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Alassë

Veteran

If you love having chocolate brown options in footwear, I vote justifiable. Good job on coats!

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

Wow, so impressed with your dedication on this!

As for the shoes, how much did the ones you part with get worn? Will you have a hole? Holes should be filled, but you might want to make sure it's a hole . . .

9 years ago

E

Veteran

Good for you! I didn't do any challenges for this month, although I have been doing a mild closet weeding, but I think I'll join you officially in September.

I'd wait and see if you keep wishing you had brown flats/heels before buying them. That's usually how I can tell if a wardrobe hole is 'justified' or 'imaginary,' hehe.

9 years ago

carter

Veteran

Thanks, Alasse and Thistle!

Thistle, you are so wise. I'm not really sure how to answer your questions. One pair was a choclate suede heeled mule that I bought this time last year. Unfortunately, I ended up scheduling surgery before the weather ever allowed me to wear them. The other is a pair of croco-embossed leather pointy heels that really haven't worked for my foot issues for a couple years. Since I couldn't wear any real shoes last Fall/Winter, I have no idea how much I would have worn them if I could have. In F/W 2013, I wore the chocolate tall boots every chance I got, but they were new that year.

I have added quite a bit of charcoal and navy to my F/W wardrobe this year, and I love chocolate accessories with both.

9 years ago

Sal

Veteran

That sounds like reasonable progress; it would be hard to top week one anyway!

I think a pair of chocolate flats is a good idea....I suspect you would wear them. Of course your hair is chocolate brown so they will always match!

I have worn an orphan dress, am wearing one of my skirts today, but am yet to try on all my dresses and photograph, nor look at more new ones. I may achieve one of those this week but maybe not.

9 years ago

Brooklyn

Veteran

Hi Carter. I did not get a chance to respond to your first post, but I am admiring your dedication on this. There is something so satisfying about empty hangers in the wardrobe, isn't there? Until last year, I felt like every time I went to the supermarket I had to buy more coat hangers (as I could never find any free ones). It is so great to turn the tide!

On the brown shoes, if you love brown accessories and feel a need for some more variety, I think it is justifiable.

9 years ago

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I think two out and one in is acceptable on the brown shoes, especially since you're purging them due to fit rather than style issues. I love your challenge updates. Thanks for reminding us to keep working.

9 years ago

Thistle

Veteran

I have to say, it doesn't sound like a hole. You weren't really wearing them and you weren't reaching for them and not finding them.

I would budget for a pair but wait and see if you miss them. You might be better served by grey, silver or ink footwear.

9 years ago

Elly

Veteran

I think you could pick up a pair but I don't think that I would buy one now-- I'd wear what I had and then see what the season brings.

9 years ago

shedev

Veteran

Holding strong with SYC, not looking a lot so that I don't get tempted too much.

9 years ago

Windchime

Veteran

It sounds like a productive wardrobe week with all the purging. LOL about the 2003 receipt!

Since you just got rid of 13-14 pairs of footwear, and since you have several accessories and other items in dark brown, it makes sense to me that you add a pair of brown flats or low heels.

9 years ago

carter

Veteran

Running about 2:1 that I get to go shoe shopping!

Maybe a patterned shoe that works with both black and chocolate is the way to go. I have a pair of leopard loafers that have both chocolate and black in the spots. Unfortunately, the base has always been more yellow than I like. Maybe I'll find something that can replace these and the purged brown shoes.

9 years ago

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I love chocolate with navy, so I am not going to dissuade you from the new boots. Not that I am one to dissuade anyone from shoe shopping obviously!

9 years ago

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Seems like you made good progress, Carter!

I like the idea of leopard or any animal print shoes to replace the brown ones you are purging I do love brown accessories with navy, ink and black myself, so I will not discouragement you from getting a pair.

9 years ago

Runcarla

Veteran

Sounds like you are doing a lot of heavy lifting with your big edit. See if you can get some of your existing brown into rotation (September challenge?) to see how it works with the stuff you are using and loving the most. Start with the ankle pants, belts, and bags since it is probably too warm for the coats. If you find yourself loving the brown, start searching for a great pair of shoes. Loafers and oxfords are starting to feature in the stores, but Angie might have some advice on what the cool footwear will be for the next season.

My challenge was simple - use a multicolour striped bag as inspo for work outfits this month. I was good until this week. With heat warnings in effect I'm reaching for my coolest outfits and a new pair of black gladiator sandals. A small black bag is working better than the striped one with my planned outfits for this week. Not really crash and burn, is it!

I did give my olive clothing (a cropped sweater, cropped skinnies, and jacket) a workout during the challenge. It has me thinking I might develop a F/W capsule around olive. It should play well with some of my navy items from my S/S capsule. So I did learn something after all!

9 years ago

Anonymous

Hi Carter:

I posted earlier, but I don't see it here. Congratulations on all your hard work. You are making incredible progress and truly inspirational. It astonishes me how much you have achieved in two very short weeks. Yay for you.

My August challenge of making sleeveless tops my summer signature has been a bit of a fail during the second week in August. Lots of life circumstances came up that necessitated more formal attire. I haven't reached the point where I can wear a sleeveless top effortlessly yet. That will come, but this past week I regressed to old comfortable and safe standbys.

Meanwhile, after realizing that I primarily buy bottoms, I reviewed my closet and calculated the bottom to top ratio. It is one:one. I love and wear my bottoms on a very regular basis (no orphans). I don't wear all my tops and I am making myself wear each and every one of them this month. If I am reluctant to wear a particular top that may be a sign that it is ready for the Good Will. So without realizing it I am reworking my closet slowly but surely. This might be a better challenge than the sleeveless one. Certainly it is productive. And fun. It is really fun.

9 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

You're well on your way, Carter! Coat purging is key for a beach move! My own piece of advice is to leave one coat for, say, a winter trip to Switzerland, or, well, Yankee family. I also think mid-weight travel coat that can be layered under, and wadded into a ball for a makeshift car pillow without wrinkling, should be in everyone's closet.

I myself and looking to add more brown accessories this year, and am not finding any!

9 years ago

Anonymous

I think with your shoe purge (which seems like kind of a big purge, to me), you absolutely can justify some dark brown shoes. It looks like you have quite a few things to go with them too.

Dark brown looks so nice with jeans.

9 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I miss your outfits Carter, but you are wardrobe editing with the best of them. WELL DONE.

9 years ago

carter

Veteran

Carla, that's a great idea to figure out my brown quotient in September. I will do that. I don't blame you a bit for wearing your coolest items during the heat wave! I love the idea of an olive capsule for F/W. I do love it with navy...and gray.

Sterling, I'm glad you didn't try to force sleeveless tops into a more formal setting. There's no need to do anything that makes you uncomfortable! I LOVE the revised challenge! I think I may steal that idea for September;-)

Beth Ann, a Winter trip to Switzerland sounds fantastic! I would like to spend the holidays in Europe one of these days. I definitely saved a heavy coat that will work for me there. I also tried to be mindful that I have a daughter in NYC, in-laws in Cleveland, and a best friend in St Louis. I'll be evaluating the remaining coats this Winter with the thought of replacing 3-4 of them with one mid-weight not-so-puffy puffer (that I can wad up into a car pillow;-))

Thanks for the vote, Smittie! I also love dark brown with jeans...particularly a medium wash.

Thanks, Sweet Angie! I will post some back log WIWs just for you shortly!

9 years ago

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