What are your style goals for 2014?

OK, maybe it's a tad early to start thinking about next year (nah) but I find December a total wash as far as getting any kind of future planning done. So far I have three goals for my fashion-related activities in 2014:

Pick a budget and stick to it. I need to do this for fiscal reasons but also to try to curb my emotional spending a bit. This fall I indulged way too much in the "you lost weight, you need/deserve new clothes" rationale and I really need to keep a closer eye on what I'm spending. I am thinking I may track not just my clothes purchases, but all my discretionary spending - books, music, fabric and patterns...
Take pictures of all my clothes to put in the Stylebook app and start using it to log my outfits
Aim for a more rock & roll, edgier style - this one's not very specific at the moment, but that's the kind of stuff I find myself attracted to right now.

What about you? Any goals yet?

10 years ago

Dressing

28 replies

Latest reply was from DonnaF

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Still working on my casual capsule - i have a summer one for the first time ever

Want to keep minimising too.

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....7-mths-ago

10 years ago

pil

Veteran

Figure out what my style actually is? I'm still stumped
And I like Caro's idea of minimizing.

10 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Boil it down, baby. I am trying to refine to the most essential elements. It doesn't necessarily mean a smaller wardrobe, but it does mean a super hard working and cohesive one. Getting ever pickier. This year I am going to focus on getting patterns right as well as proportions. And continue to inject more modern into the classic.

10 years ago

qfbrenda

Veteran

I plan on shrinking my wardrobe through attrition and through some culling. I also plan on replacing/upgrading a few pieces.

10 years ago

Summer

Active Member

My goal is to figure out my style and start building a wardrobe that is all "me", and that I use every bit of. Currently I am dressing every morning from less than 25% of the clothing I own. Well, the percentage is greater now...I have a carload of clothing to donate this week.

I'd also like to develop a realistic budget, too. I think this next year the spending might be a tad heavier since so many things need replacing, but I'm going to track my spending and try to spend wisely. (I use YNAB, btw, and love it for budgeting).

I like Suz's "boil it down" goal. Good starting point for me...essential elements.

10 years ago

Veteran

I'd like to knit a sweater or two (I've only made accessories so far)! And perhaps try a simple sewing project or two (full skirt, boxy sleeveless blouse...things that don't require much tailoring or knowledge).

On the non-crafting side, I'd like to focus my attention from acquiring shiny new things to tweaking what I have if it's not quite perfect (and maybe even bringing some things to a tailor) or just wearing the heck of it if it is. Which means I'll probably try putting a limit on how many items I should be acquiring...my only hesitation there is that I'll be moving to a dramatically different climate, so I might need to leave myself some wiggle room for true emergencies (i.e. snow boots and a down coat).

10 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Spend less, wear more.
Agonize less, enjoy more.
Try less, do more. (Sorry, Yoda!)

10 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Suz, Tummy and Alaskagirl really summed it up: boil it down, cull, assess, budget.

2014 is also going to be about repair, re-purpose, re-use and renovation. Getting my favorite over-the-knee boots re-soled. Getting clothes altered for a better fit. And picking some adjectives and identify the lowest common denominators on my Spring/Summer Pinterest board, so I can create a descriptor and a couple of uniforms and go from there when the seasons change again.

Less acquisition, lot more thinking and planning and doing But I'm not waiting a month and a half to start. I'm doing this now.

edit: I also plan to learn how to do simple repairs and alterations - hemlines, pegging skirts, replacing zippers. Ideally, I would love to learn how to sew garments from scratch, but I think it will realistically be late 2014 or early 2015 before that happens.

10 years ago

peacechick

Veteran

This year I catalogued my wardrobe and started thinking more consciously about my style and why I buy the things I buy (sale blinkers, etc.) Next year I want to practice PPP, buying only to fill wardrobe holes or replace workhorses with quality replacements,.

10 years ago

deb

Veteran

I cannot make my list until after November and my challenge is over. Then I can mull over the pictures I took every day see what I need to work on. Using this information with my closet count I did yesterday will enable me to set realistic, cohesive goals.

