I'm the same way. It's a mood thing for me. Some days (usually when I'm feeling a little down), I'd prefer to blend in and be nondescript. That's when the J. Jill jeans come out. I know, fashion police alert! I dress purely for comfort on those days.

I'm glad you kept the dress. I hope you felt fab in it all day.

No, not by any means! On polar ends of the spectrum I have days where I am feeling delicate and need comfort and softness, and other days where I am freakin' butt- kickin' strong and awesome! Mostly I am somewhere in between.

Hope you are loving yourself silly in your dress, right here, right now!!!

So glad you are keeping the dress. I think you look awesome in it. And personally I can't wear everything in my closet any given day; if I haven't had a chance to work out for a couple days I have no confidence.

I definitely have "moods" when it comes to my clothes. Not every day is a neon pants kind of day, you know? There are days when I don't want to be noticed.

Nothing in my life works perfectly every day.

Not to be a downer, but it's really true. I'm generally a fairly happy person, but the truth is that some days things go fantastically well, some days things are meh, and some days they really tank. This is true with work, with relationships, with the weather, and with my clothing. While I am a ruthless wardrobe purger, I like to wait a little while to make sure I am ready to get rid of something because I have had that exact experience you just had with the dress: it doesn't work, it doesn't work, and then suddenly, it does!

I, too, am an emotional dresser, and when I am feeling a bit blue or uninspired, it can go both ways. I can either reach for a comfy FFBO that does nothing to lift me sartorially but does make me feel emotionally warmed, or I can reach for something new or more statement-y that usually can shake me out of the doldrums both fashion-wise and emotionally. I'd like to do more of the latter. I've been stuck for several weeks and then ordered a few things on a lark -- while most went back, the JCrew blue tux shirt was just the kind of statement piece (for me) to wake me up again: it speaks directly to my tomboy sophisticate. Now, I am actually looking AT my wardrobe items again, instead of looking past them to the comfy FFBOs.

I'm really glad you found a way to make that fabulous dress work for (with?) you!
More mood dressing here. Case in point: last night I planned today's outfit around a fuchsia top. This morning I just wasn't feeling the fuchsia and ended up with a deep blue blouse instead, which better suits my energy and mood today.

Fun question, I think--are 10's always a 10, or is that happiness number fluid ? If it's not always a 10, does that mean it never was a 10? Hmm, thankfully there are other world problems to ponder. But it speaks to whether it is realistic to think every item must be perfect all the time.

I agree with mood and situation.
--Confidence for certain situations or people may vary.
--New people and situations may bring up new issues
--Moods are moods--they'll pass, but they're there when they're there
--Experimentation may involve risking confidence ( comfort/safe zone). Might be a bust or might be something my "eye" adapts to.

I have actually labelled a few items that I nearly tossed out, but then realized they worked in specific situations/outfits--so I learned not to bother with them on certain days but identified the specific niche for them. This is part of what I mean by moods will pass--you don't have to change your life or your closet over a mood.

I do try to pay attention to things that consistently don't "work"--then that means there are not enough situations/moods to justify the space and energy.
If I put something on and then leave it on the floor in a mad dash of changing, over and over, then it's either too something or not enough something.

If something just feels great every time you put it on, on any day, for weeks or months, then that's worth duplicating (either exactly, or its essence) !

Viva - "emotionally warmed" - love that term.

Looks like many of us are mood dressers, which makes sense. I 'm wondering if I need mood capsules instead of function capsules! Love reading all the answers here - you are making me feel better and less like I live in Crazytown.

I definitely think mood can affect clothing and clothing can affect mood and I am trying to pay attention when something I am wearing makes me feel blah. I don't need to own anything that makes me fee blah, lol.

So to answer your question, no I don't.

Ooh, alaskagirl mood capsules! What would they be? You should include pictures, of course.

Cheryl I agree with you. There are moments when I feel blah that is not what I'm saying but, never do I want to put on things that make me feel blah from my really very "pretty" undergarments to my jeans and t-shirts. I don't have to walk around looking blah even if I feel as such. Because I am not happy 24/7. But, I also know that when I expect peace in my life it can sometime be chaotic but I don't have to look or dress like my life is in chaos. To have peace is not about how you dress it is about elevating yourself in whatever you believe in to a higher level of self.

Mood capsules. What a brilliant idea. I can think of a few items that definitely go in the "I'm feeling kickass!" capsule but otherwise will go unworn.

I can relate to so much of what you wrote, Vivian!

Mood capsules is great and not so far from function capsules--as in, this function may tend to do that to my mood...
It's a little like FFBO's--need Fast Mood-Managing Outfits, FMMO's.
(which might relate to, Fast Food Managing Outfits, if I overindulge during a hectic work week or month).

Answering your question, I do try to be, and that is my goal. I want to feel fab and confident no matter what I am wearing. So this means carefully chosen pieces regardless of the purpose of the clothing. Of course there are days when my hair isn't playing nicely, I'm over tired or I may be facing a challenge, when I don't feel so great in my clothes I think that's life:)