When I evaluated my bottoms using these new parameters, I found my wardrobe skewed heavily toward Winter. Given that Summer is my predominant Season, this is problematic. In my defense, I love the whole idea of cool, crisp, clean weather that makes you reach for a cozy sweater. Buying Winter clothes just feels good. But it can lead to the problem of having the wrong stuff in your wardrobe when you want to get dressed in the morning.
Having discovered that the bottoms in my wardrobe skewed heavily toward Winter, I was reluctant to evaluate my tops. Here are the results.
Long Sleeve Button Down
I own seven items in this category. I categorized them as Fall/Spring (3) and Winter (4). When the weather is right, I really enjoy wearing the plaid button downs. They switch things up from sweaters and tee shirts. None of these shirts coordinate with my new flowy wide legged silk pants so I really can only wear them with jeans and ponte pants. That is fine because I will never quite eliminate either of these categories entirely from my wardrobe.
Although I should always have one long sleeve button down in white in wardrobe, I do not need to buy any additional button downs. They are hard to fit across the breast. I hate gaps.
Long Sleeve and Short Sleeve Knit Tops
I own five long sleeve knit tops that are suitable for Fall/Winter. I only own four short sleeved knit tops (all of which were purchased in 2017). This totals nine knit tops. This is a category I would like to amp up, but it has to be the right top. One hundred percent cotton. The Brooks Brothers is the one I reach for more than other top.
Sleeveless Summer Tops in Knit and Woven
I now own fourteen tops in this category. Eight of the 14 were purchased in the Summer of 2017. I bought both knits and button downs. Only two have not been worn all that often.
I have good success with this category of top. I feel comfortable in them and reach for them often. Only two have noticeably received less wear. One is an Eileen Fisher camisole that I seem to be “saving.” The second is a bright yellow sleeveless button down. I may subconsciously be “saving” this one too.
THESE can be four season tops. I love wearing them. I have plenty of toppers that I can wear during cooler months.
Casual Long Sleeve and Short Sleeve Tee Shirts
I own fifteen tops in this category, evenly distributed between long and short sleeve. I never thought I would say this. I am tired of short sleeved white tee shirts. I want the same silhouette in different colors. So far I have expanded to navy. I wear the navy a lot. In fact, the right shade of navy (navy peacoat and midnight) has slowly been taking over my wardrobe. This works for me and as long as I can find those shades in retail I will continue to buy.
Although I own a lot of tee shirts, they range in age from 2010 to 2017. Some of them are very worn. I keep them because they are ideal for travel and hiking. The modal tee shirts I bought from the Gap in 2016 are pilling. They will soon be downgraded to travel/hiking.
I won’t be buying any more tee shirts from either the Gap or Old Navy. Experience has shown the quality to be marginal at best. Seams that came apart after one or two wearings. Pilling after a mere ten wears. It is a shame because for years they were the only retailer I shopped for basics.
In summary. Tops are my weakness. I don’t know how to purchase them. When I find some I like, I buy two and three and even four. I may have sufficient numbers of tops to get dressed, but I lack variety and interest. I often wear the same exact silhouette, with very slight variation, for days on end. I tell myself this is my “uniform.” I am lying to myself. The truth is I just don’t know how to buy tops.
