I'm not a super fashion forward person or anything but still, sometimes even my favorite jeans spark joy when I put them on and they just feel - *right* - you know? This is especially true of some days when I'm not feeling my best and then I put on something that is a favorite and instantly I feel better. It doesn't have to be new or shiny or even colorful but sometimes it is.

Today is an example - I put on a simple charcoal gray textural tank with high neckline and an open back design and it felt really good for the day at hand with my (current) favorite jeans and comfy sandals and a simple gold sphere pendant. I carried my deep raspberry handbag which actually also sparks joy because it has color, it's comfortable, lightweight and just slouchy enough to work for my style.

Lately that bag and my white ecco sneaks seem to both spark a hint of joy each time I wear them.

Again, I want to emphasize that I am exceptionally happy with my wardrobe. I realize I came off as complaining about a lack of happiness or spark of joy. That is so wrong. I have no idea what I was thinking this morning when I posted this.

With that in mind, I want to reply to the many gracious comments I received. Comments that were written to help me elevate the happiness factor.

Hi Penny. My work wardrobe does serve a very important function. It serves as armor. I deeply appreciate the fact that it can take me from the field to our attorney’s office and back to my desk. Through the years I have added jewelry and bags in GREAT colors (mostly fuchsia). I’ll start carrying the fuchsia bag(s) on April 1st. I have beautiful jewelry, but I always wear either black or white pearls for work. Turquoise and coral for home.

And Anchie and Style Fan. I may not have realized it until I read Anchie’s post, but my entire wardrobe is heavily, heavily geared toward essentials. I always thought that if I could just get a handle on the essentials, the rest would come later. The fact is I am very comfortable wearing my essentials. Although I do buy new and exciting pieces, I always return to the comfort and safety of my essentials. I just want those essentials to be the best quality I can afford. I buy basic silhouettes in silk, linen, and cotton.

Clothes are so unpredictable, Sisi, especially shoes. You are right about having to wear a certain outfit that is adequate for the situation but that does not make you happy. This was the case when I had to wear skirted suits. I hated wearing skirted suits. I felt like a poser. I never came off as natural. These days I wear a lot of slacks with nice blouses.

Laughing with Brooklyn and Ledonna N. My casual and social clothes follow exactly the same formula and color scheme as my work clothes … just different pieces. No overlap between the wardrobes whatsoever. I am consistent in what I like. I should note that I have a very tiny wardrobe for very dressy events.

Summer, I wonder if I could add more color to my wardrobe of essentials? I know I’ll be switching bags from Navy to Fuchsia in April. THAT always makes me happy. And I did buy silver shoes that I hope to wear a lot this summer. That should make me extremely happy.

I love reading your comments, Approprio. My wardrobe does boost my confidence through the day. I feel wonder when I feel strong and capable. That first step is getting dressed every morning.

I feel very grateful for everything I have in life. But you are right, I have gotten caught up in a heavy and stressful work load and I may have been negligent in remembering/expressing that gratitude. It is always good to be reminded of how lucky we are in life. Thank you.

Liz, did you see my earlier post about weight gain? Yes. I purged a perfectly GREAT skirt because I gained a little weight. I didn’t even consider whether I could lose that weight or not. Sigh.

Oh!! And do I ever have an inner magpie. I am so drawn to everything that is bright and sparkly!!!! I love looking and touching those things. I just don’t bring them home with me. I am not sure why I always leave them in the store. I think it is because I never feel like me in them (back to poser).

Hi Texstyle. So nice to hear from you. Your advice to “search for pieces in a bright color but in a style I am certain to love” is brilliant. I know what styles I love. Making it a point to find those styles in my bright happy colors should be a mission for me.

Sara L, I do feel happy when I feel safe and capable. Your comment is so on point, that again, I wonder what I was thinking when I drafted my original post.

Robin F. I so glad my post made you think. I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject when you formulate them.

Thanks Bijou. Just switching bags next month should elevate the happiness factor. I’ll be wearing my silver shoes more often too. Perhaps I will make it a point to wear more sparkly and fun jewelry to work (as opposed to my more formal pearls).

