Wearing and shopping challenges - YouLookFab Forum

Category

What I Wore

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Wearing and shopping challenges

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Last day of Sally’s “wear all my winter clothes” challenge. Have done quite well. Tried to wear some things again that I don’t wear often, like:
Pic 1 tweed jacket 2014, now 3 wears this winter. Only 9 wears altogether so rather a fail, but think will still keep. 3 wears a year might be OK since I have room?
Pics 1/2/3: red cowl neck jumper 2008 (Cee!) 3 wears this winter. It is beautiful Italian merino wool. Has finally hit 30 wears. Inclined to keep.
Pics 4/5/9: grey merino layering top, 2012. I am wearing this top today. It cost $150 and has had 21 wears. I find it boring but try to dress it up like with the cobalt jacket and boots, compliments on this outfit. I have a black one exactly the same which I prefer, an early case of duplicates. Black one has had 30 wears so only just reached $5 per wear after 7 years. Feel too guilty to ditch these until have worn more? They are NZ made which pleases me ethically and environmentally.
Pics 6/7: remixed the Veronica Maine skirt with the green top, Monsoon cardigan and different boots. That gave the skirt and cardigan their second wear each this winter and I liked this outfit. Enjoyed my silver and green Bali earrings with this.
Pic 8: chevron Sabatini jacket 2012, 28th wear, with Sabatini peplum top 2018, 4th wear.
One thing this challenge has done is put me back on track with the shopping challenge! Too scared to buy much in case I don’t wear! So am now at 17 items for 2019 after 7 months, still on track for no more than 30 in the year. Thanks for looking and any thoughts.

This post has 9 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

32 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Definitely keep that red jumper,it’s such a good colour on you and I love that you can match your boots to your outfits ,that’s such a funky detail.If the challenge has made you stop and think about how much you buy it’s been a worthwhile task,hasn’t it.Well done for sticking with it.

Bijou

Veteran

I like how you have worn the grey knit with the cobalt jacket and boots, that is a great way to add colour to your top. My favourite outfit is the Veronika Maine skirt and boots, such a nice shape on you.

Great to see how you get wear out of these classic items. The knits must be great quality to last so well. So many I buy pill after just one season.

missvee

Veteran

The outfit that stands out for me is #8. Wow! Great silhouette and great fit. I love the sharp graphic pattern of the jacket too.
It sounds like the challenge has been very useful to you. That’s good!

Tammyb

I know this is a dressing post but I have closet envy!

Tammyb

I think the tweed jacket is great and you should keep. Who knows- maybe it’ll go into more frequent rotation next year. I find that since I wear a jacket every day to the office, I keep them for years and sometimes a low rotation becomes a high rotation because of the style or another wardrobe piece that it works well with.

I do like it with the red, which I also think you should keep!

Actually I think you should keep everything.

Kathie

Veteran

First thoughts, without having read anyone else’s replies.

Red cowl neck and tweed jacket- love both of these, together, and the sweater on its own. Definitely keep.

Gray layering sweater- the neckline doesn’t work well with the blue jacket, but I like the layered look in 9. I think it’s worth keeping for that outfit, unless you have something else to wear under the topper in 9.

6/7- Super cute!

8- does the black layering top work with the chevron topper? I really like your peplum top. It’s super flattering on it’s own. But, I think the chevron topper needs a different underlayer.

This has been a great challenge to follow! Enjoying everyone’s progress.

Anonymous

I like the red jumper the most, and it's really good with the tweed. The stand out of course is the boots!

Anonymous

I think the effect that the challenge has had on you is really important - your statement about feeling hesistant to buy anything new for fear of it not getting enough wear is a big deal.

Runcarla

Veteran

This is a pretty good set of outfits, Jenni. Agree with folks about the jumper. You should make that colour your signiture. The peplum top rocks! The silhouette in #6 is very flattering. Good observations regarding the challenges.

Preppy Pear

Veteran

6 is so fab - love the skirt and boots, and your lipstick in 7 is gorgeous! I gotta say, I like the blues even more than the reds, because team blue forever, but you look amazing in bold colors. I also like the tweed jacket and the peplum sweater.

