Fashion Resolutions

1. Not to buy any more clothes (except underwear) at Macy's and Lord and Taylor.
2. Correspondingly, to shop at Nordstrom. And maybe Banana Republic.
3. Revise my list of shopping questions.
 
These activities should feed the following goals:
 
1. Find balance between my work wardrobe and my play wardrobe.
2. Thin out my closet by 25%.
3. Eliminate anything that feels cheap, tight, fussy or sticky.
 
Some explication ensues. Over the weekend I reviewed blog photos for the past year. Hey, most things look pretty good. Also, Heather is correct that the camera isn't always the best judge (though generally a better one than my optimistic eyes). A couple of outfits need a little proportion adjustment. I have two full Boden skirts that I think are not sleek or simple enough; some gathers, some ruffles. I will consider selling those. I have a few tops and jackets with puffy sleeves, or with gathers at the armscye; I think those also have to go.

One particular top, the Ann Taylor black chiffon blouse, is problematic. I realized that every time I wore it I felt hot and sticky, probably because it is polyester and not silk. I need to wear it in cooler weather and review. I feel warm and flushed often enough these days without the assistance of my clothes. I'm also a little annoyed with elastic sleeves. I think this is a costcutting measure on the part of the manufacturer and it pisses me off. I don't like having marks on my arms just because my sleeves ride up at my desk.

My denim shirts aren't bringing their A game either. I want a denim-looking shirt that isn't denim weight, one that is long enough to tuck in, but with vertical darts or seams at the waist so there isn't a huge excess of material there. I saw a really nice version of this shirt at Nordstrom and Pinned it. One resolution I would like to make is not to buy any more button-fronts, but sometimes I am helpless in the face of a J. Crew "perfect" shirt.

I'm tempted to swear not to buy anything with a collar, period. I have loads of jackets and many of them are making me feel (at work) a little dated. Oddly, I like the idea of wearing them as play clothes, with bright jeans, or as outerwear with a warm scarf in the fall. That is part of the balance issue I refer to. My play clothes are minimal because I don't want to stain or damage my work clothes, and my work clothes feel a little "office fussy." Moving 25% of my office wear to the minor leagues will be a good start. I'm trying to decide whether a physical separation in my closet would be helpful (or just fun - I do love organizing things). Putting on a blazer stood me in good stead for years, but I think I need to upgrade my work wardrobe again.

And that's the final thing I realized: that I've been here before.  In the past I have upgraded my shopping habits, my fashion goals, my work wardrobe, and my style goals. It is actually a great feeling to think that I've done this before and it worked out well.
 

Today I wore a Talbot's top and skirt, and my lovely Everybody sandals. I can say with confidence that I love all the sandals I bought this year (can't say the same for the shoes, sadly).  I wish this top had just a little more definition in the waist. And damn those elastic sleeves!
  
To be continued: revising the shopping questions, and, what does "looks expensive" mean, anyway?