Hi Angie. Now that I feel secure in my work essentials, I do feel I can start adding “Sterling Statement Pieces.” AND now that my purchasing fast has ended, I can begin the shopping!!

Lisa P. I mentioned “feeling like a poser” several times while writing these comments. I can love and adore something that is amazingly beautiful, but when I put it on my body, it never feels “like me.” I feel odd.

Ryce!!!! You might have hit upon the source of my feelings of ennui. I very well might be tiring of my winter “uniform.” The longer hours of sunlight may very well be activating my desire for some color. I have been putting away my winter wardrobe and pulling out my summer wardrobe over the course of the March. I have also been doing some shopping to flesh out my summer wardrobe. Orders have been placed. Nothing has arrived yet. I expect to have everything next week. The Finds shows you some of the things I ordered. YAY for me!!

Laughing with JAileen. Yes. I certainly do associate those clothes with work. And work has been both stressful and exhausting this month, which makes me cling all the more to my safe uniform.

I just bought two Eileen Fisher slacks in silk in navy and red, Catseye. They feel luxurious and fabulous on the body. They fit really well. They have a high happiness quotient. I am still working out what tops/shoes I want to coordinate them with.

Sterling i love this post an the spark that inspired it. I enjoy reading the insights and thoughts behind the why we do something.

Joy I would have to say I found myself nodding in agreement. When I left the army I had no clue in what to wear or what looked professional. Trying to establish a professional wadrobe was at the top of my agenda then came my after work wadrobe. This took years slowly but surely in this process I discovered what bright me joy in my wadrobe.

Laughing with Joy over her rule of not buying anything sixth grade girls would wear. I needed a laugh today. I think there can be deep satisfaction and comfort in work clothes.

As I’ve been transitioning my wardrobe from Winter to Summer, I have been evaluating what I already have that I can work with going forward. So no new clothes, Smittie. I have been ordering online to fill out my wardrobe though. The orders have been placed. I should start receiving packages this weekend or early next week. I am excited.

I like Marie Kondo’s concept that not everything had to spark joy. She spoke about being joyful that something served a purpose for you, even if it didn't spark joy directly. Thank you for highlight this point, Barbara Diane. I really like the idea of being happy and content with what works for me.

Gaylene — every single time you write a post, I think to myself “THAT, that is what I was trying to say.” But my words never quite reach the level of expression you have.

I agree with you that “my closet makes me happy when it allows me to get ready in a way which pleases me so I can do the things which DO spark joy in my life. I VALUE my wardrobe because it works for me, but I don't look to my wardrobe to spark joy in my life.” I genuinely think I was trying to say just that this morning, but I couldn’t express it was well as you did.

And Emily K. We aspire to exactly the same wardrobe in life: “perfectly fitting, luxurious, understated clothing that would be unremarkable to all but a ticket to respect among those who know.” THAT wardrobe has been my goal wardrobe since I first became interested in fashion.

I have the self confidence to wear the understated wardrobe I aspire to, just not the budget.

I would love to read a post about feminism and our appearance, Jenni NZ. What am I saying, I NEED to read a post about feminism and our appearance.

Ledonna N. I am so glad you discovered joy in your wardrobe. It shines through in every single post I see of yours. I can't help smiling. AND I want to visit Chicago now because of your posts!!!!

Texstyle -- I know exactly what you mean. I may not have used the term joy or happiness, but if I am feeling down, dressing up really helps to elevate my mood. I reach for different things at different times. Sometimes all I need is a bright lipstick.

THIS. This would spark joy!!! I would LOVE an all fuchsia ensemble. I have been eyeing them all Spring.

*HAPPY DANCE*

It's funny, the feelings I get when I look at my closet. Most of it doesn't spark joy, I don't think. They aren't bright colors that make me smile, but they are muted colors and blues that do make me feel calm. I suppose, in some respect, that calm serene feeling is a decent enough substitute for joy when I open up my closet, at least for me.

