Next Leg of Style Journey - YouLookFab Forum

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Next Leg of Style Journey

Anonymous

The following text appears in an earlier post.

When I first came to YLF, I had a severely bloated closet with no rhyme or reason that reflected a lot of sales shopping and impulse buying.

Since joining YLF, I ruthlessly edited my wardrobe. I developed capsules based on activity and sometimes color. I learned to stop shopping sales all together. I am serenely happy with my wardrobe at this moment.

While I was reading comments from other Forum Members, it occurred to me that shopping fasts/purchasing fasts had their purpose in my style journey. They helped me overcome my sales shopping addiction. That behavior is under control so there is no benefit in continuing to implement shopping fasts, unless I just don't feel the urge to shop. And right now I am not shopping because I feel satisfied with my wardrobe. No identifiable holes.

BUT what I would benefit from is a strict One In - One Out policy. I have toyed with this in the past, but I was not strict and I kinda skewed the limits of the policy until the policy itself was worthless. A One In - One Out strategy seems the next logical step in my style journey.

A note. I have to be much more strict and rigid than other Forum Members because when I stretch or loosen the boundaries of my challenge, I effectively disarm it. My wardrobe should be at a point where I can do one top in - one top out. Not something like one top in - a pair of lounging pants out. Trust me. That does not work to control bloat.

Shopping

19 replies

Latest reply was from

Style Fan

Veteran

This sounds like a good plan. What a great place to be in your wardrobe!

Chris987

Veteran

Your success is impressive! How long did it take you to get to the happy place once you joined ylf?

Suz

(website)

Veteran

That makes sense, Sterling. i do the looser "does it fit in my closet" sort of in-out policy...it amounts to one-in-one-out in overall numbers quite naturally, but it does mean I sometimes get heavy or light in one category or another.

Another way of figuring it all out is via outfit creation. This is what I need to do soon because while my overall numbers are not bloated and not thin, I notice I am struggling to make outfits with some items. It's about proportions -- I have a lot of tops, for instance, but not the right tops to work with the newer higher rise bottoms.

Anonymous

Chris -- I do things in life incrementally. I define small, achievable goals. Tiny victories that spur me on the next goal.

I think I have been a part of the YLF community for ~three years. I might have read the Forum before that (but not as a participant or a member). I can't say for sure.

So I am going to say it took me three full years to achieve the result I have today. Each of those three years had a clearly defined personal goal. After completing each goal, a follow-on goal just magically presented itself.

I do exactly the same thing in my work and home life. Tiny achievable goals .... that I actually put in writing so I don't lose sight of them.

One last thing. I learn A LOT just by reading posts on the Forum and Angie's Blog. Although I might not realize I am absorbing information and learning at the time, that information seems to come forward when I need it later in life. Thus, magic.

Suz -- THAT is key. I have frequently noticed that when a change occurs either in top/bottom, pieces have to be added to the wardrobe to make the new item workable. That was a HUGE observation and one I consider prior to trying new trends because sometimes it is much more of a commitment than I originally thought.

Thank you, Style Fan. As always, your voice encourages me on my path forward. Without encouragement, I would have abandoned so many plans in life.

Staysfit

Veteran

Congratulations! It's nice to hear the about the success of your efforts. I love your use of the word "serene" to describe your level of content with your current wardrobe. It's tricky sorting out a maintenance plan. I think it depends a lot on what you have learned about your character over the past three years. I am also prone to closet bloat, and strict, item to item, one in one out policy was something I tried, but failed. I admire your self knowledge in identifying this as the appropriate system. I also think that setting small achievable goals is the way to get things accomplished. I have enjoyed following along as you have posted about your journey. I am happy for you, and wish you continued success with your wardrobe.

anchie

Veteran

Yes, one in - one out is the next logical step. I struggled with this at first, but because I am number oriented , I now have a plan how to do it.
I have split my whole wardrobe in the 8 capsules, 4 for spring/summer and 4 for fall/winter. One of 4 in season is casual, other 3 are for the office. Each capsule will have 7 tops, 3 toppers, 5 bottoms, 1 dress, 4 pair of shoes, 2 handbags, 2 scarfs and 2 outerwear items. So, for example, it means that I need 56 tops. Then I have split this 56 tops into categories - 5 blouses, 5 shirts, 36 sweaters and 10 t-shirts and assigned each item to a capsule. So now if I already have 10 t-shirts and I want to get the new one, I have to let go one t-shirt. But the new t-shirts also needs to fit in the same capsule as the old one. And hopefully over time I will also improve cohesiveness of each capsule.

I just hope that I don't sound too crazy

Joy

Veteran

Sterling, I need to be strict with the one in-one out policy too. Like you, I was just using the empty hanger when buying so that a jacket may be the one out and a summer top be the one in.
Like Suz, proportions are my downfall. When I came to YLF, I found that most all my tops were ok for pants, but not for skirts. So began a collection of skirt tops and one for pants. Now I am enjoying new proportion challenges with higher waists and tunic/ dress over pants.
Anchie, you have a good plan. What if you want to start a new capsule? Such as change a neutral? Do you plan to replace an older one?
I think my best solution is to have a small enough wardrobe that I wear everything out in one season and buy a whole new capsule to update.
Problem is, I'm frugal and don't think I could spend that much money each season, although it would probably end up about the same.
With the one in-one out system I need a plan. When I have tried this in the past, I cannot find the replacement I need/want and go down the rabbit hole of place fillers...a disaster.
I am very happy with my current wardrobe, but it is too large for my space.