10 years ago

Tricia

Veteran

My lifestyle changed a lot this year (new climate, working from home instead of from an office, at least for now) and it threw everything out of whack for me. So this year I need to figure out what works for my life but still stays true to my style. Doing a LOT of culling and some figuring out what my style still actually IS, too. Sure, wearing old jeans and a T-shirt seems like the most practical way to go, but it doesn't feel good, you know?

/ramble

10 years ago

Joy

Veteran

This year I did a better job of posting outfits for feedback and improvement. It has really helped to see outfits through your eyes, often surprising.
In 2014 I want to get serious about editing and making capsules. I hope to save to buy fewer things but better quality that will update and refresh.

10 years ago

jayne

Veteran

I guess refining my style in new areas. I have it pegged pretty well with slack/jeans outfits but need to figure it out for skirts and dresses. Dresses in particular is a summer project. FInding my style and getting it replicated I hope.

Sticking to my new budget. I actually kept it in 2013 despite some major purchases in the ppp category (costly whew) and that was a good lesson. (ie that one costly item is worth it in happiness factor alone and I am less likely to feel a need to keep looking afterwards)

Sticking to my lists and sticking to my method of avoiding impulse shopping (delayed purchasing).

A good new goal should be figuring out my public casual wardrobe. I have home use actually better figured out than what I want to wear shopping on saturday. Seem to have some issues about reusing work items for that and wearing home use is not gonna cut it. It is my smallest need area but very important since it is usually when i am out shopping I feel my least put together and most judged by others (like feeling awkward when I go into certain stores)
Rambling here, but it was a good exercise!

10 years ago

Alexandra

(website)

Veteran

Part 1: figure out where I am stylewise - I am doing Project 333 and taking daily photos to do this.

Part 2: incorporate elements from my inspiration board into my wardrobe - I posted my inspiration board here yesterday and have gotten many wonderful responses with analysis of its elements and vibe, which will help immensely.

Part 3: wear, evaluate, refine as necessary.

10 years ago

Molly L-R

Active Member

These three goals all tie together:

- buy fewer but better quality items
- do more shopping in brick and mortar shops and less on eBay
- focus on fit and proportion.

Over the past 18 months I've been experimenting a lot with style. I've now figured out which silhouettes, patterns and colours I favour, but previously there was a lot of trial and error, so it made sense to only buy cheap things as I couldn't be certain I'd like them a couple of months down the line. eBay was my friend and I tried my hardest to get things at the lowest possible price. That included buying second-hand clothes made by companies that were really cheap in the first place. A £10 H&M shirt reduced to £2 second hand? Score! But I don't feel that way any more. Because these dirt cheap items invariably had fit and quality issues. Now, any eBay shopping I do has to be on brands that I couldn't afford to buy brand new, for example, a £75 TM Lewin shirt for £12.99.

10 years ago

Anonymous

I am only going to buy well made, quality items. No more junk. I made a list of the stores that sell junk and I keep it with me. My goal is to not even bother crossing their threshold anymore.

Identifying the stores that sell junk has been easy, I am having a harder time finding stores that sell better made clothing. So I guess my goal is identify those stores and make my purchases there.

10 years ago

viva

Veteran

This year's plan for buying less got thrown when my size changed and many clothes no longer fit, so I bought much more than planned. Plus emotional buying -- okay, there was some of that.
YLF has made me hungry for a more rational approach to my wardrobe. I hope to start 2014 with a careful review of my closet, some capsule building, and a month-by-month tracking of what I buy (which should also include what was returned and why, thanks to something Suz did; I expect this to be illuminating).
I maintain a pretty slim wardrobe but I know I don't use it well, so I want to learn how to mine it for more treasures -- force myself to combine more effectively, identify holes more thoughtfully, and fill them with higher quality items.
It's a lot to hope for, I know, but you've got to aim high.

10 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

It's never to early to start planning.

Currently my goals are:
1-Finalize how much clothing I need per season/across my entire wardrobe by continuing DH's closet challenge for a full year.
2-Organize my closet in a system that works for me.
3-I'm shrinking my clothing budget next year, heck who am I kidding, I'm giving myself a clothing budget next year.
4-Reduce my wardrobe size by wearing out items instead of the usual purge good items that I feel bad about purging because they are relatively new and cost money system. I've purged a lot over the past few years and I just cannot bring myself to purge anymore good clothes. The ill fitting, out of style or out of my current style, and worn out items were purged a long time ago!
5-Follow a strict one-in/one-out rule. I'm already overloaded with clothes, no need to let the numbers continue to grow.

