Help Me Get Rid Of: summer boho tops ETA - added more keepers - YouLookFab Forum

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Help Me Get Rid Of: summer boho tops ETA - added more keepers

Christina F.

Veteran

Some of you may remember me doing topics like this in the past. It’s back!

Context:.I went a bit nuts with boho stuff last year, and my style went a little farther towards casual than I’d prefer now. Therefore, I now need only a limited amount of casual-only clothing, for weekends; I prefer instead to own own mostly pieces I can dress up or down. Work style is still semi-casual but I like dressy touches.

Also, I’m always buying for beach vacations I don’t take. I spend a week each summer at Lake Michigan at a family house. I may visit the local beach on the weekend once or twice more. And my international vacation in the fall is sometimes to somewhere warm. I don’t need an extensive personal resort collection, is what I’m saying. It’s a classic case of buying for a life I don’t have, and leads to an overwhelming number of summer clothes that I can wear only 5 or so months a year.

The tops below aren’t all my summer boho tops. I put a few aside that I know I want to keep. Of these, I have a few I’m pretty sure want to keep as well.

1-5 are ones I’d keep. However,
I’m willing to consider dissenting opinions on this group:
1, 2, and 4 are able to be dressed up a bit, which means I’ll get more wear out of them. I get compliments on number 2 in particular.
3 isn’t dressy but I think it’s cute.
5 is in my favorite color scheme, and may seem dressier with a cardigan

6-12 I’m on the fence about.
6 - may be worth keeping as it offers some color but I wonder variety if it’s a flattering length
Not sure if 7 is flattering
8 is too similar to 4 (but less dressy) and so may be an easy toss
9 used to be nicer on me but apparently shrunk.
11-12 is kind of a cool top and I can dress it up a bit. Unsure if it’s flattering.

I have no quota for a number to pass on, though it would be nice to pass on a handful of them. By the way, these are all patterns because my solid summer colored tops go with printed pants and can easily be dressed up with a cardigan for work. I am happy with the size of that collection.

ETA: added Finds for similar things I have and am keeping, for context.

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Ruffle-trimmed tie-front top in floral

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2

Lucky Brand Lucy Top

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0

Embroidered Tencel Swing Top for Women

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0

Petite Subtropic Swing Shell

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1

Fan Floral Flutter Shell

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1

Embroidered V-neck T-shirt

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1

Dressing

24 replies

Latest reply was from Christina F.

Christina F.

Veteran

Bonus: Judi hung out for hours while I sorted clothes.

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Cardiff girl

Veteran

I generally agree with your analysis,I don’t think #7works but I do like#9and#10 and I do like your cat!

The Cat

Veteran

My favourite is #3. Perfect fit, fun pattern, and could easily be dressed up or down with white or dark bottoms. I also like #1--lovely pattern, and the vertical lines look great on you.

ChrisM

Veteran

So are any obvious orphans? Which do you choose to wear?

I like 1, 2, and 5 - there are a number that are very similar (4 seems very similar to 1 and 8), so it seems to me that you could let a couple of those dups go. I agree that 9/10 and 11/12 don't come down long enough . . . IMO.

I get this way with collecting cotton kurtas. If I can find them long enough, I get a number of them (I'm tall) because I want to be more covered up in the summer than not, yet not die from Midwest heat/humidity. Kurtas seem to fit the bill. Unfortunately, none of mine are dressy enough for office wear, so it's a little frustrating to have spent $$ on clothes that aren't versatile enough.

Judi is adorable - we have that same nesty bed for our Gigi.

jussie

Veteran

Hmm well my favorites are 1,2,3 and 6. The others are fine, but all rather similar so could probably go, imho.

Christina F.

Veteran

Chris, I think the orphans are 7, 8 and 11. I think 9/10 will become and orphan now that it’s shrunk. I liked it a lot, so that’s a shame.

Sal

Veteran

Judi looks like our cat Mouse (who is no longer with us). Very pretty!!

