Warning: musings and navel gazing ahead…

I’m feeling a shift in my dressing lately: a preference for more ease, less bright color (at least in a given outfit), and an overall wish for a little more sophistication but balanced with a casual vibe and a bit of edge. This is not a drastic shift from my aspirational style. The key descriptor words are basically the same: sophisticated, edge, ease… but should they change or shift? I’m not sure but I don’t think so — I welcome suggestions if you all see something I don’t!

I’m slowly editing my closet accordingly. Some things I bought as recently as 6-9 months ago feel a bit off now. Some older winter items I’m not terribly excited about but I’m giving them another season to see if I find new life for them this winter. The last couple of winters have not been very cold, and I have a feeling this one will be colder again, so I’m reluctant to get rid of some remaining heavy pieces that have gone unworn.

I’m becoming more aware of how much prints are a weakness for me — I have a lot of them! But I am becoming more selective about prints moving forward, and have been realizing that I am really bad about buying tops in solid colors unless they are tees or knits. I enjoy my printed scarves, and of course those are best with solid tops. So I need to put the brakes on patterns and think carefully before I add more.

I’m also more sensitive to how things *feel* than I used to be. Very fitted tops are annoying me now when I used to like them. Some formerly- comfortable sweaters seem to have become itchy. Some button-front shirts annoy me because they gape at the bust when I move around. Some collars feel fussy. Oddly enough, I am enjoying turtlenecks again after years of avoiding them, as long as they are soft, loose in the body, and have the right neck that fits without being tight or too floppy. I got an inexpensive one in bright green cable knit that I LOVE.

Some of these things may be a result of getting older and wanting to simplify some things. A changing body due to age may be contributing too.

I’m also aware that the change of seasons to winter may be part of a shifting mood in dressing. So I’m not being hasty, but I am slowly putting aside some items that feel old or tired to me.

I’ve recently been watching some of Alison Bornstein’s closet editing videos and some of Amy Smilovic’s Tibi style class videos, amongst others. I notice they have almost no prints in their features, and I love print and want to continue to wear it. The Tibi videos are full of very voluminous roomy looks too, which I like, but have to find the right balance for me to employ. I see some style people wearing roomy button-front shirts with roomy jeans and looks amazing, but I feel like on me, I just look *big*. But I like how AB and the Tibi videos focus on pieces that serve multiple purposes in one’s wardrobe and how much more satisfying versatility and quality can be than fast-fix fashion, when an item is a little too trendy or one-note.

I’m mainly just getting my thoughts sorted by putting all this down in writing (rather poorly I’m afraid, since I’m on my phone which makes it hard to edit), but can anyone else relate? Any advice or insight?