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Closet review, style changes, and thoughts on color cohesion

viva

Veteran

This weekend I did a closet clean-out and wardrobe review. It didn't take long because I go through my wardrobe every couple of months and weed out the weak links, so there weren't too many decisions to make. I did want to count pieces (excluding outerwear, gear, and the ultra casual -- like graphic tees) to see how things had evolved since the last time I counted, a year ago. And I was interested in understanding shifts in my style. I came away with a few thoughts and some questions. I'd love your thoughts.

1. My closet size is somewhat larger, but not that much -- so I think my wardrobe is the right size for me. Although I don't adhere strictly to a 1-in/1-out philosophy, it has happened somewhat naturally. 13 months ago I counted 86 items; now I have 94. I've added work tops, non-denim bottoms, and a couple of skirts; I've gotten rid of a few unworn dresses.
2. My clothing is getting prettier, and the 60s are cohabiting with the 70s. I've gotten rid of some masculine items -- casual button-downs, for example -- and added 70s-influenced feminine items like the Zara ruffle blouse and the Haute Hippie dress. The non-denim bottoms I've added are more feminine (like the drapey wide legs from Anthro). I've decided to consign my Frye Philip booties and buy black chelsea booties; I am getting rid of my old Timberland rugged knee-high boots and am looking for OTK or knee-high black (suede?) boots instead. I'm definitely moving away from tomboy (although I have kept my Gap BF jeans; I cannot part with them yet). I've kept my gray wool shift (which I almost purged last year) and am excited to wear it again.
3. I have less color cohesion than in the past. I'm not sure what is happening here. I think I am in an experimental stage, given the recent purchases of deep green and yellow from Zara. Navy/ink and charcoal are becoming the more dominant foundations in my closet over black, and I am looking for some burgundy and more olive. This feels like a lot of color to me, and I don't know what to make of it. I'm trying not to feel like an indecisive failure.

I wonder if some of this movement toward femininity is age-related at all? As I move into perimenopause, am I trying to reclaim some of my female-ness? (Is that just a ridiculous idea???)

And what are the right descriptors for me now? I have been using sophisticated tomboy as my style signpost, but that doesn't feel right anymore. Glam gamine? I don't know. Help!

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

viva - I think it is natural to make this type of transition and I think I have been doing the same thing. I live such a casual lifestyle that I don't put budget towards too many delicate or hand wash items, but I have noticed that I am more inclined to look for things that feel feminine in my outfits, even when it's a simple or graphic tee - I don't want a baseball tee for example, where in the past maybe I would. I also tend to wear more feminine jewelry with my simple tees to up the femininity. I don't know that it's age related, or related to perimenopause either.

I've noticed a lot of your new purchases and I love them for you. I also love deep olive and burgandy and have always had a place for those colors in my wardrobe.

Anonymous

You are definitely not a sophisticated tomboy - I really don't see that.

Interesting to hear about your style journey, and how you're evolving. I used to think I was a failure for always switching things up, so I'm glad other people do so. Are you surprised by your shift, or was it sort of a conscious decision?

Wearing a lot of different colours isn't a style failure. It's possible you will have to do more set outfits (as opposed to mix-n-match) but there's no downside to that, IMO. I actually have set outfits and my colours are all the same grey/blue/black/white. As long as I have 2 weeks of outfits, it doesn't matter about the mix and matchability.

I'm not sure what you look like in woven button downs, but I do like the softer fabrics on you.

I'm supporting the OTK boots. I know you say you 'can't do over the knee skirts' but maybe you can think about it?

Elly

Veteran

I don't think that sophisticated tomboy is a bad descriptor-- overall I feel like the 70s was a feminine decade-- masculine shapes and items (like suits, pants, button downs) were feminized with curves, softened with colors and prints for BOTH sexes.

E

Veteran

I haven't commented on your latest wiw (on phone more lately which is trickier for me to type on) but I absolutely love you in that yellow blouse!!!

It was so interesting to hear about your closet shift. My closet has been turning towards the more overtly feminine since I've become active on YLF too (although it started at a more feminine place). In my case I think that's from forum approval giving me more confidence to wear the kinds of traditionally feminine pieces that are sort of belittled in a lot of places though.

I do love the word dandy...perhaps you can use that in your new style descriptor? Are you mainly pairing more feminine tops w your usual trousers? That's a very dandy combination, in my view. I like glam gamine too though!

