Shopping in my jammies! and some new insights...loooong

Today I'm pulling the trigger on some items I've been thinking about for fall. I'm home getting over a head cold so its a leisurely virtual stroll through the shopping mall of internets... And I'm flummoxed on how to post any photos! The YLF finds widget doesn't work with my pc browser and can't be enabled on the ipad or iphone; the pinterest photos I saved to my ipad photostream get an error message too. So i'll load pictures when the items arrive I guess.

I've learned some new stuff about myself these last few months and I want to hear your thoughts.

a) As painful as it might seem item to item, I am much happier when I go ahead and spend the money on quality. Duh, right? Using a pinterest board to try out ideas takes the stress off on the spot decisions, an important detail for me. And inflation is a bitch, right? I've had to nudge up some of my categories. I'm hovering at about $250 for the right boots (which means I still have to be open to new brands and alert for sales!); $150 for classroom shoes and most others; I'll spend up to $200 for the right dress, but I'm hard to fit in dresses so no danger of going full frontal Imelda there; $100 +/-covers the bottoms & I am willing to hustle a little to find brands I like at The Rack or 6pm.com; I try to keep tops and sweaters under or around that $100 mark too, but find it easier to catch them at a wider variety of price points. And my biggest bugaboo is TOPPERS! I realized I haven't bought a new topper in years (except for a $20 stretch blazer from Ross) because of price. I really need to budget about $250 for the quality and materials I appreciate. So right here I'm proclaiming publicly that's gonna happen this calendar year. Maybe only once. But it is essential if I want to move my wardrobe forward toward the next level of polish and function. I'm sorry if these numbers look raw to any SAHmoms or grad students: believe me when I say I logged time in both armies, and would never have felt good about spending this way in those contexts. This is for my new, fully employed life. Its a sustainable percentage of what I can comfortably expect to command economically. And if an item in any of these price categories gets wiped out at school in the titanic of all poster paint disasters, it would be a bummer but not an economic catastrophe for our household. I could comfortably replace it. Just charting that out has been so helpful! I don't have to agonize about price or kill myself bargain hunting or settle for a cheap knock off. This is what things cost, end of story. If I beat the system on one item, I can do a little happy dance but know that's not going to be the norm. I can't tell you how much more relaxed this makes me feel about new purchases. A lot of my past inablility to acquire clothes has come down to anxiety, plain and simple. (I know there's a whole world of quality well above these thresholds, too, but I'm just not an aspirational person that way. I'm perfectly happy driving a car I can comfortably afford to service regularly, living in a house I can comfortably purchase without any crazy loan modifications, and wearing clothing that comfortably reflects my true workaday lifestyle.)

b) Once I was willing to commit to spend the money, all the other details began to matter A LOT! I don't fudge on my best colors; I carry a 15-color palette with me everywhere I go on my iphone. If an item doesn't adhere to my palette it doesn't get purchased! I think of 5 ways I would like to wear work items with other clothing I already own right there on the spot before I buy. Maybe just 3 ways if it is special occasion wear or part of a travel capsule. Alterations can be great, but I don't let that become rose colored glasses for shaky purchases. If an alteration looks unavoidable, I mentally add it to the purchase price right there and then to decide if it still seems worth it. Figure flattery is a neat parlor trick, but sometimes radical figure acceptance is better. I do have some absolute won't wears -- I'm looking at you turtlenecks! -- but I also try to cultivate kindness. Its okay to look like me, big shoulders and all, in basics like button up shirts or fitted dresses.

c) Capsules are okay but not really necessary. I'm a lot more interested in the Vivienne files' 4x4 combinations and Angie's ensembles. They are the best orphan busters I know. Sometimes you really just need two or three great mixers to get the whole clothing party started. Why fuss with an entire capsule for that?

I can't tell you how much more pleasure I am getting out of planning my wardrobe since I identified these simple guidelines. What sort of guidelines do you use? Do they make you happier overall?

11 years ago

crutcher

Veteran

Your narrative on your shopping philosophy and style needs was really interesting..I like the way you have analyzed and considered all aspects of your life to decide how and when to push the button..."logging time as a SAHM and a graduate student" was duly noted and appreciated...Now is the time to enjoy your hard work, right?...
Considering how much to spend in each category...work shoes are important as you are on your feet all day...good that you noted that..I,too, spend time shopping around to find what I consider the most bang for my buck...
I hope you find the right topper...I have it in my head that somewhere in the great shopping realm of my imagination exists a perfect blazer/jacket that would fit my every style need...ah, if I could only find it...
Interesting post...I will look forward to hearing more about your shopping adventures later...

kellygirl

That's a great analysis. I've come to a couple of the same conclusions especially about quality. I still get hung up on price but I try to stalk what I can or buy at the end of a season if it's something I know I will wear. I also agree that it is much easier to be pickier at a higher price point. I'd
much rather have exactly what I want than several inexpensive
things that come close--unless we are talking about a trend piece (like my
recent crossover pant purchase.)

thimblelina

(website)

When you find THAT topper crutcher be sure to share a link! heh

Anonymous

I identify with what you and Crutcher said. Since finding YLF I have become ok with spending more on the items that I wear the most for daily life and spending more on footwear to get comfort.
While I shop with my best colors in mind, I have lots of fashion fun with new or forgotten shade. It makes a season exciting to introduce a new color.
I also try to get the best quality I can for what I can spend. There, one of my guidelines is sticking to woven fabric as much as possible. It lasts longer, keeping its shape and not pilling.
Like you, I want to stick to what I can afford and afford to lose without going crazy, in all areas of my life, but also something that will last at least a few seasons. Exceptions are knit tanks and tees and underwear.
Like Crutcher, I often try too hard to find that one perfect piece like boots that will work with both skirts and jeans. I also often wait too long to pull the trigger and need to buy earlier in the season for better selection, something that is becoming more important to me as I get more selective.

Aquamarine

Interesting thoughts! I found myself nodding my head in agreement. Without ever analyzing it, I have come to a lot of the same conclusions after hanging out here for a few years. Thanks for sharing.

Suzanne

Active Member

FULL FRONTAL IMELDA!!!!!!!!

Love it. Glad to hear you've come to terms with price anxiety--I've been working on that one myself. It sounds like you're in a good place, shopping-wise. Congratulations!

catgirl

I love when I am able do this kind of deep thinking - it seems to set off more subterranean change sometimes than the lightbulb moments. Thanks for posting!

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