"Already Pretty" on closet orphans - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

"Already Pretty" on closet orphans

catgirl

Veteran

with a reference to Angie!

http://www.alreadypretty.com/

General

20 replies

Latest reply was from rosee

Kari

Veteran

I was just reading that literally a minute ago. I think it's a great article to review before I go shopping in a store (and yes, Anthropologie is one) where I'm likely to get sidetracked by a pretty item that will end up being an orphan. I can think of several I've had throughout the years. Now I'm prone to take an item home, try it out with my clothing, and see if it actually works well with the clothes I own (or if it could fill a gap for something that I *don't* own yet but could really make good use out of) before I decide to keep it.
That being said, I just made a round of post-SYC purchases this week and so far have 3 items to return. What a pain - but better to bring them back than to regretfully have them sitting around unworn for years.

Anonymous

The part about buying for an imaginary lifestyle resonated with me and explains why some items don't get worn. I absolutely hate to shop for a dressy event at the last minute, so tend to buy things thinking I might need it someday . I've got a sheer silk little black beaded jacket to dress up a sheath dress that has had it's tags for a couple of years now as part of a special event capsule. I can't see how to wear it casually or even business casual, so maybe someday...

catgirl

Veteran

I am such a victim of the "imaginary lifestyle" mentality!

MsMary

Veteran

I am, too! And the thing that's hilarious is that I think I'm probably the opposite of most "imaginary lifestyle" people in that I have a pretty dress-up life, and I keep wanting to buy things for the casual chic jeans-wearing person with all that free time who doesn't exist!

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

My "imaginary lifestyle = anything with jeans or casual; no off-ward stuff for me for awhile

I definitely have some orphans I bought in the mindset of - this would look cute on a date! Or this would be really cute with jeans! Now everything I buy has to be: "Can I wear this on the wards?" Ugh.

Auburn

Veteran

I've never shopped at modcloth but Anthropologie is full of orphans waiting to happen. And yet I continue to be sucked in. I have more than one funky yet fun piece from Anthro that I manage to wear successfully about once a year. Sadly, I never even thought about the store's orphan rate until now...here's hoping awareness helps me cut back on impulse buys from there. That said, I have a pair of black skinny J. Brand jeans that I bought there about 2 years ago and wear ALL the time. So maybe it's a "basics only" kind of place...not a "oooh, pretty, I like" kind of place?

Kari

Veteran

I think in the past I've also been victim to "imaginary body type syndrome" - i.e. picking out a piece that may be cute, but just isn't flattering to the body that I actually have.

Heather

Veteran

I am the same as Mary! I always buy a million casual clothes and I am just not a casual gal (even though I try soooo incredibly hard to be).

You all may mail me your Anthro orphans and I will put them to work. =D

catgirl

Veteran

Heather, you are the epitome of cool Anthro style. I WISh I had some Anthro orphans to send you - my only Anthro purchase was actually a success. But they are masters of promoting the fantasy lifestyle.

Heather

Veteran

And Una, I feel I am trying to master that fantasy. I like to ride giraffes for sport, and I casually lounge the day away on chic, mismatched furniture whilst I daydream of the white rabbit and tea parties.

catgirl

Veteran

Funny, that's EXACTLY how I picture you. And winding your wristwatches backward, looking fey and gamine.

Aida

Veteran

I have the opposite problem: I was so worried about purchasing potential orphans that I ended up with a closet 80% full of basics; even purged most of my "interesting" pieces several years ago just in case I wouldn't wear them (wha?). I'm just NOW trying to purchase non-basic things, and makes me all flummoxed.

That said, most of my dresses probably constitute as "orphans" the way Sally describes it: "an item that you love, but that proves very difficult to pair with other items". Mainly because I'm too lazy to do all the work required to wear dresses

EDIT: Heather and Una, your conversation has me giggling at work. This is also how I picture you chilling out, Heather ^^

SW Ann

Veteran

"Imaginary Lifestyle" --finally--an explanation that makes sense!! I beat myself up about the things I'm not wearing yet I love them, and there they sit! I think I'm going to donate them to my Imaginary Self to wear! You see I think I still "need" to dress up for work every day because I loved that life...and now I'm a "home manager" (sorry, not a housewife--it just sounds dated to me). I think this might help me in the future realize that I should avoid buying clothes for my imaginary life and instead buy for me REAL life! ha

Heather

Veteran

Aida, first of all, you look so amazing in a dress, you totally need to start "working" with them. Secondly, once you start wearing dresses, you will realize how it is the easiest piece in your closet. Throw on and vroom, vroom--out the door!

Now, back to tending my herd of unicorns......

Aida

Veteran

Teehee, Heather I meant way lower level than that: I hate getting my legs all presentable (remove hair, lotion up, do something about completely transparent skin, exfoliate knees/feet, paint toe nails...), way too much work!

EDIT: Not that I don't DO all that, I just rather wear pants and skip it if I can. (Lazy!)

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Totally a victim of the imaginary lifestyle. See recent my Miu Miu shoe purchase and return.
I only need real clothes for 3 days of the week when I'm not working and yet my closet is stuffed to the gills.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Heather, you just gave me the most entertaining visual I've ever seen on YLF! LOL

Yes, I am a collector of closet orphans, but I think it's not only because of my imaginary lifestyle, and perhaps a bit of an alter-ego, but because I just have so darn much stuff. Unless I were to change outfits several times a day, it would take me years to wear all the items in my closet. And that's without buying anything new!

I am getting smarter about keeping tags on things until I actually wear them, so I can return something if I decide I bought it for my skinnier, younger, cuter alter-ego. And yes, Anthro is really dangerous for that. A few months back, I bought a gorgeous flower-printed cardigan with a ruffled hem, and just couldn't bring myself to wear it for fear of looking huge and ridiculous, so back it went.

CocoLion

(website)

Veteran

I am the exact opposite of MaryK and Heather. I have an extremely casual lifestyle. I live in the mountains on a ranch with many animals and work in our casual dining restaurant next to the ranch.

Yet my closet is filled with things that I only wear 1 or 2 days a week. In that way I am Anna's sister. And sometimes on my days off, I am so tired that I succumb to loungewear.

A few times a year, I travel to urban areas and that is the only time I get very much use out of my closet.

I feel like a good 50% of my closet consists of orphans due to the imaginary lifestyle syndrome.

Sylvie

Veteran

In my imaginary lifestyle I attend elaborate fantasy costume parties and red carpet events. Also, I own a company and have been so successful that no one would even think to judge what I wore to work.

I think if I was *required* to dress spectacularly on a regular basis, I'd probably long to wear lounge clothes. It would be a fun lifestyle for a little while though. I always get really excited when there's a wedding to attend because it's one of the few occasions one can really dress up for.

rosee

Veteran

I enjoyed reading about your imaginary lifestyle above (I think it was Heather and Una?). Just don't eat the mushrooms...

Like Aida -- way too many basics, but definitely some fun clothes too. Regarding former body size, I'd say over 60% of my wardrobe is orphans at the moment, but I'm stubborn and I'll keep them. I hope it won't be my imaginary lifestyle but my real one when I fit them again.

Actually if I usually do have orphans (or have in the past) off they go: hand-me-down, charity donation, consignment store, reworked item of clothing. I try to be a bit of a minimalist -- I don't like having what I don't use around (above 60% mentioned is an exception, of course, as that would just be too painful and costly).

And, yes, Anthropologie can be problematic that way... oh well.