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Suz's insightful post http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....od-shopper made me think hard about my closet goals. I have purged my closet of unnecessary items and have been trying to live with one work wear capsule and a few other outfits. It has been hard oh yeah! really hard. Angie's post http://youlookfab.com/2012/10/.....nter-2012/ has so many things that I can't wait to have in my closet but i dont want to buy on impulse. I want to really push my limits with my current wardrobe items so I only purchase what the holes are in my wardrobe. I must add here that in trying to do that, I am feeling a little bit overwhelmed and a lot less happy with my outfits.

In her post, Suz writes "Patient: Ariadne has been looking for a jacket to wear casually for four years. Four years, and no luck. Yesterday we hit pay dirt with not one, but TWO lovely jackets. Her patience paid off! Now she has one pop of colour jacket and one neutral. " This really opened up my eyes. I have to learn a lot of patience.

To make matters worse, I come home today to find a 50% off coupon from Gap on two full price items. I really want to get the houndstooth sweater that Shannon is wearing here. http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....hy-oxfords. Should I or shouldn't I? Please help.

13 years ago

Anonymous

I don't think you should, after you wear it twice you will probably get bored of it and tired of trying to match it, you will end up wearing it always with the same pants and shoes and eventually feel like you are wearing some kind of a uniform. Even if you finally find a skirt, instead of pants to match it, you will be so tired of looking at it that you won't even want to wear it ever again! I hope that was helpfull ...that is what I say to myself when Im not sure...if after that I still want it...I buy it!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Well, now, I will do the opposite and enable. I think you would look great in the sweater. It would look super with your red jeans and also with blue. It would work with your existing jackets. That kind of pattern can be worn successfully with multicoloured scarves for a bit of pattern mix. And the price is right.

I think it is at least okay to try it on.

When you have purged a whole lot of clothing, I think it is permissible to add a couple of trendier, perhaps short-lived and relatively inexpensive items to perk up the core essentials you have kept. That has been my strategy, at any rate, and it serves me well.

Ha ha! Of course! Sorry for my honesty!

Jjsloane

I am the opposite of the Suz perfect shopper. I shop often and constantly. I am not patient. I am sort of picky, but love versatility, options and a bargain. If it's something you like and will get some wear of I say go for it.

Just adding...I think "patient" and "picky" have (or ought to have) slightly different meanings depending on what stage you're at in building a wardrobe.

For example, if you are still working to narrow down your style, it makes sense to buy some inexpensive but possibly "less than perfect" items in trendier cuts, fabrications, colours as a way of "trying it out." These expand your core essentials and you won't feel awful if you tire of them after a season or two (or they fall apart). Waiting for the "perfect" sweater might mean never buying anything if you don't really know your needs. It takes a bit of experimentation to find them.

Aida

I agree with Suz's second reply about knowing what those things mean to you, at your current wardrobe building stage. How many sweaters do you have? Is there a long sweater season where you live? Do you need to add more print to your wardrobe? Are you generally drawn to geometric prints like this?

FWIW, this is where I have gotten to regarding sweaters for myself: My sweater season is long. LOOOOONG. I therefore need many sweaters. I would like to purchase one colorful cashmere sweater a year, which would ideally last me several years; color is essential in keeping the gloom away for me. This would give me a nice base of solid, classic, basic sweaters in pretty colors that will cheer me up and mix well with blouses. Separate from that, I would like to purchase 2-3 fun sweaters each season that I know I'll only wear for 1-2 years; again because I have to wear them soooo long, I know I'll get tired of them. This would allow me to play with trendier things without feeling bad about spending too much.

This year I have yet to find my cheerful cashmere sweater (last year it was a rich purple). I've bought all of my "fun" sweaters: cobalt/black stripe, camel/bright orange stripe, navy/cream colorblock, houndstooth cardigan. And I have purged a few older sweaters that were looking worse-for-wear to make room for the new ones. I still have older ones that could use replacing, so I may still get another but we'll see. So far I am happy with this system, but it's not fully in place yet

Mona

Natalia, you are too funny. I am going to remember this next time I hit the mall.
It is so draining to look at all the trendy items and not buy them. Don't be sorry for your honesty, this is exactly why I posted the question on this forum.

Jjsloane, it is great that you know what kind of shopper you are. From what I see in you WIW's, you are a very knowledgeable and wise shopper.
Suz, that is a great explanation of being patient and picky depending on where we are at in the process of wardrobe building. Inexpensive trendier items is what I need right now. Adding a couple of trendier items to my wardrobe will make me feel happy, modern and energized.

Aida, interestingly, replying to your questions made the decision so much easier for me.
How many sweaters do you have? I have 3 tunic length sweaters and 4 regular length.
Is there a long sweater season where you live? Oh yeah, I wear sweaters almost 6 out of 12 months in a year.
Do you need to add more print to your wardrobe? Definitely yes
Are you generally drawn to geometric prints like this? I love geometric prints.
So there, it is decided. I will get this sweater.

i also really like your plan for buying a cashmere sweater every year. Do you have a particular brand that you like?

Glad to help! I think you'll get lots of wear from this fun sweater

As for the cashmere, I just decided to start that last winter after I was gifted my purple one; I know I'll get good use out of them! So I don't have a go-to brand, but my husband recently bought a JCrew cashmere sweater so we'll see how that holds up (he's much rougher on his clothing than I am). I think I will start with the Nordstrom house brand for this year, primarily because a $250 sweater isn't in my budget right now (wardrobe isn't complete enough, and I still have more important holes to fill) but I will probably work up to that because they always have the best colors. I do hope the quality holds up!

Ok, buy it already! but I want o see that top on you!

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