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Confession and Resolution

Thistle

Veteran

My confession, in hopes that admitting it will keep me on track.

I never tracked CPW because I simply didn't want to catalogue everything in my closet. As I bring pieces up and put them back in my closet, I am forcing myself to catalogue.

I had thought I would need a new wardrobe for post maternity. I was wrong. The purchase of two cardis and a pair of black trousers is all I need.

So, I am going to track my CPW for the new pieces and my # of wears for the rest to really assess my needs going forward. I will build some statistics to measure what I am really wearing.

I also think I have gone over board on business casual clothes and skimped on weekend wear. But the CPW will prove that out.

Over to you. Any confessions on your plate and how you are going to resolve them?

Shopping

20 replies

Latest reply was from Adelfa

Helena

Veteran

Thistle, if that's your worst confession, you are doing pretty good! I think it's a great idea to start with new things ... that's a huge undertaking to work backwards with all the things you own already - it's that "adequate vs. perfect" thing that someone (I can't recall this minute but if I find it I will edit to add) articulated so beautifully - starting now may not be perfect, but it's surely perfectly adequate!

My confession - I am a serial over-purger. Have been thinking about posting about this for some time! It's ridiculous the bags of clothes that leave my house every few months! I am working on a rotation strategy to combat clutter while not just buying to donate.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

THIS IS ALL OKAY. I don't track CPW's either.

I'm glad that your post maternity wardrobe is in good shape, and that you've nailed a hole in your wardrobe. A great start to 2015. xo

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, I went for years on YLF without cataloguing my stuff. I only did it this year. And partly because most of it was new! Also, I don't calculate CPW at all except by guesstimate. For the first time in my life I am counting wears, but I don't write down the original cost of the item, so it's not exactly "official." More like a ballpark figure.

My confession is that I vastly prefer my pretty new things to anything older in my closet -- regardless of how much that item was loved in the past. I am resoundingly on Team Wear, as long as the item is fresh to me. I do not know how that can be consistent with a desire to spend less/ be good to the planet. I need to think on it some more.

Anonymous

My confession: having always bought for the person I wanted to be, rather than for who I really am. Lack of confidence, not "living my truth" , and fear of not keeping up/ staying ahead have led me to spend too much, waste money on things I never wear, and to living in a state of unhappiness a lot of the time.

Resolution: if I am true to myself about who I am, what I look like and the silhouettes that suit me best , the budget I have to work with, and my goals for the future , the rest should take care of itself.

ATLynn

Veteran

I've never catalogued my stuff, either. I just did an exercise where I only kept things the I like, that fit my lifestyle, and that fit my body right now in my main closet. See confession for the shock this gave me, but the upside is that my small main closet is a functional capsule for my smart casual/business casual life right now. So that's what I inventoried over the holiday break - not everything, just the right now wardrobe. I found it was a much easier undertaking to just take inventory of what I'm using now, and then hopefully I can update as things move in due to purchases, size changes, and seasonal changes. And it showed me that while I long for the new and variety I have PLENTY of clothes, they were just getting crowded out by too many imperfect options.

Confession: I'm a serial sale shopper, and it's showing up in the dysfunctional part of my closet and hitting the bottom line in my budget. By moving everything that doesn't work into one place, I was disheartened to see how much stuff I have that goes unworn (I split seasonal from doesn't fit and purchased for a fantasy life). And I started tracking my spending more carefully using Mint, and was a bit appalled at my spend and the energy I was spending on purchases AND returns. While I've gotten a lot better about PPP, there are more mistakes than I'd care to admit in the last 6 months. So in addition to tracking what I'm wearing, I've put myself on a 40 day shop my closet exercise to identify my real needs and wants from my wardrobe.

Susie

Veteran

My confession is that after I declared to my family that I was finished shopping for the year, I made 2 more purchases when my mom and I were out on Saturday. The first was a clutch that I got from the gift shop of the purse museum I took my mom to see. It's a rather unique style and it was 20% off so a reasonable price. The second item is a shawl/scarf from Michael Stars with a scene of a NYC street.

I was slightly under my budget for the year which covered the shawl and I used money from my Dad for the bag. How's that for justification of my shopping!

I think it's great that you have found that your post baby wardrobe is in good shape. And starting to track CPW with your new items is a good plan. I do track but I'm not yet sure what I am doing with all of my data!

Sara L.

Veteran

I don't track CPW either. I'm pretty good at purging my closet every season so I know that I wear the stuff in it. I'm not particularly interested in how often I wear certain items. I know some get worn more than others and that's fine with me.

However, I am going to start tracking what I buy. Not necesarily costs, just what items. I saw a post recently where someone listed all their purchases for the year and I thought "wow, that's a lot of clothes" and then I started thinking that I don't know if that's true because I don't really know how many of each item I've bought to compare against someone else. I'm curious now.

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

When I start thinking about all the factors of CPW, I drive myself nuts, so I don't track it. But if I did, I would include:

Price of the item.
Gas mileage and/or shipping spent to get the item in my door.
Dry-cleaning costs, if applicable. This would be on a per-wear basis.
Tailoring costs, if applicable.

This would quickly suck all the joy out of a purchase for me.

My big confession is that, despite an increased desire to shop wisely and well, I blew $45 at Forever21 the other day. I went in with the intent of spending maybe $10 on black and white cami tops to layer workouts/loungewear, and walked out with two non-returnable skirts that I found myself regretting 30 minutes later. I am taking them back tomorrow for store credit, and I am going to use that money for tees I can use for workouts/loungewear. I also bought a pretty top that I am wearing now, and will make for lovely loungewear at home. But seriously... I didn't need anything besides camis. LOL.

unfrumped

Veteran

I tend to overstock on good but similar things, so I have the quandary of having items I still like but am not wearing enough.
I'm pretty sure the 1in/1out is where I'm falling off the wagon, but for some reason I have trouble there.
My resolution is to do what's been recommended many times, move out all but say 20 tops & bottoms and put the other in-season stuff in " the boutique". Then go create one boutique outfit weekly and see how it compares to the things I think I like more.

