I'm doing better than I thought.

I had so much shopping frustration earlier in the season that I didn't think I was getting anywhere. And now the focus seems to be Fall already...maybe that's just NAS, but I was actually told in one store that sandals are past season. This was in early July! Anyway, I was ready to write off summer again and just give up.

Two things made me re-think. The first was a small purge made my closet much more pretty to look at. Then I counted up what is new that I actually kept and wear and that was eye-opening. I returned so much I thought I was failing, but really, I kept 11 tops and 2 pairs of pants. Plus one dress I'm on the fence about. That's not so bad.

The second thing was realizing I'm actually pretty happy with what I'm wearing each day. The pants are a 9 on the happiness scale and the tops range from 5 to 9. I'm a long way from wow and I'm not turning any heads, but that is definite progress. It isn't a wardrobe of standout pieces or things that make weeks worth of varied outfits, like certain of you fabulous ladies I admire, but I feel decent, and that is better than I felt before.

Thanks YLF!

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

That is fantastic news, Peri!! Really great.

I am sure you look a whole lot better than you think, too.

I share your amazement about summer items being "past due" in mid-July. This is my first year shopping the NAS and my first year being able to focus as far ahead as fall. I think a person's wardrobe has to be in a good place already and style direction has to be pretty set before it's possible to plan so far ahead. It was meaningless to me my first two years here, and even now I suspect I may make some colossal errors.

I am also a big believer in a good purge to help us see what is really there. I did something very similar shortly after joining YLF and discovered that while I had more holes than wardrobe, the clothes that were left actually fit well and made me pretty happy. I couldn't create great ensembles, maybe (I was lacking great accessories and standout pieces....still a work in progress, by the way) but I did have some well fitting essentials in flattering colours and I felt good about that.

It sounds as if you are well on your way!

Have you worn the EF dress yet or is that the one you are on the fence about?

Thistle

Fantastic news!!

I am with you on sometimes feeling like you are striking out a lot. For me, it is because I do 95% of my shopping on line, so there are more returns rather than just not taking them out of the dressing room!

I have to remind myself it is a journey not a race, and we are constantly rolling along and evolving out style

DonnaF

Great! That's a lot of tops. Interested minds (well, actually fussy feet) want to know what type of sandals you had in mind. Now is the time to find them on sale. Do you know how Sanita fits? I have this one on my Amazon wish list:
http://www.amazon.com/Sanita-W.....#038;psc=1
I think we have similar or at least kindred problem feet but I don't know what will work and this one seemed more fashionable than others with a clog type sole.

shedev

I'm happy the purge helped you see the good in your closet. I'm ready to cross some things off my fall list but the stores in Cleveland still are doing summer.

Peri

Thanks Suz and Thistle. I like that...a journey, not a race. When I say not wow, I think I'm feeling a lack of polish that comes from still trying to figure out my style. So many times things I was drawn to looked bad on me and things that looked good just didn't feel like me. So that's the journey...and also that shopping is just really hard! But the things I kept and feel good to wear meet a lot of my needs...cool for the sweltering heat, casual and comfortable, and decently pretty.

Yes, the EF dress is on the fence. Dress occasions are few and far between for me, and if that polka dot dress that got a lot of board love is okay for the wedding, the EF dress may be unnecessary.

Donna, the sandals that were sold out were Alegria Kleo. I did get Alegria Verona...the last pair through Amazon. They are more dressy (for what they are) than the Kleos but slightly less rocker.

I have looked at the Sanitas but was told they are basically Dansko but tend to run more narrow, which is the exact opposite of what I would need. Anyway, the hardness of Dansko makes them less usable for me because I need major cushioning. I find the Alegria much more foot friendly for me. Neither is possible for daily life, but for certain occasions...like the coming wedding...where I absolutely have to ditch the sneakers, the Alegrias are tolerable. Of course, they look even less cool than dansko. But the Veronas have some beading that I am telling myself makes them look okay!

Caro in Oz

That's great news Peri & I think your reflections show you know the difference between okay & great - which imo the hardest part
Now it's just a matter of finding the 10s

Anonymous

Well, moving from awful to ok is the hardest part --- then refining ok to I love everything! is a second hurdle. But you've come so far!

Elly

Hey Peri-- congrats on your revelations!

IDK if I've mentioned this before, but my very favorite "comfort" shoes are similar to a Dansko, but they have major sneaker cushioning. The brand is Klogs, and it is available on Zappos. I work standing on concrete and steel mesh and have a history of foot problems and they work for me, as well as for my mother who is a school teacher with a past back injury and surgery who has wide feet and is plus-size.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Way to go, Peri! It's great to hear about your progress.

Susie

I think that is very encouraging progress! I'm sure that feels good.

Mellllls

great!

Beth Ann

Sometimes a closet clean out reveals more than the back wall! So glad to hear you're feeling more confident and a sense of accomplishment. I find that sometimes I have to live into the changes I've just made before I can move into the next stage. Feeling good in what you wear? Well, enjoy it for a while! The next steps will present themselves soon enough?

Good luck on the sandal hunt.

amiable

Way to go! Isn't it great when you can see the progress?!

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