I was wondering about that shorter blue jacket in 9 - would that be a good pairing with the skirt?

bj1111

Veteran

I love the red sweater and black pants without the jacket best, although with the jacket is a close second. Do you have tonal pants with the jacket or the golden shoes? That would be so stellar...the golden elf.

Would like to see tonal pants with the peplum sweater too.

We all may have learned similar lessons but fear shouldn’t be the response. I’m actually more comfortable spending on impulse/emotion because I spent so much time analyzing what I actually needed so the emotional me gets to pick within the frame that rational me set up.

Your number counting also suggests a numbers or analytical approach. I’m sure you’ll be able to put your lessons in context and act on it in pleasure.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

What Lisa P said.

Jenni, keep the red jumper.

My favourite is #6. Great proportions!

Bonnie

Veteran

I've been having the same concerns about number of wears and cost per wear. I've decided not to worry about what I have accumulated in the past and just think about it when making future purchases. You look great in your red and blue tops.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thanks to all commenters and sorry to have taken so long to get back to the thread! No-one had commented when I went to sleep last night and I had a really early start for a meeting this morning.
Lots of help here thank you. I loved the skirt outfit myself which surprised me so will wear it more before the winter is over.
I agree Kathie that the great peplum top may not be the best match for the chevron jacket. I might have actually bought the grey and the black merino tops to go with that jacket in the first place so will try that again with my pewter pants.
And thank you Preppy Pear, yes, could indeed try that shorter jacket with the skirt, maybe with the grey top.
Maybe fear is not the best response but I did want to reduce the size of my wardrobe and wear my items, so it is helping there. I’m not wearing anything I hate, after all, I’m just remixing.
Bijou that red merino is Italian merino and just seems incredible quality. 2008, pre- GFC, maybe the stuff was just better back then? This year’s long ink cardigan, also merino, is getting a few small pills under the arms already

nemosmom

Veteran

Sounds like the challenge really helped you! I loved following all of your looks.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I like you in the bright colors, but I think the skirt outfit is my favorite. The challenge seemed to have been just the ticket for you!

Anonymous

I knew you didn't mean "fear" in literal sense. Aware of , maybe? More concered about? Still a very important reaction and one we all should be thinking about.

Sal

Veteran

I like all these looks Jenni. You suit red and cobalt so well. I also really like that Veronica Maine skirt on you.

You also suit all these pants - love the fit on them!! Oh and thanks for joining in on the challenge. You have added less than me - 21.

hereforthecake

Red is YOUR colour!

I love all of these, honestly, with the skirt outfit being my least favourite.

cindysmith

Veteran

I LOVE those sweaters! The red looks so good with that jacket, and I really like how you brightened up the grey one with the blue. I

If you have space, I say keep them. Maybe you don't wear them as often as you THINK you should, but it's getting harder and harder to find that kind of quality.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

The red jumper is great on you -- do keep! At least for another year.

I really love you in that skirt outfit! Fabulous with the tall boots. Would the proportions of the tweed jacket be too long with that skirt? Probably, but worth a try?

You have a lot of beautiful pieces! It can be hard to weed out items you love that fit well and look good and cost money, etc. when you have guilt about not having worn them enough. I have those feelings and thoughts also. There are some items in my own closet that I don't wear often, yet really appreciate for their workmanship/ how valuable they were at an earlier season, etc. I'm really loathe to get rid of them since they may come back into favour in my own closet. I'm considering a separate holding area for those for a while.

Helena

Veteran

Really resonating with Lisa's comment too ... I think I'll have to adopt that attitude as well!

Jenni, I really like everything on you! Great outfits. Agree with all the red is fab on you!

Anonymous

Hi Jenni -- I got behind in my reading. This is a great post. I commend you for having achieved so much over the course of the Challenge. Congratulations on wearing so many pieces.

