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I'm alive! And paring down

Christina F.

Veteran

Hi all! I have been lurking around since I use Finds to organize stuff, but haven't been active. I've been very busy with new creative endeavors, plus work has been even more insane than usual.

I now basically officially work from home full-time since our amount of office space was decreased due to budget cuts. (Hard time to be a nonprofit.) I had not been going in much anyway.

So am also in the middle of seriously reevaluating my existing wardrobe since I don't significantly leave the house most days anymore - anywhere I go is mostly on foot. Walks, grocery shopping, Pilates, etc. I go out farther afield for social purposes 2-3 times a week, and most of those are fairly casual. I am trying to shop less, which is easier now since my hyperfixations in life have moved elsewhere from fashion to a great extent.

My pants and jeans are getting tight due to more muscle but not so much lost fat. This is an easy place to pare down right away but cutting the uncomfortable stuff, but I have to make sure enough comfy options remain, because it turns out that working in sweatpants does nothing for my mental acuity. I need to wear jeans or pants, but they need to be comfy (very stretchy denim, ponte, etc).

Otherwise, I have too many shoes, light jackets, and other work-appropriate wear. I am thinking gradual attrition is the way to go since I have space overall. The one thing I will keep a lot of is sweaters, since I need from October-May and I get bored if I wear the same few all the time. I still have too many summer dresses, but I don't mind wearing those to wfh and they make me happy.

Anyway, I know many of you have been through a similar transition so please feel free to offer wisdom, though I am also just saying hi and that I hope you're all well!

Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from unfrumped

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Nice to see you! Curious about your new creative interests (if you want to share off topic.)

Based on my own experience, I suspect it will take about a year before you figure out what's still needed/ wanted and what is not. I think it makes sense to hang on to what fits/ what you like in the meantime, if you have storage, perhaps making it a goal to evaluate items by category over a season by wearing them and seeing how much you still enjoy them (or don't).

My WFH wardrobe has also changed a bit. I used to wear jeans almost exclusively during fall/ winter. While I still love my jeans and wear them multiple times a week, more often now I wear my dress pants! I find they are polished and comfy. They are cropped and full length (the Wit and Wisdom ones are full length on me). Easy to wash (I wash all of these in the machine on delicate). I wear them out for my walks/ errands, too, at least most of the time.

I think my coats have become increasingly important as my need for my beloved jackets has decreased. I need to get out every day and for a substantial period of time, so I also need coats for every weather! So you might find that is a slight wardrobe hole.

Wit & Wisdom 'Ab'Solution Skyrise Wide Leg Pants

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8

Wit & Wisdom 'Ab'Solution Skyrise Plaid Wide Leg Ponte Pants

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Enamel Ring Pants

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Banana Republic

Siena Slim Wool Ankle Pant

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AJ

Veteran

Glad to hear from you! Thanks for the update.

Would adding colorful scarves and fun necklaces help keep the rotation of sweaters fresh?

Dee

Veteran

Although I’m retired now, I think the process of letting go of pieces from your wardrobe is probably similar to transitioning to full time WFH. I hung onto to some items for way too long, before finally admitting I no longer needed them anymore.
I get the idea that wearing jeans or pants as a fashion signal that your working, but funny enough I just posted about experimenting with a wide leg sweatpants outfit and whether I felt pulled together enough wearing it or not.

Sal

Veteran

Nice to see you Christina. I am pleased you have some interesting new hobbies.
Always fun to start new things!

I agree - gradual attrition is a good way to go. There are often some obvious contenders to eliminate - but I wouldn’t rush if you have space. I used to work from home most of the time and now I work from the office most of the time.

I too don’t like to work from home in trackpants etc unless it’s a strategy to go to the gym in the middle of the day!

Jules

Veteran

Nice to hear from you! Opposite experience on my end as we are back at the office 3 days a week and I had to build a current wardrobe in my current size.

Carol

(website)

Veteran

I am very much in the throes of working full-time--I am 43. That being said, I also notice I do not need a lot of stuff.

If I were in your situation I think what I'd ideally do is remove anything from my wardrobe that is not completely flattering. What you add can be up to you. Because I am like a lot of Americans where I keep an old set of joggers because they are comfy, a hat because it's useful but not the right fit, etc. We need to get rid of these things.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Good to hear from you! Gaining muscle is the most important thing - congrats on that. I am still out and about for at least part of the day, and downsizing is not really my forte, so I will leave it at that .