As for colour cohesion, as long as you have the neutral pieces to pair with your colour ones, I think you're cohesive! After all, you're not going to wear two blouses together.

E

Veteran

Now that I posted my comment I could scroll up and see that not all of your new pieces are blouses. But they all sound glam gamine from their descriptions! As long as the phrase inspires you, I think it's a marvelous one.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I am intrigued by your turn toward pretty. I am feeling a bit of that also (and perimenopause is in full swing). I am not ready to give up my oxfords or bf jeans, but am more interested in makeup and other girly touches I had mostly ignored until now.
At any rate, your outfits, including the new color additions have been gorgeous so whatever is happening it seems to be having a good effect!

Anonymous

Dandy is a great descriptor - and just might be a good one in your case , Vivian.

I know what you mean about the colour cohesion, or lack thereof, as I'm thinking about the very same thing. While I'll always be drawn to black basics, I decided that this fall will see olive, burgundy or plum, navy and ink as my main colours. I've kind of overdosed on grey, even though it iso a good colour on me.

Anyways - do you worry about the wider range of colours creating a big jumble of a closet? I think most if not all of those colours will work together , which is certainly what the runway photos from Fashion Week showed. I think this will work well on you - giving you a more feminine look through colour and slight changes in style without it feeling odd.

I have a couple of years on you I think, and I know that I started feeling the urge to look more feminine right about the time you are. It's a tricky move to make though, isn't it? You still want to look fashion conscious and put together without sacrificing your inherent style - or without looking like you're/we're trying too hard to look hip. Maybe I'm projecting here - but .....

What's on your hope-to-find list for fall? Or, what do you think is needed to pull the colours all together?

Anonymous

Viva I am finding exactly the same thing! More feminine items that I used to avoid are more appealing now and I do think there's a relationship with my age.

But I try not to spend too much time resisting or even analyzing any potentially negative aspects of the inevitable so I'm not going to say anything bad about this development!

I think my younger self was set off to advantage by more masculine, sporty items, but now I look and feel more myself as I am now, when I'm wearing more feminine things.

And I feel as though a softer style is better received by other people too, and adds a certain glide to my social navigating. Maybe it's a more wide audience, accessible look on an older woman?

Alassë

Veteran

I think you looked great in the yellow blouse WIW. And thanks for writing such an interesting analysis for us to read! You came to some fascinating conclusions regarding style shift.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

On my phone and travelling with intermittent cell service but wanted to say you look gorgeous in your new items and I love "glam gamine" as descriptor. In fact I might have to steal it!!! I have been feeling s yen for more feminine items also. Hence my recent purchase of two rather impractical dresses and two slightly more practical tube skirts. I still wear my boyfriend jeans in the right season for them but I tend to pair with more feminine tops or scarves. And I'm feeling a yen for something new.

Anonymous

I'm loving the sound of how your style is changing Viva. I think your recent purchases are lovely and I'm nodding along with the suggestions of dandy possibly, along with glam gamine. I actually think your colours won't be a problem to cope with. You must still have plenty of neutrals to pair with them and you can explore more unusual colour combos which could be great fun!

deb

Veteran

Could it be that you are bored with the more masculine style and the older colors in your closet? I found that when I get tired of wearing the same style is when a shift starts happening.

Sal

Veteran

I like glam gamine, I think your new colourful pieces are stunning and agree with Smittie the only downside is more set outfits than true mix and match. It is fun to evolve your style!!

unfrumped

Veteran

I like your choices!
I can relate, I think. I don't know if it's age-related or not, or something about the refinement of more "lady-like" items. Though edgy and androgynous can be refined, too. Or maybe it's an interesting detail.
But, I can also tell if I swing too far, things get twee awful fast, too dainty.
So some kind of sportiness and vigor is needed to offset.
I don't think the colors are a problem, in tops, at least. This is where Angie's advice to do a good try-on with your other items, your neutrals and suits and whatnot. Your tops don't have to go with each other.

In fact, one problem I have is maybe getting too many similar things so that a superficial glance I look the same,. whereas, a pop of emerald vs sunny yellow really looks different on different days, but can travel in the same suitcase with the same bottoms/toppers/footwear. Like scarves for travel--ideally 2-3 scarves would be most useful if they are very different in color or pattern or whatever effect.

