Post 30 x 30 Edit and Wardrobe Revisioning - YouLookFab Forum

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Post 30 x 30 Edit and Wardrobe Revisioning

Anonymous

I just read Sal's post this morning and she put into words what I might have been thinking. Without being conscious of it, I had slowly begun to edit my wardrobe. I am not editing any of the 30 x 30 items, I was quite happy with them, but I am looking hard at the items that were excluded.

What was it about the excluded items that made me think they could not go the distance? There had to be a reason. I seem to be removing ~one item a week since the start of the challenge. I am dumping them because they "don't feel like me" and/or I want to move in an entirely different direction.

One thing was clear during the challenge, each participant had a clear and strong style persona. Each participant was authentic. This impressed me more than any other aspect. I began to wonder if I had a similar authenticity. I want to think I do.

I decided to rearrange my closet in terms of CLIMATE. As I discovered I lack garments suitable for deep summer for work and casual. I have a few, but not many at all (literally only a handful). I have way too many sweaters and pants for deep winter (fantasy life).

So back to pinterest. I put together the beginning of a vision board with emphasis on the fact that I now only go into the office three days a week (and one of those days is casual Friday) and I am now traveling for business about four times a year (a lot for me). I need clothing that go instantly together, are comfortable, and pack easily. No jeans.

Before I do any actual shopping, I want to flesh out my vision board some more. I want my vision board to reflect what I consider my authentic self. This means I will listen to internal voices and less to external "influencers." That means no dresses, skirts, or jeans. I admire them on other people, but I have never felt anything other than a poser in dresses. I can wear skirts but I rarely feel authentic in them either. Jeans are just too damn hot.

So how does one tune out external influences? I don't know. Sometimes their voices are so subtle you might not even realize you are being targeted. My vision board should help in that respect. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Dressing

25 replies

Latest reply was from texstyle

Meredith

Veteran

This is a really interesting observation and all I can add is I think it's a process. If you keep working at it you'll get closer every season. And then something in your life will change (more travel, etc.) and you'll have to make even more adjustments.

Anonymous

Sounds like your initial challenge is still paying dividends in terms of propelling your entire wardrobe forward.

My thoughts as you select new pieces -
Would this work in my summer capsule?
That means it will work right away. Fit the summer niche you are lacking. If not, may not be where you need it most.

Is this too similar to what I already have?
You already have a uniform of sorts. If it is changing, may be better not to go too deep in a category until you establish its worthiness in your closet. If similar, is it for replacement, and would you be willing to move the old one along?

Does this feel like the direction I want to move in? Feel like me?
What does your Pinterest board look like? What fabrics are you wishing were there to put on? Colors still the same? Level of dressiness different than what you've got at home?

No jeans. No skirts or dresses. What type of bottoms do you want for your long summer? Still happy with your tops? If more are needed, what style do those look like to you?

Runcarla

Veteran

Sterling, why don't you post a couple of Pinterest pics of your aspirational style and we can help you out with style monikers and such?

Isn't it interesting that the challenge has been so long-term thought provoking? I wore skirts every day for a week after the 30x30, and now I'm going through my button downs. Both of these were items I didn't wear during the challenge. Everything in my closet seems new to me!

I've edited out one dress and one pair of shoes (from the challenge), and added one skirt and one pair of shoes!

LaPed

Veteran

Like Runcarla I really want to see some of your Pinterest pics. And I wonder if a style moniker would help tune out external influences. I've found Kibbe to be helpful in this regard; although my interpretation of his categories is very loose, it's still helpful for me to be able to say, "Is this Gamine enough? Is this too Natural? Too Romantic?" But any moniker that concisely captures your criteria and serves as a reminder of them while you're editing/culling/planning/shopping could be useful.

Joy

Veteran

You have gotten a lot of lessons from the 30x30 because you were paying attention. About building your work/travel capsule for summer...you are probably doing this, but you want to be strict about a color scheme and what neutral(s) to use. I would suggest looking for light weight fabrics that pack well. I like silk and silk blends and would go with EF slim pants, if they work for you. I find that they stay rolled if I want to convert them to crops or even clam digger length in heat. Light weight toppers are the hardest. Again, EF jersey in an unlined jacket works pretty well for me in summer. It is also washable. Silk kimono print jackets are another favorite for summer. I like the brand Citron of Santa Monica and watch EBay. I take an XS in these. Nordsrtom used to carry the brand but don't seem to any more. Light weight closed footwear is another thing to watch for if you don't want sandals for this capsule. Summer scarves. Big square ones can become a summer topper by knotting same side corners together to form "sleeves". Easy breezy with a column of color.

Anonymous

Hmmm Sterling.
I agree with Meredith that it is a process.
Do you have an example of "authentically you" outfits? You're going to need a few: one for each segment of your life. Do you need a separate capsule for at-home work? Maybe a lack of items in this category are making you feel funny?

