Back to Basics - WIB in June-July - YouLookFab Forum

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Back to Basics - WIB in June-July

Irina

Veteran

There will be no NAS for us here in Canada. I used to buy a few things from Nordstrom during NAS and miss it a bit. Fortunately, COS had a great sale in June-July as well as some of my other favorite brands. I took advantage and bought a lot but I was strategic about it. I wasn’t interested in summer items, I have enough for this season and although Massimo Dutti had many nice things for the warm weather, I kept my eye to the season ahead. I went back to basics in colors and types. I bought one wild card - a cobalt merino sweater dress. I know how uninspired I feel in the middle of a winter and to add some fun, I bought two cashmere hats in unusual for me colors. I tried orange sweater and a matching hat but chickened out.

I also bought gloves, they are very nice, lined with cashmere and incredibly soft but they looked mixed with black in store, they are actually in parts dark brown. I don’t wear brown so unsure about it.

#1 COS dress
#2 & 3 COS coat and jacket - I have similar garments already and these are not replacing them. I wear my older coat and jacket to a gym and a pool daily in fall/spring and they are now strictly gear.

#4 COS black thin wool pants, a replacement for older worn out pair. I have these ones also in ink color and happy with them.

#5 COS mixed wool sweater in cool beige and cream. Like the shorter length, a good find for petite me.

#6 & 7 striped hat is from COS and green one is from Aritzia. Both are cashmere. The striped one has a top in black yarn, which is comforting for me
#8 Finally, loafers that don’t hurt my feet! Have high hopes for these ones from Club Monaco.

With the exception of the Aritzia hat, all clothes and shoes were bought from stores. I don’t provide links, these were sales items and mostly gone already.

Shopping NAS is often about next seasons. Are you looking forward to buy new fall/winter clothes and shoes? Any inspirations?

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24 replies

Latest reply was from Roberta

Olive Green

Veteran

Love the quilted coat and the jacket. Can they be layered? That would be perfect.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

These are great!

You always make me wish COS worked better for my body type. That dress is a beautiful color and style!

Irina

Veteran

Olive Green, I’m not sure if the coat and jacket can be layered. I doubt it, they are not oversized but fit loose and might feel too bulky together but it’s an interesting idea I should try. Uniqlo jackets are the best for it. My Uniqlo thin vest fit well under both and also under all my outwear. I consider buying a second one in a different color or length.

Janet, how I wish the dress was a bit shorter. It fits close to how it fits on the model but longer. I often wish I was taller when I try COS clothes

Minaminu

Veteran

great pieces! I keep on looking at those Cos dresses but I am always unsure: have you been wearing your already? does it keep warm? is it easy to style?
Great idea to add beanies!

kkards

Veteran

Love the cos pieces, interesting and architectural, but still wearable.

Ire the gloves -it’s funny because I don’t wear brown either, but somehow in accessory’s and shoes I find it a useful accent

LJP

Veteran

These are great basics with a modern edge . I love those wool pants - are they pleated ?

As to looking ahead for fall/winter ….not really - yet . I have a camel coat of some type , black flats , a couple of pairs of black boots , a thin Uniqlo puffer or vest in ivory and a pair of black trousers on my mental list but I won’t purchase until September . I rarely have success with buying out of season or too far ahead and I need to do the same major cull first on my fall/ winter wardrobe that I recently performed on my summer stuff .

Runcarla

Veteran

I crossed a HEWI off my list late last winter when I found a long wool coat, so I’m not feeling any needs (except loungewear per a thread posted a couple of days ago.) Maybe two fluid fit turtleneck sweaters in neutral colours (black, caramel?) like in the photo below.

I should be building a poolside capsule. My brother just bought a house south of Tampa, in Florida, and wants the family to make use of it. DH and I think we will check it out in November for a week or two, and maybe a month early in the new year. All I have is a vacation bikini. I feel I should have another, a cover up or two, etc.

I’m in a bit of a ‘no buy’ mood, feeling unmotivated about shopping, and happy with my closet at the moment - though I am enjoying seeing what others are identifying for F/W.

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cat2

Veteran

Love the cobalt dress. My Fall list is a pair of grey jeans, a pair of corduroy pants, a sweater dress and a sweater with manageable sleeves. Too many of my winter sweaters have fun sleeves that don’t layer very well. I put together a Wish List at the Rack for the sweaters and will see if the next Clear the Rack drops one into my price range. I used my Nordstrom notes to order some reasonably priced teal corduroy straight leg jeans; they are from a brand I haven’t tried so this is likely just the start of that shop. I was heartened though to see a number of brands have cords in silhouettes and colors I like, with sort of a 70s feel rather than the sort utility look they had last year.

notsaf

Veteran

Love your picks and nice to have a few things to help you look forward to cooler weather! You know I am also team almost always neutral, but I have a couple of bright beanies I pop on in winter that always cheer me up. Enjoy!

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Oooh, you got some wonderful new items! I can't wait to see the cobalt dress in action and I really like those trousers as well. Do you have to tailor them to get the length you want?

The quilted coat and jacket are also fab. I remember seeing the jacket on you in photos sometimes, I think.

Are the CM shoes made of fabric? I hope they work for you! It is fun to wear loafers for a change. (Said by one who got her first non-hurting/ slipping pair in decades last year.)

I have not really started planning for fall. It often takes me a while to get my head around it. Since I bought so much in spring, I haven't shopped at all since May, the last purchase being the Dries trousers bought on consignment. That will probably be it until late August/ early September. I am set for denim (yay!) and doing well with tops but many of my knits are looking tired and wrong-shaped, so I think I will be focusing some attention there, as well as -- as always! -- footwear. I also want to think in terms of complements of accessories and outerwear.