I am another that commends you for learning to consider future wears when making new purchases. That is a great lesson.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Thanks to new commenters. The lessons of July’s challenge have stuck with me so far and made me PPP. I have bought 2 things in August but both direct replacements, one some Skechers for walking to replace 9 year old ones and one pair of jeans to replace a too big pair which is now too floppy but which I have put in holding in case I can’t maintain the weight loss. I have maintained it for 5 months though so am hopeful.
It is hard to think of pretty new things and then not be sure, it does take some of the fun out of it. Remixing old stuff is a different sort of fun, maybe satisfaction rather than fun? I’m not getting rid of anything from this post, saving it all until next winter.
For Kathie, I did try a black top under the chevron jacket on Friday and it looked better, yay! I wore it with pewter pants and it all toned better.

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

I love the very last photo, Jenni. Such good shapes on you! And, as always, your shoes are fantastic and give your outfits that something extra.

It IS a different kind of fun trying to wear what you have and not buying as many new things. And it can be kind of hard. But! It’s also a pretty mice feeling how good you can feel about yourself by getting an item to that thirty wear mark! I set my spreadsheet up to turn the line green when that happens and it feels like winning a prize.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Mine is on paper not a spreadsheet. But I give the tallies a tick when I get there to 30 wears. It can take a long time to get there for the older stuff, because I realise that for whatever reason I haven’t liked that as much. I am giving myself more “permission” to edit it out when it reaches that number. Most of the newer stuff is being worn a lot, which is good, but leaves the older stuff out! Which is why I feel it’s imperative to reduce to around 150 items or below over time. I am getting there.

Cee

Veteran

Cowlnecks are more evil when they're red, Jenn !!!

Anonymous

Jenni -- I infer no judgment whatsoever, I was curious if this challenge resulted in any editing. From what I read, you were successful in that you wore all your Winter garments. YAY.

You assessed each garment and opted to keep them. The primary reasons you kept them is because you loved the quality and/or memories. Particularly the memories. You can easily keep your beloved items because you do not having limiting space issues.

The primary lesson learned for you is that buying new clothing items must be considered carefully in light of how much you may wear the garment going forward. [I think my primary lesson is different and I intend to explore that more thoroughly this coming week.]

Have I interpreted this correctly? I ask because I am feeling the urge to edit my tiny wardrobe. My primary criteria will be how something makes me feel when I wear it. I found there are garments in my wardrobe that are too utilitarian and do not meet my needs. They make me feel less than fabulous when I wear them. Could I just be tired of them because summer is lagging?

I'm trying to wrap my head around this. I do have the space to keep them all .... but I'm not sure it makes sense for me. I am not sentimental. Do you think that is the primary difference between us?

I'm going to think about this during the week.

I found this challenge incredibly enlightening. I hope you did as well. Best wishes.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Sterling. I have been editing this winter yes, although much of it happened before the month of July. I have edited out 15 items after I posted in May about sending really old beloved vintage stuff to the vintage consignment shop. Which BTW doesn’t seem to have sold any of them yet so I will have to face if I bring any back in, or donate them, when the consignment period ends!
I wasn’t really wearing stuff that I knew I would edit, it was the other stuff that I was having trouble with that I tried to wear. Most of what I edited had already had 30 wears although not all- those I decided it was too much “forcing myself” to keep wearing. I have otherwise been successful in wearing all but a few things- one top, my mother’s 1964 coat, some shoes and boots that are too high.
I am sentimental, yes, and I hate waste and churn. I don’t believe the people on the forum who say “let someone else enjoy it”. We know that CAN work, as per the amazing thrift finds some Fabbers have had, but evidence shows that mostly it doesn’t. It mostly goes to landfill or poorer countries, some of which have stopped taking the Western world’s castoffs. And if they have stopped, then it’s landfill or textile recycling, which may not be that easy to do either. The only solution really is for consumers to buy less, which is pretty much a downer for a fashion forum where the number one rule is have fun with fashion!
I didn’t buy the things not liking them. I bought them all thinking they sang to me in some way or were perfect to wear with some other item I already had. And since I ended up with way too much, those instincts were clearly not correct.
I don’t have too many space issues now with my lovely new wardrobe but have promised not to overflow my side so there is a limit. I feel somewhat paralysed in new purchases ATM.

12