Anonymous

Staysfit -- Your post made my entire day. It has been a really long, hard week and just a few kind words made my headache ease considerably.

Anchie -- your system is admirable. Something I definitely should be working toward. Note that Joy had some questions for you in her post below yours.

Hi Joy. We'll see how I do with the One In - One Out. I hope there are no rabbit holes in the my future, but we shall see.

Anonymous

I think one-in-one-out is a good idea for people with a solid working wardrobe like yours. I look forward to hearing how it works out for you.

I do understand why you want some clearer rules because there is always a tendency to bend them or reinterpret them if they are not clear. I am doing a hard budget this year, and that is my "clear rule".

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

*Nodding* with all the comments. I like plan and order and rigor but have not applied any system to my closet. My wardrobe is not as complete as is yours, so I'm not quite ready for this stage. I did find Anchie's previous post ( https://youlookfab.com/welookf.....-numbers-2 ) to be fascinating. Before "freezing" my wardrobe numbers, I'd probably apply her formula to my wardrobe just to see if the numbers jive with what I'm seeing/reaching-for on a daily basis.

Anonymous

Thank you for finding, Anchie's post, Emily. My searching skills leave something to be desired. I should re-read it again given this new path forward.

Hi Smittie -- have a hard and fast budget is one of the most important rules in life. Although many of my friends have chaffed at the word "budget," those boundaries have always made me feel secure.

And yes, I couldn't have implemented One In - One Out earlier than today. Perhaps that was why I failed the last time I tried? I hadn't quite reached a solid wardrobe. yet.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

At this time my plan is supposed to be: Not so many in, and far more than that out! Because the house is still groaning under the weight of my clothing and shoes. My wardrobe is not a walk in just a double closet built in the year 2000 when we renovated.

anchie

Veteran

Joy, I am basing each capsule on one neutral, so for winter one navy, one gray and 2 black (one for office, one casual). And for summer one white, one gray and 2 navy (work and casual). Each capsule will also have few items in complementary accent colors. While i expect that this accent colors will change over time and I am actually still decading on colors, I really doubt that my neutrals will change. So I hope to have in each capsule some good quality essentials in neutrals with high longevity potential, and then some fun pieces that will be refreshed more frequently. This approach does not mean that I will wear together only items from the same capsule, but it is just to help me visualize my needs better and to plan my purchases to achieve balance and cohesion in my wardrobe. I am just starting with this and it will take few seasons to get to the place where I want to be, but I think I will enjoy the process.

Joy

Veteran

Anchie, thank you for the explanation. That makes sense. I have tried and failed in the past to limit my colors, including neutrals. It is time to get serious and try again.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I'm so happy you're at this point, Sterling. Being ready to implement one-in-one-out must mean you're at a really happy point with your wardrobe, and the seasonal shopping strategy was a success! Now, you can evaluate what goes at the beginning of each season, and make a shopping list to replace in the same category. Sounds perfect! With every iteration, you'll make your wardrobe even more functional and satisfying.

I don't practice one-in-one-out, but my wardrobe size seems to settle naturally, and I've been better recently about purchasing "fewer but better." The higher the quality items I buy, the less I find myself tempted by more, more, more.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

I think it's great that you have reached a place that one in-one out will work for you. Even better, that you RECOGNIZE this place, as as you've said, if you are not ready, it won't work.

I think I need to do a one in - five out. LOL. My issue with being so strict with it is that sometimes as tastes change, you need to be flexible. For example, I recently discovered a love of dresses in the summer. So to facilitate this, I'd need to be able to replace a top, say, with a dress. But these things all need to be tailored to ones' own needs and personality in order to work for the individual, doesn't it.

I have to shout out to Anchie in this post... what you have written above really makes sense to me. I've cut and pasted both your posts into a word doc, and am going to really think about them. I'm going through a bit of an exercise myself to "down/right size", as my wardrobe is HUGE. Making several capsules for however many seasons you have makes a lot more sense to me than just numbers, because with numbers you don't always have the right tops for bottoms (esp if you play with different silhouettes, as I do). You've given me a fun exercise to start playing with in Stylebook.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Anchie, I LOVE your system and need to start thinking this way also. I'm going to consider it right away. Thank you!!

The reason I think this will be valuable for me is exactly the one that Elizabeth names. It will help me ensure I have the right pieces to work with new (and older) proportions while meanwhile not too many of one type.

Ledonna N.

Veteran

I can identify with this statement zo much "And right now I am not shopping because I feel satisfied with my wardrobe. No identifiable holes."

Isn't it satisfying when that happens

Anonymous

OMG, LeDonna, YES!!! This is the first time I have been able to make that statement in my entire life. I always felt I was shopping for the next item before I even unwrapped the first item. How crazy is that?!

Best wishes to you and your Family.