Joy

Veteran

I am on the lookout for certain colors of socks and boots/ booties to finish my winter update....also a whiteish puffer coat to go with snowboots I own. I welcome more color and pattern to my cold weather wardrobe.warm colors are hard to find right now, except mustard and some olive.

Joy

Veteran

The first part of my post disappeared. I added in late season 3 pair of pleather pull on pants. I have had bad luck with pleather in the past pealing, so would not pay leather prices or expect it to last ore than a season. I hope washing by hand and hanging to dry will help. Also. I my have a long chat about care with Nordstroms and my dry cleaners and see what they suggest for stains that can not be wiped away. I treat my pleather pants usually with a sweater, since they are warm, but any top and topper will be fine. I usually wear them with boots or booties and socks for cold weather but any footwear will do. These are for cold weather as they are warm and cut the wind. They allow for no air circulation, so I would beware of jogger length....my warm weather wear only. I would welcome a white pleather jacket. It can be worn in pouring rain when I would not wear real leather, pants in yellow or a shade of orange.

Kate

Veteran

Only trying two pairs of shoes at NAS plus makeup from MAC and Lancôme. I'm usually uninspired to shop for fall in July at NAS, when the heat and humidity are so miserable here.

However, like you Irina, I always make room for COS sales. The two yearly sales they have are normally excellent, and I always buy several items to fill in things I've been looking for or need to replace. And the occasional wildcard.

I rarely buy summer stuff from COS, but this year was different. I ended up with a gorgeous midi sundress, a skirt, and 6 sleeveless tops—3 knit and 3 ribbed cotton. I also save a bit of my clothing dollars for Uniqlo's fall/winter collab.

Irina

Veteran

Minaminu, it’s too hot for the dress, I might be able to debut it in the late October for my birthday.

Kkards, I stay away from brown only because I don’t like it with black or navy and these are most common colors in my wardrobe.

LJP, the pants are pleated. I don’t like pleated pants on myself unless pleats are far on the sides and don’t fall over my tummy. I hope you can see it in the picture.
I buy ahead to take advantage of sales. I know that some items I need will appear later in the fall. And I will pay full price for them. But my two main sales are mid summer and Boxing sales. I don’t mind waiting to wear new things and I don’t often make mistakes.

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Irina

Veteran

RunCarla, I think you might find suitable turtlenecks at Uniqlo later, their cut should work really well for you.
cat2 & notsaf, thanks!
Suz, thanks ! The pants are left as is, they are longer on me but still look cropped. The CM loafers are leather, cow hide to be exact.

Joy, pleather pants has been on my wish list forever! Maybe this will be the year I find them!
Kate, so good to see another fan of COS! I hear you on dresses, I bought 2 linen ones this year! Canadian shopping experience at COS is always unpredictable, one never knows what will be there.

LJP

Veteran

Those pants are gorgeous:). I’ll have to make a note to sign up for sales emails from COS .

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Great picks! They all seem like you!

MsMaven

Veteran

The first two pieces are breathtaking, but I love them all. Wow! I don't wear hats very often, but I can imagine it would be fun to wear that first striped hat. Look forward to seeing you wearing these for us.

Bijou

Veteran

Beautiful acquisitions and so very you. Adding bright accessories is such a great way to add colour without it feeling too wild.

I often buy out of season and often find my favourite items out of season. For Summer 2023/24 I have these two dresses, bought on sale with peacocks in the print. When my son was about 4 years old, he was enamoured with peacocks as at a local university they had peacocks roaming around the Arts building and we would take him to see them. These dresses with peacocks really appealed to me and will be fun to wear with my peacock denim jacket....I am quite happy to wait about 4 months before wearing them.

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Sal

Veteran

I love your additions and am excited to see the cobalt in action.

I really like the hats too - and agree that they will be a great way to mix things up!! The coats, pants and shoes look very much like you too.

I do buy out of season too - sometimes whilst travelling, sometimes in final sale. All the pieces below were bought out of season (thrifted, out of season sale, travelling).

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Irina

Veteran

Thanks, LJP, Jaime, MsMaven!
Bijou & Sal, thanks! So fun to see your fabulous things!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE COBALT DRESS!

Irina, thrilled you found suitable loafers for your feet

Loving the other items for your style!

I am often buying ahead of season, and out of season these days because then I can get what I want. My motto is: if the item is right for my style, I'm going to wear it in the right weather and season.

Minaminu

Veteran

Irina, I understand your point! I have a similar approach as I often buy out of season pieces as it helps me stay within my budget and have a good quality. Look forward to see how you'll style the cobalt dress when the weather is right!

Roberta

Veteran

I'm just here to echo LJP, I must get on the Cos sale list! Nordstrom has a pair of loose green COS pants on sale (see below) that I am tempted by, but there certainly is no real need for them. The color is sooo good.

I think the cobalt dress is glorious and I can't wait to see it on you, ditto the pants. The pleats are perfectly placed to give one some looseness by the pockets, but lay flat over the tum.

I am not particularly inspired by NAS this year. I have a couple of things on my wish list, but don't feel any great excitement about them. No gaps in my closet!

I usually shop post-season, so I can look back on things I would have liked to own but didn't, and now can purchase at a discount. Looking ahead is much more difficult.

COS Barrel Leg Drawstring Trousers

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