Maybe the goal is to feel good rather than joyful. Good seems a bit more sustainable. Or maybe strong, or prepared. These are all positives. That said sometimes my closet does spark joy for me, but I have to be in the mood to receive it.

High happiness factor - or rating how an outfit makes you feel - like "the outfit I wore today was comfortable, and felt like a hug. I think I looked appropriate for the occaision and someone said the colour of my sweater made my eyes look really green = happiness factor 10!" might be a more reasonable way of articulating happiness or lack thereof, with an outfit.

PS: you should def do the fuchsia outfit!

RunCarla -- I think I could pull off an all fuchsia ensemble!!! I am not sure if it is my height or my personality (kinda loud when I am on caffeine). I just know in my heart that it would work for me if the pieces fit well. Poor fit would result in feelings of insecurity.

I want all of my outfits to feel like a "hug!!!" Can you articulate what made your outfit feel like a hug? Was it the fabrication, the fit, or layers?

Interesting Shevia. People do have to be open to messages. I have not been all that open these past couple of weeks. I am changing that today by making a list and focusing on today's tasks, not tasks days, weeks, or even months, in the future.

My wardrobe does make me feel really good. At work I feel prepared and definitely capable. At home I feel engulfed in comfy layers. Is that a hug?

A feeling of serenity is as important as joy, CindySmith. I would love to look at my wardrobe and feel serenity.

Perhaps I feel satisfaction. My wardrobe reflects how much work I put into developing it. I started with a poorly-formed plan when I first came to YLF. I worked incrementally until I reached the point of a workable wardrobe. Yes, that workable wardrobe is heavy on essentials but those essentials are the building blocks I needed to start adding interest. I am now at the point where I can start adding new and interesting pieces.

Thanks Angie. Joining in the Happy Dance.

I ordered the fuchsia ensemble this morning.

What convinced me was that I got to thinking about feeling like a poser. I have a small capsule of dressier outfits for "events." I always feel so uncomfortable wearing my dressier clothing. The clothing are appropriate for the event, but they never feel like me. As a consequence, I never fully relax and enjoy myself.

I could relax in this outfit. Movement. Color. What more could I ask for? It is polyester though. I'll have to see how the polyester feels against my body .....

This has been so interesting, Sterling. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to imagine you in that delicious deep pink! Enjoy, enjoy.

Thank you, Tulle. I have done a great deal of Spring shopping. Everything should arrive by midway through next week. I am so excited at the prospect of comparing everything I bought. For example, I bought this top from BR and something very similar from Landsend. I will only keep one of the two. I'll make my decision based on fit and fabric feel. I am looking for something more fitted and less oversized, in the most sumptuous color I can find.

I'll post my treasures in a separate post next weekend.

I'm happy you bought the fuchsia outfit.

The fuchsia outfit is gorgeous. Wow!

This is such a great post. Before I started dressing the right way for my shape I used to think of my clothes as armor too...I even deliberately tried to wear the same stuff all the time and thought of it as my uniform. Doing this might free up time and money for other things, but how we feel about ourselves is forever too tied up in our appearance (which is like 70% influenced by our clothes at least, in my opinion)...so it makes way more sense to focus on what we LIKE and what brings us joy.

The Vince Cameo top came on Saturday. It is substantial (in a good way) and well made.

I ordered my normal size. Perhaps I should have sized down because the top was overly large around the arm holes. I could have lived with that because my bra not exposed.

The odd thing was that the arm holes were wide and stood out from my body in a pointed way. I considered washing it to see if it laid back against the body, but if I washed it I couldn't return it. So back it went.

It is quite pink. It is not what I would call fuchsia (although the colors do look very similar below).

I don't know what this means for the pants. I am still hopeful they might work for me.

Armhole issues....boo! I have to be very particular about fit around the arms and this is too common a problem

What a shame! On the model it drapes so nicely and lies flat against the shoulders--but of course we can't see the line of clips that may be cinching it at the back . . .

I get that with armholes a lot. It's sometimes possible to have them taken in especially on a sleeveless garment. I wonder if a size down would have worked. I always send it back when it does this, though, so I absolutely understand.