10 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Basically to stick with my shopping plan and list I have already sketched out for 2014. It equates to roughly one purchase every 3 weeks and $100 monthly budget. Beyond that, to be okay with spending more on the basics, the loungewear, the exercise gear, etc. I have the same 2 sports bras for 5 years now, ya know?

10 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

Keep on keepin' on. I'm having fun

10 years ago

shedev

Veteran

My goals for 2014 are
1. to begin a more disciplined approach to shopping like Mo, 2 items per month. I don't really have a specific budget, but I have upper limits that I will pay for specific items.
2. to lessen my wardrobe more thru attrition than purging like Lisa. I have done this with about 5 items since the big purge. I still do plan to do a cull in the spring.
3. to question more if purchases get me closer to "there", more PPP in this area.

10 years ago

Elly

Veteran

Ooo . . . 2014 is going to be a building year.

My goal is to add enough clothing to avoid laundry issues and "rationing" clothing to get through the week rather than wearing what I want or what is the best option comfort and climate-wise to avoid bottlenecks.

Part of this-- probably the first step, is purging things that have been hanging in my closet too long, providing a false sense of what I have . . . I currently have things that haven't fit since 2008 waiting for when "I might need them."

A second goal is to add accesories to my look in the form of a watch, belts (in belt loops), boots/shoes, hats, scarves, and maybe my first "adult" purse. The idea is to combine these with my basics to project a sense of style and "finish" without adding lots of clothing pieces to my stash of basics and/or easy to fit basics. Jackets might also fall into this category.

Many of my go to items will probably need to be replaced-- I need to let them go when they get to that point.

I want to work on figuring out a way to solidify my style by being able to provide actual visuals and not just talking about it, because I feel what I mean isn't what most people perceive, whether thru pinterest or WIWs.

My SO also deserves to see me looking good more often, since he often sees the rags I wear from "home clothes" and he has put some effort into looking better for me this past year (replacing worn clothes, PPL, getting regular haircuts, etc).

My last goal is to avoid overshopping-- I tend to fall into the famine and feast category, and I know that what I want now is gonna change and I hate having clothes hang around for years . . . either they get worn or booted.

10 years ago

Anonymous

Style gloal: To be dressier but still comfortable, if that's possible.

Shopping goal: To make more planned, meaningful purchases and less impulse buys; with the intent of making every shopping $ count.

10 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

To keep winnowing! I want to see daylight on my shelves!!!

10 years ago

Refugee

Veteran

Well, I've got to get myself back on track before the end of the year so I can have some style goals for 2014! My by-the-end-of-year goals are to do a thorough wardrobe review and cull and just get dressed every morning. Can I check back with you on this once I get my self a bit more sorted out?

10 years ago

Aquamarine

Veteran

Add more spring/summer tops other than fitted tees, my default topper in warmer weather. I need breathable fabric, the right kind of sleeves, fitted but body skimming, machine washable AND affordable. It's an ongoing quest for me.

10 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Keep on having fun with fashion.

10 years ago

DonnaF

Veteran

My ultimate goal is to wear stuff out and replace due to attrition -- which means I no doubt have too big a wardrobe but I don't want to purge just to purge. I want to wear the heck out of the items that I bought in the past two years, i.e, post-YLF. Oh, I guess that's almost everything in my wardrobe.

I also need to figure out my optimal balance between knits (Ts and sweaters) and wovens (shirts/blouses and blazers) in both warmer and colder weather. I think I do a flip every other year. Two years ago, I wore long sleeve Ts a lot, but last year hardly at all. Now, I wearing them again. Even if unbalanced, I don't really have a laundry problem or huge wardrobe hole, just a few *wants* that would round out what I have.

I really want to do a better job of SYC; anything would be better than this year! Shopping and eating myself into a coma will not solve the major stressor in my life.

10 years ago

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