I had to stop myself from writing an essay about this on the original forum post about the impact that the Coronavirus COVID-19 has had on our style goals. Haha oops!

Truth be told, I've been quietly working away on this since before the virus, due to the protests that have forced me to WFH (Work From Home) since Oct/ Nov 2019, actually. I've therefore been putting off on updating the forum about this because it's still a WIP (Work in Progress) with the ongoing situation. But I figured it would make more sense to instead post about all of this style goals/ closet cleanout malarkey all rolled into one mammoth post, which I update as I go along. So here goes (consider yourself warned!)

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My wardrobe is in the middle of our flat's corridor. It has only one hanging rail & just about enough space to store shoe-box-sized containers underneath the railing (pyjamas are stored in bins in the bedroom & shoes are on a wooden rack).

My first goal was to colour-coordinate my closet, which I've done on the railing (for blouses, long dresses & anything too delicate or silky to fold) but which has led me to discover that my closet is too dark & deep to also have my 'shoe box' clothes in a rainbow formation (once I can going to furniture shops again, I'll buy low-volume, slide-out drawers for this instead).

Hence my next goal, which is to standardise my clothing silhouettes within my colours, so that I can grab them from the 'shoe box' containers quickly (without stooping to check I have the right item). The protests were already wearing away at my energy to spend too long 'getting ready', so the virus has just amplified this priority.

My virus-/ protest-induced priorities, therefore, are making sure that my clothing is:

- Breathable (viscose on a case by case basis),
- Machine washable (I never tumble dry & always use a gentle wash, so I'm willing to take a chance on silks or other traditionally 'dry clean only' clothing)
- Colourfast (this is a big one when you like to wear bright colours (like me) I don't mind hand washing the first time, but after that it's time for you to fly the nest & join your machine washable buddies!)
- Non-iron (or at least most creases & wrinkles disappear from hanging - bye bye linen!)
- Opaque (don't want the outline of my bra or belly button visible!)
- Modest by my standards (means fully covered except for the hands, feet, face, neck/ decolletage, forearms & ankles. Some layering pieces are ok (often tops, or scarves to ensure my neckline doesn't bow out too much when I bend over in front of my students) but I realise that I start to become overwhelmed if I introduce too many different pieces into one outfit.)
- Saturated (biggest offenders of this are my neutrals, because I need them to be dark enough to help 'anchor' my deep Autumn colouring - 'washed' instead of inky black, & 'midtone khaki' instead of deep olive drive me batty!)
- Reasonably priced (this is of course subjective, but I'm realising that we unfortunately no longer live in an era where paying more will guarantee higher quality garments. The usual suspects for this are blouses that look expensive but turn out to be 100% polyester - or, even worse, ACRYLIC! My skin is sadly too sensitive to deal with either.)
- Easy to run/ move about in (hence my need for flat footwear (bar some comfy block heels for special occasions) & for bottoms that don't drag on the ground (even my maxi skirts are worn high-waisted, at the 'new' @Angie approved ankle length).

I already needed this to a certain extent when teaching (not getting your skirt hem stuck in wheelie chairs!), but I've unfortunately also had a few traumatic experiences recently, where I'll be outside & suddenly the police start throwing tear gas or other chaos erupts. They've arrested bystanders before (even an ex-cop), so I don't feel like sticking around to see if I'll be next!

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Within these silhouettes, I plan to only stick to 'a few' key shades (I really like colours, so this is not as restricted as some of you may expect, haha):

*SEASON: Neutral/ Main/ Accent*
(I've used this split to help visualise possible colour combinations, but I'm not really rigid about the categories)

- SPRING: Deep olive/ Watermelon/ Ecru & Kelly green
- SUMMER: Inky navy/ Saffron & terracotta/ Teal
- FALL: Chocolate brown/ Orange & yellow/ Chartreuse lime
- WINTER: Deep purple/ Emerald green/ Burgundy

(PS - I have some black that I'm making into a going out/ casual party capsule wardrobe, but that's it. Don't want it to be my main neutral anymore!)

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Finally, in terms of the standardised silhouettes I'd like for my clothing, going forward:

High-waisted Bottoms:

- Wide-legged/ Palazzo pants (not too heavy, polyester chiffon is ok)

- Smooth-waistband trousers (either straight-legged, bootcut or even thick leggings. Belt loops are acceptable but pockets that DON'T bow out on my hips are a bonus!)

- Maxi tube skirts (stretchy jersey, good for layering so I honestly don't need too many of these)

- Pleated maxi skirts (more for work, since they're forgiving but also easier to tuck tops into)

- Fishtail maxi skirts (probably only need 1 or 2 for very formal occasions - recently discovered that the trumpet/ mermaid shape really suits my figure, but ideally with a short peplum on top)

Long to 3/4 Sleeved tops:

- 100% cotton/ breathable boatneck tops (rounded necklines are good too, so long as they're not too low)

- Pussybow blouses (so long as the buttons don't start too low down)

- 'Interesting' dresses or tops (this leaves room for a few wild cards, like an interesting roll or funnel neck, bell or dolman sleeves, & a peplum or wrap waist. Includes (printed) maxi dresses!)

Layering pieces:

- Sleeveless tank tops (with a high enough neckline. Includes t-shirts)

- Sleeveless tunics (long enough to be worn with slimmer bottoms)

- Cardigans & Toppers (either Longline or cropped. Includes kimonos/ dusters/ blazers/ sleeveless gilets/ shirt dresses)

- Scarves (rectangular & in diaphanous materials rather than too solid)

Accessories:

- Jewellery (chunky necklaces & dangly earrings for everyday, big studs with a cocktail ring for parties)

- Belts (thin fabric tie for casual use, leather for work & metal for formal use)

- Socks! (Solid colour cotton/ bamboo for casual, no-show nude peep socks for work & formal)

- Bags (crossbody for most of the time to be honest (even convertible clutches lol!) + backpack for work/ travel)

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Lastly come the miscellaneous bits & bobs:

Basics:
- Underwear (bras & slip shorts)

- Pyjamas (see my WFH outfits haha)

- Hoisery (tights & leggings)

- Heattech (long John's or tees)

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Specifics:

- Beach gear (bikini + wetsuit + swim shoes + tote bag)

- Hot weather gear (rain poncho (risk of typhoon showers)/ umbrella + sandals)

- Hiking gear (hiking boots/ sandals + long lightweight pants + breathable tops with rollable sleeves + sun hat + moisture wicking socks + backpack )

- Cold weather gear (beret or beanie + touchscreen gloves + knee-high boots + ankle booties + blanket scarf + coat)

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That's it - my entire wardrobe. Whew! I don't expect you to have read this far (this is more for my own reference, to keep myself accountable) but kudos if you have!