I like 1 and 3 and 4. 5 is a dark picture so harder for me to tell. I really like 1 - looks like a perfect summer holiday top and 4 - I love that pattern.

I think 7, 9/10 and 11/12 can easily go. 8 is very similar to 4 so would keep the best one. 6 and 2 are also similar so again you could pick the best one.

I have two tops along this line - one with long sleeves. I find them useful to wear with shorts as they are more flattering and slightly dressier than a tee - but equally comfortable.

Anonymous

First- love the kitty- looks just like my grandkitty! They are always very helpful while clothes are flying on and off-lol

If you are not happy about the shrinkage of top #9 - as pretty as it is -I would say that should go-
life is too short - your tops should not be-
it has to be a comfortable length or you will be spending your time tugging at it or feeling self conscious.

The rest of them I would not necessarily be in such a hurry to pitch the looks. You can work with them- they can look great with skirts, culottes, shorts and dress pants of any length. That said..........

I agree 4& 8 are real close in looks so IF you definitely wanted to cull- that seems the second easiest place. (after #9)

I think I like the B&W print of 3 better than 7 but feel you should consider that 7 could be cut and hemmed to more flattering length because it is a nice print.

I love the prints of 1, 2, 6, & 11- they have a Moroccan-type quality to them and agree they are dressier.

Can't see 5 very well so no opinion on that one.
When in doubt follow your heart!

Christina F.

Veteran

efbgen, the problem is that number of my summer clothing items overwhelms both me and my limited NYC space. So while many of these would work, I have to consider that there are at least 5 other winners that I didn’t bother to add to this post. I was in an experimental phase the last couple of years, so I tried a lot of stuff to see what I’d like, and that’s okay. Boho was new to me. But now I know I more tops in a similar style than I’ll wear. ( I know it would be instructive to add more of the winners, but I am too exhausted and can’t look at my clothes anymore today. Many of them have gone back in storage for another month until it gets warmer anyway.)

I have the same problem with dresses and skirts. I may post about dresses when I pull them all out next month, but I managed to cull skirts on my own.

I like the pattern on 7 but another think that appealed was the kind of shark bite type hem. So hemming it would just make a normal tank top, and I have plenty of those as well—I don’t bother culling those because the older ones usually end up being lounge wear before I toss them.

LaPed

Veteran

I really like 1, 4, 5. I can see why the first 5 are your top picks. The tassels on #6 would drive me batty but perhaps you feel differently. #7 seems like it should be useful because of the extra length but it does seem a bit off in terms of proportions/flattery. #8 looks like an exact dupe for #4. I would pass on 9/10 and 11/12 -- fit doesn't look quite right.

Christina F.

Veteran

La Ped, one thing 6 has going for it is that it’s very light weight. It’s great for those steamy days we get in a July and August. So I forgive the tassels. Unless people on here hate it, I’d probably keep it for that reason, now that I’ve thought it about it some more.

I think I agree with most of you that 7-12 can go. I’d be happy if I just passed on those four. (Sorry about the dark pic for 5- it’s nice, I promise, and has a similar hot weather function to 6 but in different colors, so it seems useful enough.)

LaPed

Veteran

Oh, what I wouldn't give for a steamy day right now...

I actually like #5 because it's dark -- looks like a faux-solid and probably good for pattern-mixing.

Christina F.

Veteran

We had two almost summery days! But today feels like winter. Yesterday I had on no coat and bare arms. This is today.

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Janet

(website)

Veteran

I’m having a really hard time evaluating these without being able to see necklines and head in your pics.

Christina F.

Veteran

Ha! Janet, while I did get my new unbroken mirror a while back (and a wire kit to hang it), we haven’t hung it up. I expect that will take another few weeks, since this weekend is done, and we’ll be gone next weekend. So sadly that’s the best I can do right now. :p

bridgie

Veteran

I love Judi. Cutest to post recently.!