Where it gets tricky is if you get a certain color that now just doesn't quite go with your base neutrals, and you start having to create an entire capsule around it. Unless that's the color direction you want to change to.

So I have used that to go yay/nay on some items, a color I liked but maybe either the color, or fabrication, was too demanding somehow, and it just didn't set off the other items in any good way. Then I would realize it needed to go back, and wait for the right item.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Glam Gamine is a great moniker, Viv. You have the mischief, wide brown eyes, and boyish figure to go with it too. Fabulous.

I LOVE that you're embracing the Pretty - (Pretty items are close to my heart - hence my own 2015 moniker "Urban Pretty") - because it pains me greatly when Pretty gets a bad wrap. You can ABSOLUTELY be an assertive, intelligent, strong, powerful and wise women who wears pretty clothing.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Coming back to say that I LOVE the word Pretty. I use it ALL THE TIME to describe things around me - wardrobe and non-wardrobe related.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I like glam gamine a lot

Just on the colour issue, I think colour does tend to expand your wardrobe. I love colour and I have a lot of stuff. I am now on a mission to introduce more neutrals into my wardrobe to pull things together. I agree with Smittie that with lots of colour you tend to end up with more set outfits and fewer mix and match outfits. I personally find that a little frustrating. So it would be a good idea to do a good try on session with each new "colourful" addition, as unfrumped suggests.

But please do not get rid of those Frye boots. Frye is forever

cheryle (Dianthus)

(website)

Veteran

Vivian, could you be responding to a shift in the fashion world or a need for a change rather than it being an age/stage related change? It seems like we went through the loose fits and the "boyfriend" styles so perhaps it is the pendulum swinging back a little towards the "pretty" and feminine. I feel it too.

Regardless of the cause, you are looking fab in your new style.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

DD (almost 16) and her friends use "pretty" for boys they like the look of, in as well as for clothes. Pendulum swings indeed.

catgirl

Veteran

Glamine! :D. I think there is room for both tomboy and glam gamine in your style. I have found that limiting myself to one focus inevitably leads me to flail, whereas two or three different coherent personas can reside comfortably together.

viva

Veteran

Ah, glamine! I love it when I miss the OBVIOUS. Thank you, Una. How perfect!

I've really enjoyed reading these comments. Thank you all for responding (and sorry for the delayed response on my part -- had to prepare for another flight).

I think it's interesting that others feel they are making a similar transition toward the feminine -- like texstyle, Isabel, Shevia -- and that makes me believe that while age may be part of it, fashion trends may also be at work. Good call, Cheryle. Also, it just might be time for a change (as you said, Deb). I realized that I am coming up on 2 years with YLF! I am definitely a person who moves along decisively (I have been known to repaint rooms every few years) so it should not surprise me that I feel the need for some reinvention.

Angie, I remember a recent discussion here about the word pretty, and I can't remember what I wrote, but I am sure I did not fully embrace the idea as much as I would today. When I was younger, having some tomboy edge to my fashion was an intentional counterpoint to my honor-roll performance and bookish interests. I'm intrigued that I am able to let go of the need to prove something with my clothing. Ummlila, I love the connection of pretty to boys, too -- glamine, indeed.

Smittie, E, Diane, Brooklyn, unfrumped, Kiwigal: Thank you all for such wisdom on the color issue! It was a light-bulb moment to read that all the colorful tops don't have to go with one another. Maybe it's Angie's capsule posts or blogger closet images, but I do dream of a wardrobe in all creamy shades of the same neutrals. But that is really quite far from my personality. Even still, when I hung the new yellow and green tops in my closet it felt like a visual revolt. I need to remember the closet has room for all kinds of diversity. I just have to do some work to create the right outfits with these new colors/pieces so they don't become orphans.

Lisap: you're asking exactly the questions I am right now: What's on the list for fall? What can pull this all together? And frankly, I don't know. I am hoping you will help me with this in Seattle in November.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Viv, isn't it wonderful when we grow older comfortably. Nothing to prove, nothing to hide, nothing to compensate for - and simply enjoying our style and who we have become. Priceless.

Anonymous

"I'm intrigued that I am able to let go of the need to prove something with my clothing. "

Ok, this is the single most profound comment I have heard about clothing and the self in ages. I get this ! It resonates and makes absolute sense to me! Wow.