Christina F.

Veteran

Hi Suz! I have been very involved in a fandom and writing fanfic after years of resisting writing - who knew? Inspired by you, I changed to some of my dressier but comfy pants today, and you're right - very comfy.

AJ -If I could remember to put them on! I have a bad habit of rolling out of reading in bed to work with very little transition time.

Dee - I think sweatpants can be polished, and certainly joggers can. I just need them to be different pants than the ones I wear in the evening mostly, if that makes sense. Helps signals to my brain a shift in what I am doing.

Sal, I don't like to either in general - Athleta has some pants that are comfy but can look dressy enough, good for travel. I am thinking

Jules - bummer. I wish they would let people work from home (unless you prefer not to of course).

Carol- that is my strategy in part because my body shape is subtly changing over time, and things that worked six months ago are now too tight, etc.

Hi Jaime! Nice to hear from you anyway. Downsizing is not my fote either, but I have been managing to get rid of more than I bring in. I will still have something of the magpie in me, but I am browsing store websites less, which is good.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Good to here from you again!

Here to help you navigate your wardrobe due to an evolved lifestyle. I’ve done quite a bit with that with clients

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Nice to see you again!

I hear you about increases in fitness but it not exactly translating to clothes fitting looser! Pilates is great for me, though, and I applaud your new routine!

I hear you on changing/decreasing wardrobe requirements and a lessened desire to shop for clothes. So far this year I have bought a new winter coat, and a lightweight, long-sleeved Vuori tee. That's it. So if I keep it up, I'll be on track for one item a month! And I've been doing some very loose and emotional editing as the mood hits me. I have a pile of nice things to sell, when I get some other projects finished.

I am also focusing on wearing my stuff -- figuring out how to get some use out of beloved pieces that are not getting worn much in the post-pandemic era. That's been a little fun, to shop my closet and rediscover old pieces. My husband has even commented on some of them -- it's been so long since I wore them, he didn't even recognize them!

No real wisdom to impart, just relating to where you are and wishing you good luck!

Bijou

Veteran

Having been through something similar myself, I started working from home in Oct 2021, Suz’s advice is excellent give yourself time to work out what you want to wear on a day to day basis. I don’t wear leisure wear at home because wearing more dressy clothes get me into a work mood, and I am less likely to be distracted into doing housework during work hours.

I have now been wearing nicer casual clothes and dress to please myself.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Hi Christina,nice to hear from you.Sounds like you are very similar clothes wise to me now ,mainly home based,casual and comfy.l too am graduallyoffloading a lot of now unnecessary excess in my wardrobe but it’s a slow process .l think that’s probably a good thing,a mindful decluttering.l hope your decluttering goes well.

April

Veteran

CF, good to see you!

I recently found a company called Wink Scrubs that makes pants that are not classically scrub-like, if that makes sense, but are very comfortable. Sort of a tech fabric, pull on waist, pockets.

ETA: check out the polished knit pants from M.M.LaFleur.

unfrumped

Veteran

Good luck with transitions and closet editing!

I think it does have similarities to my retirement wardrobe transition— which is still a work in progress, BTW!

Just randomly— I seem to live lightweight jackets also and had, still do, too many — both a space issue and a, don’t have enough times to wear them all. I was a duplicater also, of favorite styles or similar ons, in different colors.
Gradually have been able to “ see” which ones weren’t as useful & cull some.

I really need to focus on those “ percent time doing what” charts, because I still don’t like to admit what a small % of time I do things for which a tailored, coordinated, or slightly dressy outfit is appropriate. I need SOME, and can justify different seasons items, but not so much.

The other thing is, I kept shopping as though I needed items in these lesser categories, then since I liked the items, had trouble getting rid of any.

But, I often was not as rigorous in evaluating the actual outfit options ( partly because didn’t have as much times to road-test them for real) , so still had a wardrobe hole for a particular item or ensemble look that was REALLY what I wanted to wear.

Also, I often can still identify a wardrobe hole, but these are often HEWI’s, either truly or because they require a lot of online searching or ordering from companies I’m not familiar with, and sizing/shipping/ return issues— so I avoid having a list, being more intentional, and instead may add things that are just easier to find but don’t make a big impact.

So I think it’s good if you are getting very intentional about, what are 3-4 great “ WFH” looks , what is a great after-5:00 “ polished comfy loungewear” look, what slightly upgraded outfits are for meeting friends, etc.