wardrobe" (as if we all throw everything out each year and start from scratch)? Well, I'm starting to see their side of it! At the end of each season I seem to cull all of the really memorable --what MaryK called consumable (bright, printed, trendy, cheerful) things that I've worn to death and *loved* but that I don't really want to see again next year. What remains is the backbone of the next season's "New Fall/Winter Wardrobe". And it really does begin to take on an entirely new shape, even though the favorite jeans, shoes, a jacket or two, layering T's and pencil skirts are still there.

I don't know what you decided to do about replacing your bright pink blazer, but when you mentioned loving it so much that you wanted one in a higher quality fabrication, I couldn't help but wonder if your love for a bright pink blazer would strong enough next year to warrant buying it in "investment grade". Then again, that could become a statement piece for you that transcends the seasons.

Thank you so much for starting this thread. I love the way you think and inspire everyone else to respond! It seems there are a lot of us creative types that crave change in the artistic areas of our lives.

Suz, I will keep it short - still on arm rest.

Your feelings happen to me every season. SO NORMAL! I have stuff that I want to wear over and over again year in year out. I have stuff that I wore the heck out of one season and do not want to wear again the next season. I have stuff that I leave to hibernate for a year and rediscover a few years later. It all makes sense

I still adopt the one in one out principle. I usually LOVE my higher end stuff forever. It's the cheaper stuff that I want to pass on. Like from Zara. Do I stop buying from Zara because I am sick of the items after a year? No way. Where is the fun in that? A high-low style allows me to turn around my wardrobe each season while I hang onto my pricey treasures along the way.

Suz this is a thought provoking post.
I have to admit that I didn't read all of the comments but taking at least your last one something came to mind.
For me there is a difference between memorable because it represents/showcases you at your best and memorable because is trendy.

Although I know that I do have classic tendencies and maybe I won't be able to wear certain items in 10 years, if a certain item has a great color or cut that makes me look good I don't care much about how much it cost(I do care if it looks cheap or too old).
I might put something on the back of my closet for a year or two but if it does good things for me I won't purge it.

What I tend to purge are the items that give me too much trouble styling, the things I have to babysit and encourage to behave with the rest of my wardrobe or with my skin tone.

(somehow I have a feeling I went out of topic here....)

Angie, thank you for weighing in on this even with your sore arm!! It is a relief to know that this happens even to you.

I think perhaps I was surprised it was happening to me because my base wardrobe (if I can use that term) is still quite incomplete (missing some essentials for some capsules) so I am really not at the "one-in-one-out" stage....and yet I AM at that stage, if you know what I mean, with certain, standout items! It really gave me a shock.

But now that I am thinking this through a bit more carefully (and you've all helped me so much with your observations) I'm really not feeling so badly about this. I can happily "trade" a few of my older items for newer ones that will make my heart beat faster. And in the meantime I can slowly continue to build up the core wardrobe with higher quality things that make me happy and might get continued wear for many seasons. Or might not....but will at least get a lot of wear for ONE season.

And I can supplement these with my "low" end Zara or H&M or consignment/ vintage finds. The little extras that don't cost a lot but add that extra zing of fun.

Celia, you make a very good distinction. Some items are memorable because they really suit us. Some are memorable because they are the trend of the moment. I guess there is room for a few of the latter and more of the former in each wardrobe.

Claire, so far, I haven't replaced the fuchsia blazer. I am just wearing it as is. I think next year I will consider purchasing a higher quality bright colour blazer in one of my best colours (not necessarily that one) IF the right one shows up. I didn't buy the red Theory jacket in the end; I was worried about dye transfer so left it alone. I figured another better one would appear eventually and in the meantime, I am not lacking for a jacket to wear.

Manidipa, so lovely to hear from you! And you make some very good points here. I do tend to tire quickest of my "statement" items...or at least my constantly worn statement items. I do have some statement pieces that I never tire of, but those tend to be the more expensive, lesser worn pieces (i.e. dressy skirt). At the moment I am wondering if I would maintain my love for a high-quality, frequently worn item. That is, would the quality make the difference to me? I suspect it WOULD make some difference in my case.

Nancy, very astute observation about the colour values in those pieces. You are 100% right, of course. I did notice it in making up the outfit and was consciously playing with combining values that ordinarily I wouldn't attempt to combine - it was a bit of an experiment for me that IRL worked a lot better than I had expected. (It looks a bit better IRL, I assure you). I think I was experimenting more last year and also working with a REALLY tiny closet of very, very few items, so I combined in ways I might not otherwise; this year I have a bit more choice.

Suz, the last few posts in which Gaylene added her analysis and your comment on "jackets" did a better job of saying what I was going for.
There's still an investment vs. consumable concept, but for me it's not the same items that might be on the "top 20" hit list of wardrobe classics in a typical list or magazine. So the lesson Gaylene put forth was, part of the process is to define what should fall in these categories for each indivitual person.

Jackets hit home because jackets are supposed to be in that category especially the "black blazer". I do wear black jackets--just works with so many things when you get down to it--but a single very expensive black jacket is not a good investment for me because a) the black jacket itself isn't my most flattering color (whereas a black T and a lighter or more colorful jacket works) and b) I don't find one black jacket is universal enough.
But, other-colored jackets work great but might not stay my faves or might not be capsule-worthy over many years. So if I want to wear several nice jackets in flattering styles and colors each year, but maybe not the same ones for 5 years, I need to budget for them as higher-end consumables but not super-crazy $$$ items. To balance that I might buy less expensive knit tops --I don't usually find that "label" items give me better fit or colors--it's more shopping for the brands that tend be cut best for my shape and size, or I might have a narrower color palette, or for me, no "investment" handbags.