Sorry to be a double poster this morning, but I realized after I posted about my jeans, that there was a separate concern of interest. Forever the person with an analytical mind, I am very curious about the process people are using when they are developing their goals and plans for the year?

There are really two things I am thinking about here. One is about my style and whether there needs to be any change in my style moniker and adjectives as I go into 2018. The other is the related question of what sort of additions or changes I might want to make to my wardrobe. One seems to lead naturally from the other, so the style piece would seem to come first. However, my process didn’t start with looking at my style adjectives or moniker. I think I am borrowing from Angie who has taught me well. It started with a closet assessment and trying on everything to see what I still like and what I don’t. I made an early, quick discovery with my jeans. I strongly prefer a high rise, so I quickly culled mid/low rise jeans from my closet. I plan to go through the same process for the remaining items in my closet. My tops, my dresses, my toppers, my shoes and boots, my coats, etc.

My considerations for each category include climate, my coloring, color palette, my lifestyle, my budget, fit and flattery, and my overall aesthetic/style and practicality (ie. is the item machine wash, durable, sturdy, etc.). I think the closet assessment, which has traditionally helped me cull items that are worn out, faded, ripped, or otherwise past their prime, is clearly the place to find your current style preferences and pet peeves. It becomes clear when something you once loved is no longer favored. Wardrobe gaps and orphaned pieces become evident. A list of missing pieces can be compiled including basics and a decision can be made about essentials.

After the closet assessment, I will look over my style moniker again and adjectives to see if they still fit. I anticipate that they will. My best guess is that I will adhere to them more closely. I have developed a more refined sense of what they mean. I also am reviewing my old posts which I wrote as I developed my style moniker. Finally, I am going to evaluate my success with last years plan which I called Mindfulness. It was a good term, and I believe a good plan, so I may tweak it and use it again. Once something is working well, I tend to keep it in place unless a problem develops.

Making decisions of what to add to a wardrobe are complex. I base those on budget, need, wardrobe holes, color palette, style, and emotion. Last year a large part of my budget was spent on keeping my wardrobe “Fresh”. The choices made for wardrobe updates are key to a refined style because they become the direction the wardrobe takes over time. That is why understanding your style and sticking to some sort of plan becomes important. My style moniker helped me choose my 2017 purchases. I have been happy with all of them. I believe an assessment of the years purchases can help someone understand their style direction and if it is changing. The same is true when looking at the items that are culled. There is nothing in my moniker or adjectives that would have determined whether I purchased low or high rise jeans. The other factor that went into my purchasing choices this year was careful selection from the list of trends that Angie posted.

What is your process?