Joy

Veteran

I would keep 1-6 ( 2 is my favorite), and pass on the rest. That gives you 6 days of cute tops. If you want 7, it gives you permission to look for one you love.

Anonymous

Oh Christina- it is so easy to get discouraged between the weather and trying to move in another direction. It’s even harder when storage space is limited.
Sometimes when I have felt that way I have pitched too much too soon and regretted it. Just didn’t want you to make same mistake. But it sounds like you have put a lot of thought into it. Smart .
Maybe all you need are a few sunny days . Then you can you Box up your choices to pitch and set it aside for a couple of months. If you can live with out them - donate it and feel great about it.

Christina F.

Veteran

Efbgen, it’s not a terrible idea to put the ones I’m less sure of aside. I have a holding area bag, and I can pass things on at any time because there is a clothing donation box in my building’s basement. I do need to let some things go by the time summer rolls around, though. Space is just too scarce.

I think I’m definitely passing on 9-10 due to fit. 7 doesn’t feel great on. Plus I have those two similar ikat tops. The fabrication is very different but one should probably get passed on anyway.

SarahD8

Veteran

Well, my favorite is Judi but that's not helpful!

This is sort of harsh but...I can't see a ton of difference between the try-on photos and the Finds of definite keepers that you posted. What I mean is that my overall impression is that the "maybe"s aren't adding much that you don't already have represented.

So, one possibility might be to decide how many of these sorts of tops you want, and then discard least-favorites of the maybes until you get to that number.

(Of course, if that proves painful in a particular case you can always keep an extra or two!)

On the other hand, an argument for keeping more is that they might wear out fairly quickly (since they are lightweight summer tops) so you might want to keep a larger percentage of them, decide not to buy any more, and let your collection reach that "right" number through attrition.

But, if you really like this sort of top I wonder if it is worth experimenting to see whether they could be dressed up sufficiently for the office and then you could get more wear out of them? Knit pencil skirt, boho top, black ponte blazer?

I realize I'm not commenting on the specific tops but I hope this is helpful in some way (and I actually think you have the specifics well in hand).

Christina F.

Veteran

No, Sarah, that makes sense. That’s the whole problem in a nutshell - too many similar tops without much to choose beteeen them. The keepers I didn’t post pictures of me in did look a bit better (stuff that’s hard to tell from how I presented it all, like the length or quality, is better on those, but partly it was a gut check). I think it’s s good plan for natural attrition to happen, but space wise I’d like to cull at least 3 to start—the ones I won’t wear for sure.

I definitely need to stop buying this style, as I have plenty to choose from. I think over bought because I didn’t have a good sense of how much I had, but since I’m using Finds on this site now I can see such things at a glance.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Yes that sounds good to use Finds. I'm not at this stage as would have to do all Custom Finds which sounds a bit of a hassle. Currently I am just glancing down my wear tracking lists to make sure I have plenty of something and I am trying to remember to take the lists if I am going shopping. I don't take them every time I'm going to the mall ( as one of my supermarkets is in my fave mall) but most of those trips just involve browsing and I would go back if I seriously want to buy something. I've become more disciplined than I would have thought possible a couple of years ago. Perhaps now you've realised your tendency to buy what I'm now calling "clone clothing" ( different but not really) then you will succeed in avoiding that in the future? Good luck x

Katerina

Veteran

What Joy says.

But I also like no 8 if you would like to keep one more.

I am not that fond of no 7 and 9.

Christina F.

Veteran

Jenni, I am much more strategic about what I bring into the house now. I went through almost a year of buying more indiscriminately, which was good for experimenting as my style evolved, but not great for my wallet. The result is that I have a better sense of what I want.

I am attracted to "clones," but it's easier to remind myself now that I don't need them!

For now, I'm getting rid of 7-10. 11/12 is going to stay as I think the picture makes it look a little more awkward than it is, but I'll be evaluating whether I wear it and if it looks good over the next few months.