Keep or Pass Along? - YouLookFab Forum

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Keep or Pass Along?

Windchime

Veteran

I’ve mentioned here several times that it’s especially difficult for me to make Keep/Pass On decisions about items which are still in good condition and fit well but for some reason I’ve become lukewarm about. Here is an example of just such an item.

I bought this Banana Republic blouse in 2015. For the first couple years, I adored it and wore it every chance I could—casually with jeans, and for work with dress pants and skirts. Maybe I wore it too much and got tired of it because this past winter, I was “off” it. I only wore it once or twice and didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I used to. I have some newer blouses which I tended to reach for instead.

It still fits well and is in excellent condition.

I’d be interested in knowing what other Fabbers think. Should I try it again next fall? Or is it time to pass it on?

Banana Republic

Printed Ruffle-Front Blouse

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General

21 replies

Latest reply was from Sally B

Runcarla

Veteran

Is it a year 'round top, or just for winter? If you see it as a winter only top, set it aside and re-evaluate when next winter comes around. Reconsider it in light of F/W trends, new colourways, and new items you might add to your closet. If you aren't into it at the start of F/W 2019 - pass it along.

It looks like a classic piece that would work with camel or yellow (trending now) or white.

SarahD8

Veteran

Can you style it in a new way — maybe in a different silhouette/outfit formula or in a new color combo?

Can you identify anything about those newer blouses that makes you like them more? (Maybe their colors are clearer, or the necklines different, etc.) just wondering if you can pinpoint why this top isn’t doing it for you anymore.

Joy

Veteran

It seems like it is time to pass it on and make room for something new..

Sal

Veteran

I like it but I also know the feeling. If it is the right temperature to wear now I would make myself wear it in a good outfit and evaluate how you feel. If you feel blah I would pass on.

I sometimes put things in a small holding zone and reevaluate a year later. 80% they get passed on - 20% get kept and worn regularly.

Eliza

Veteran

I have come to expect more churn from pieces that are a print, yet I like to have a few for every season. Apart from a rare special top, I tend to not invest heavily in prints, which helps me when I tire of them and want to pass them on.

Jane

Veteran

Its a nice top. But I think it has done well and it sounds like you are ready to move it on.

Gigi

Veteran

I would try it again next fall and see how it goes. If you still don't want to wear it, then I would pass it on.

I always give my items a couple of years before passing them on, because sometimes you just need a break and will want to return to them. I had a couple of summer tops from AT that I wore occasionally (not a lot) after purchasing, and then the next summer, I didn't wear them at all. I considered selling them on consignment but thought I would wait one more season. Well, the next summer came around, and they were workhorses. I wore them lots. I suspect I will do the same this summer. Our clothing choices can be very fickle!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I’m still trying to do the #30 wears thing. It sounds like you have probably already worn this that much. My concern is more if I tire of things before that sort of level of wear. For me they are usually older than the 3-4 years of this top of yours. If I feel they’ve had fair wear and I’m now tired of them I feel OK about passing them on even if excellent condition. In last year’s big edit the items ranged from 1990s to 2017 purchases. Most had plenty of wears but at least 2 were mistakes on my part with only 10 wears, both from 2016. My favoured coloured top from 2011, for instance, had I think 36 wears, still looked good, excellent condition, not dated. Good NZ brand. I was just sick of it. I think that’s OK. 2011-2018, it was 8 years of looking at it!
I like Gigi’s advice just above me though. Sometimes we can be fickle and if we wait a bit we may favour something again?

Mainelady

Veteran

Does the top still make you happy? Can you imagine a time you might want to reach for it and regret not having it? If the answers are “yes”, then keep for a year. If the answers are “no”, it is time to share it.

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Trust your eye! Sounds like you’re done with it.

Anonymous

Seconding Mainelady. Is there any situation you'd choose it over another blouse? Also, did your life or coloring change since then, so now it's not as good as before on you? Did you pass on support acts you loved with it?

RobinF

Veteran

Sounds like it has gotten good use. I would probably hang onto it another season and then pass on if it still doesn't get worn.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Pass on.

Anonymous

I agree with Angie. I remember this blouse - and while pretty, it's had it's moment in fashion I tossed two BR blouses this past weekend for just that reason.

Windchime

Veteran

Thanks, everyone! I’m going to pass it along; hopefully someone else will receive some joy from it. Just writing about it here has helped me process the decision; I can be so ambivalent at times!

SUNTIGER and SARAHD8, I don’t know what changed; it’d be an easier decision if I could pinpoint something like “ruffles aren’t in style anymore.” I just know that I don’t feel as confident about my style when I wear this blouse as I do when I wear some other things.

Interestingly, I have a tweed moto jacket which is even older than the blouse. I wore that a lot at first, too, and then it languished in my closet, mostly unworn, for two winters. All of a sudden I fell back in love with it this past winter, and now I’m really glad I didn’t pass it along. These keep/pass decisions are not always clear, are they?!

Printed tweed moto jacket

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Lesley

Veteran

Definitely trust yourself when there's that little part of yourself that feels a little disappointed when you slip on an old piece and it's just not that exciting anymore. It can be helpful to try to nail down the "why"... it can be that it's not so comfortable, pulls in places, doesn't go as well with the items you wear it with as you would have hoped, you're just sick of it... because knowing why will hopefully help guide future purchases.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I’m happy for you it helped to discuss it here. That has worked for me in the past. Sometimes in the past I have regretted passing something on, but not often, since I fall more to the side of holding on too long-though at least holding on is not causing terrible environmental issues with the loads of too-quickly-churned-through fast fashion. I hope you have a nice charity shop to donate to where someone in your own community may get to enjoy it?

Windchime

Veteran

JENNI NZ, yes, we have a lot of thrift and consignment stores here.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Yay. Hopefully it won't make its way to Africa then along with all the fast-fashion cast-offs.

Glory

Veteran

Since I struggle with letting items go my heart would say keep until fall and reassess. However my head says pass it on now.

Sally B

Pass it on for something new and fresh.