@ Vicki, that's exactly it: I want to be wearing favourites, no matter the occasion.
I have to add that I have never seen you looking less than fab. You have high fabness standards, I think.
@ Shevia, purging the "also rans" was the first step for me. Even so, I am still not styling the good stuff I am left with in an optimal way. Asking myself why I don't do this has been edifying.
@ krishnidoux and Caro, this thread has touched on some tender spots and I am humbled by the wisdom and honesty of the responses.
@ Deborah, get out, (said in my best Aussie accent) you always look a million bucks! Penny

My distraction is your number one, Lantana. I really "live" on the East Coast, close to New York, not in the horsey and dusty suburbs of Los Angeles. "East" is how I dress! If I get too creative or expressive with my dressing here, I usually get a comment or two about "being so dressed up." But I am just not slouchy, ugg boots or RATE. So my distraction is afraid of being an alien in my own environment.

The size of my wardrobe is a distraction. I try to keep it edited, but I still walk in there sometimes and go, "ugh, where's those boyfriend jeans and flats again."

Sometimes fashion saturation is distracting. I wonder how it would be if I didn't read fashion mags or blogs but once a season. What if I only chose one trend to test in a season instead of three?

My goal of wearing something that I've made each day that I work (since I work selling sewing machines and teaching sewing classes at the store).
What this means is that a lot of the fun clothes I buy that would be work-appropriate (not too casual and not jeans) don't get worn as often as I might like, because I can't figure out how to pair them with something I've made.
I can related to all of unfrumped's distractions, too.

This is a fascinating thread! My only distraction nowadays is that I own so many clothes that I love that individual pieces don't get repeated terribly frequently.

But about 3 years ago, before I consciously decided to get dressed everyday, my distractions were thinking I needed to be in lounge clothes unless I left the house. And I didn't leave the house terribly often, so my regular clothes just sat there, being neglected, while I struggled with trying to find lounge wear that made me feel good. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realise I could just wear clothes everyday, even if I was staying at home and not going to see anyone else!

At the risk of bragging a little, I don't really have this problem in a big way now I am working. I like wearing dresses and more structured clothes, and my work wardrobe is pretty small, so I get to wear everything pretty often (only for 4 days a week, as I have casual fridays)
In a small way, I have things unworn at times because they need drycleaning/washing/ironing/ mending and don't wear my heels as much as I'd like do to sore legs.

Coming here via Deborah's latest thread.
Loved reading this too Penny!
I used to buy too many 'Fantasy Life' dresses, and they sat unworn waiting for 'Occasions'. I realised that I just didn't want to wear dressy-dresses, so I purged and stopped buying them.
I now have a handful of fairly casual dresses that hang in a separate wardrobe. I tend to keep them for Dining out, parties and celebrations, and this works for me.
I also make sure that I change throughout the day from walking/exercise gear.
My going-out stuff is still more on the comfortable side than stiff and structured, and this encourages me to wear more often.
I like to add belts alot now, and at the end of the day I remove them as well as jewelry and shoes, rather than changing back into gear again.
I agree that having just too much can create distraction from wearing 10's too, and I am much more aware of this whilst shopping now.
We are all learning through your honesty and open-ness here. Ta!