Anyway, I get a little nervous trying to define what is "authentically me" , because I worry it's a bit limiting.

Anonymous

These are the pieces I have pinned thus far. I'll come back later to read the comments in more detail. Right now they are all Eileen Fisher, but I just started yesterday evening. ALL comments are welcome because I feel the road ahead of me is uncertain.

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Anonymous

Ooh, the pics you posted are pretty. I love the shapes of these pieces for you, but they don't provide the vibrant color you seem to enjoy. Are you rethinking color?
Also, just a thought - have you looked at J Jill for cropped pants? They have styles in tencel and linen, both of which are ideal for warm weather. I don't think they would be quite structured enough for your in-office days. I have a friend who swears by them - she also wears a lot of EF and the look is similar. Unfortunately, JJ doesn't really cut their clothing for my short-torsoed rectangular body type, and a lot of the colors and prints are not to my taste, but I still check them out from time to time because the quality of fabrics they use is often excellent.

Laura G

Veteran

I think your vision board will help with tuning out the external voices. It did for me, anyway. My vision board (still in progress) is just...delicious. When I look at an item and ask myself, "Does it belong on my vision board?" the answer is clear.

But. You do have to ask yourself the question each and every time. I ordered a moto jacket during NAS because everybody here seemed to have or want one. There's no moto jacket on my vision board and never could be. Duh. Could have saved myself some time and trouble and Nordstrom some shipping fees.

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

I have no trouble with external voices, but I can do a masterful job of talking myself into mistaken purchases.

Sometimes I make an entire narrative about how some look is "me"...and it's not. Those are the outfits/items that always look like a costume to me or make me feel like a poseur.

Sometimes, I catch myself thinking about a clothing item as it is shown on the model and NOT realistically as it would look on my shape and as part of my life. I can usually catch myself doing this and self-correct. If I don't, these are the items that just do not get worn a lot.

Sometimes I focus on one design element being "me" and neglect to realize that other elements are definitely NOT "me". This happens more if I haven't taken time to identify and define the "not me" element--doing so is just as important--or even moreso--than figuring out what you like, IMO.

But, when you move out of your comfort zone, you might just have to sit with the discomfort of newness for a while--do you remember when I wrote a post about that very thing? I wondered (and still wonder) when the discomfort of newness is something I should work through to get to a better version of me vs when it signals that something really, truly, isn't "me". Mistakes will be made, I guess. I'm getting quicker about burying the bodies without guilt and moving on.

Paula

Sterling, these kinds of posts are among my favorites! Due to a minor weight loss and the consistent shift in my (graying) hair color, I've spent the last year re-thinking my style persona. A couple of "aha's" really clarified things for me. I'll share them, in case they're helpful for you. For a while, I took daily outfit photos, and like you, assembled a Pinterest vision board. What really opened my eyes was the concept of "outfit formulas." For some reason, even after viewing and enjoying Angie's ensemble posts on the blog, it didn't click for me that there were particular outfit "formulas" that I was wearing and enjoying more than others. When I reviewed my favorite outfit and Pinterest photos, I realized that I liked certain silhouettes and combinations (like you're being drawn to in the EF pictures you've posted). I identified 3-4 particular "formulas" and asked myself why I liked them so much. The words I came up with (e.g. arty, simple, interesting, narrow silhouettes, etc.) helped me define what I was after. Then I began to put together a couple of what I felt were my best looks for each outfit formula and consciously wore them with the idea of paying attention to what "message" I felt I was trying to communicate and how wearing them made me feel. I made notes of that for a couple of weeks and came up with a "style persona" that is seeming to be and feel pretty congruent. I'm living with that for this season and thinking about how it might look for fall. All in all, I'm pretty happy with what I've gotten from this process and am looking forward to experimenting with it for the coming season. I hope this provides food for thought as you work through your own process!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I'm pretty sure the shells in 2 and 4 are the same shape you liked on me, except they look like silk rather than linen. The shapes of these outfits really appeal to me, too, although I like deeper color and more texture.

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I do love these types of posts, but I am so bad at doing the hard work of analyzing what I like and why I like it. When I like it, I do know, but most often I'm not exactly sure why. It's a combination of color, fit, material type and weight, silhouette, etc. But just when I think I have it, I buy a few things that I think fit the mold and then I find I don't wear them as much as I had planned. I put one of the items on and it just doesn't look right suddenly. What happened?!

I think I often get excited when I find something I like and I want to repeat that excitement. Then I end up buying too much in that specific category or in that specific style and some of it goes unworn very often.

I like the EF pieces you have pinned but for me I think I'd only commit to one or two outfits and wait a while to see how you feel about them. I notice they are more flowy (less body con) which is nice when you want to keep cool.