Jjsloane

Veteran

With an infant and a toddler you get a gold star for even getting dressed Thistle! I applaud your effort to be accountable, but like the others I don't have the time nor the inclination to track CPW.
My confession:
I'm sure this will shock anyone who knows me, but I am a shoe-shopaholic. Yep. It's out there. If it is on sale and has an extra % off and free shipping and is in my size I have a hard time not ordering and thus cannot see the bottom of my closet despite having ample shoe storage space.
My resolution:
Filter out all but a true shoe need (filling a hole) and don't sneak in "metallic" to all shoe sorts. I could never go cold turkey, but maybe 1 in 1 out (or 2 in 1 out?) for a bit will stabilize my problem? There's just so many pretty shoes out there!
Good luck with your goal!

shedev

Veteran

My confession is that I've become addicted to wardrobe analysis. I've been tracking CPW for a few years now. The first year, the tank that I perceived I wore all the time really only got three wears.

Hedev got me a really nice clothes rack for Christmas. When I told him I didn't need it because I don't have nearly as much clothes, he asked when I became a minimalist. I told him that I still have about 200 pieces of clothes, he was really surprised that I knew that.

Staysfit

Veteran

I made an attempt at tracking but didn't/couldn't keep it going. That's my confession. I may be analytical but my ability to collect data is short term only!

DonnaF

Veteran

I guess I really don't want to know CPW. For 2013 and 2014, I kept track of what I bought other than underwear and jewelry. And then some time in 2013, I kept track of what I wore. So I can count the number of wears and then CPW, but I guess I don't really want to. Must be the rebel in me. I have noticed that I tend to wear the newest items the most. This year, I've worn my moto vest probably as much as I wore my silver down vest last year.

Anonymous

I confess that I buy too much, especially on sale. I am shocked when I see my monthly Nordstrom bills and feel that I nickel and dimed and got a bunch of stuff that is ok, but for the same amount of money I could have had one or two better pieces. I suspect that fear of expensive mistakes keeps me from spending much on any one item. I hope to work on this in 2015.
About wearing new items the most, it depends. If they are trendy, I feel most comfortable really putting them in rotation the second year when I am more likely to see others wearing the trend. I am also not saving items for a special occasion the second year. By the third year I may be getting tired of them.
Other things get lots of wear right away, especially basics that fill a holes R are right for a season. My gold metallic and red plaid jeans fit this category because they seemed just right for December. Both were inexpensive and may be one season wonders.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I don't track CPW either, Thistle.
My confession is I couldn't find any style goals I had for the year. And I'm not feeling especially inspired to come up with any this year.
And: I don't know if this is really a confession. But I find when I look back at my outfits, I don't see a lot that I want to repeat in their entirety. I might want to repeat most of an outfit but change something--the shoes, the belt, or something. Going through my outfits to find favorites for Angie's forum thread, I was struck by this realization, but I've also had similar thoughts in the past. It's as if I don't want to revisit my own style moments, much as I don't yearn to go back to former times in my life and relive them. They were okay the first time around, but I really don't want to go back. Does this sentiment seem odd?

Carla

Veteran

Thistle, I don't track clothing cost per wear either...

My confession: I take budgeting and deferred gratification to an extreme. For various reasons that have become ingrained, I have trouble really splurging on clothing for myself. Also, I am a late adopter, often embracing a trend late in its cycle of popularity. The result is a disconnect between my aspirational style, and my real style due to a dependance on classic 'tried and true' items that usually work well, but lack edge or a sense of fun.

I am working on my resolutions, and hope to address my 'problems' in the future. Reading everyone's end of year analysis for 2014 has already provided some valuable insight.

Dimity

I don't track cpw either. There are other things I'd rather do. Even going to the dentist would be higher on the list!

My confession is that I occasionally cut my fringe (bangs) myself. Yes, there have been mishaps. I deal with it. Whatevs.

Jennifer

Confession(s): I buy too much, even though I know I really don't need any more clothes. I suppose I am just constantly looking for the "more perfect" versions of what I already have. I also have far too many casual clothes, when I spend 5 of every 7 days in business casual or business formal wear. I am consistently overbudget (which is not creating any financial hardship - just that I am spending money that I could be more usefully putting in another bucket). I have been resolving for months to get myself back on track but it just hasn't happened. I wouldn't call myself a shopaholic - if anyone else looked at the number of purchases I make, they'd probably find the volume of my purchases completely reasonable. But the fact is that I am buying things I don't need, which I think is wasteful and irresponsible.
I don't track CPW, but I do track my purchases, much as the result dismays me.
I know what my resolution should be - to stick to my guns, shop my closet, hone down to what I really love, and not lose sight of what I already have. But the hard part is maintaining my focus and not slipping.

qfbrenda

Veteran

I'm glad your wardrobe is sorted out with so few purchases.

My confession: I get rid of things too quickly. I think I need a holding spot where things go to hang out until I make a final decision. I keep having things that I regret purging and need to make those decisions slowly.

Adelfa

Veteran

Confession: I started the year determined to buy fewer, better things. I implemented this resolution with a bang by buying a very expensive moto.

Instead I realized that for me, buying more but less expensive things is working a lot better right now. And the moto is languishing unworn because of my sudden interest in tunic tops over skinnies. I dearly hope that things will balance out and that in a year or two I'll go back to shorter tops and can wear that moto!

On the positive side, I do love my wardrobe. There is lots of empty space in my closet, and I feel good every day in what I put on.