Style Fan

Veteran

I find it hard to tune out external voices and I don`t always do it. I have started to keep to a strict clothing budget for the year and this helps. I started this 2 years ago and now I ask myself if I want to use my clothing money for the item. This helps a lot and stops me from buying items that are way out of my style and colour markers.<br>I also have a few pin boards with inspirations of where I want my style and wardrobe to go. I try to focus on that in my mind when I shop now. Colour is a lot easier for me than style. I don`t usually go outside of my chosen colours.

I like the pins you have shown for hot summer days. Perfect. I had also noticed that you were moving towards colours like bright pink but EF tends not to do that. I am sure you could find tanks in colours you like from another designer to wear with the linen pants.

Anonymous

Style Fan -> Heavy sigh. I adore color. Those first few pins were for silhouette. I will never give up color because it makes me happy. But I want my color to work effortlessly with every thing else.

TexStyle! So nice to hear from you. Whether you realize it or not, YOU have always been one of my HOT weather beacons. You might not know how often I read your posts and look for inspiration. I never miss one of your posts although I might not have time to comment every single time.

I know, Jenni!!! I loved that top on you. I scoured the internet looking for it, but it was sold out everywhere. What does that say about your good taste? I bought one on eBay. Silk.

Thank you so much for posting, Paula. Your system is beyond brilliant. I will be using it. I hope others that are on a similar style journey will read it as well. Should I see an instance where your post might be helpful, might I share it on YLF?

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Sal

Veteran

I agree with Paula's method, it sounds logical and realistic.

I think you have the foundations already, you have some really lovely seperates. But I think the change in working pattern, perhaps a move in taste, and moves in trends/fashion mean that you might be slightly tweaking your style. I see these pieces as Relaxed Classic. They are minimalist but can look luxe in great fabrics, shapes and with good bags and shoes.

We all make wardrobe mistakes - I have added a piece this year I regret!! I let my love for the texture and pattern overcome the shape issues the piece has.

I do sometimes have to "drown out" other perspectives and listen to my own heart. Sometimes the forum or friends can really add a lot of value - but our own opinion/views are important too. And others do not always understand the realities of our lifestyle and climate.

And I think the 30x30 did help me clarify that I am mostly where I want to be. I do not need lots more clothes, I don't even want lots more clothes. But sunglasses and bags get an awful lot of wear and in many ways are more noticeable than tees and jeans.

Runcarla

Veteran

Are your pics for items or looks? If for looks, this is an austere and arty look in a spare way. The cropped bottom will showcase your footwear and you may need a topper for gravitas/presence or A/C. Without bells and whistles (accessories) fine quality will be paramount! The silouhette would work for work and non work outfits.
.

Anonymous

You are right, Meredith. I didn't used to have to travel for work. This all came about in 2016. I find myself out of my element and very stressed.

I'll be in Atlanta Georgia next. For those of you living in Atlanta, I am sure it is a gorgeous city. Here is my stress. I will have to walk everywhere!!! In AUGUST? IN the heat? I might be bitter.

Paula

(And if you're bitter, Sterling---understandably so! That sounds like a lot of heavy hoofing!)

I'm glad that you think you could use my plan and will be interested to hear how/if it works out for you. Thanks for the kind words! You're welcome to share it, when you think it might help.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Thanks for sharing your process and insights. Looks like you got a lot out of the challenge.
For me, every time I push outside my usual style it's a mistake, because then I don't like the color, fit, etc, But upgrading the quality or taking the time to style my outfits, that works.

Anonymous

Sigh. I lost my post.

Suffice it to say that I read every one of your comments and try hard to absorb the wisdom/advice. I'll be back later to try to respond more fully. Thank you all for commenting.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I am unsure if I can say anything to help. I do think those EF outfits look like the few silhouettes of yours I have seen and that you have posted. They are beautiful. I think I'm getting better at recognising other's style even when it is not at all the same as mine. Your style is way simpler that what I prefer but it does seem very "you" from my limited observations. What is helping me is trying to wear my things 30 times and culling slowly and not buying more. I am on holiday today and spent this afternoon looking in shops after a morning in an amazing museum. Nothing excited me, not even shoes. This is very strange for me.

Joy

Veteran

I love the look of that VC pink sleeveless top. That style looks wonderful alone and would also be lovely under a jacket. It is breezy enough that it will probably be cool on a hot day even if it is polyester.

Anonymous

I'm confused. Where does one walk in Atlanta? It's a drive-everywhere city. (I'm not being snarky - I live in a drive-everywhere place, too.)

Yay for Ebay - I stalk items I missed or couldn't afford at full price there all the time! What color is your new silk top?

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Sterling - HWB made me smile. I do the same by trying to follow other hot weather YLF members. And I know, we can't always comment as much as we'd like on various posts or we'd never get any work done.

We recently took friends to San Antonio to see the Riverwalk, etc. It was 100 F. It was miserable, sticky hot and I think I was the only one who really even noticed. Okay, so it FELT that way at least.

Light linen, white and a hat helped some. Ducking into as many places to cool down for a minute also helped. I'm wondering about those fabric cooling scarves...never tried one but I'm tempted.