My One New Year’s Intention: Six Months, No Shopping
I don’t like the way I left 2017.
I fell asleep at 9:30, wracked with feelings of guilt over all the things I didn’t do, all the promises I didn’t deliver on, all the opportunities I missed. It was a champagne-induced guilt, the kind that’s hard to crawl out of because you’re half-dreaming and your brain is already impaired, and you’re already hating yourself for the hangover you know you’re in for in about six hours.
So I felt guilty that I drank too much. I felt guilty about my haphazard career path – that I left my job of four years, practically on a whim, to return to teaching. I felt guilty that I wasn’t able to immediately provide my students with an inclusive, inspiring learning environment. I felt guilty that I didn’t devote more time to this blog after merging with Let’s Be Fair, or deliver on the promise of more frequent, useful content. I felt guilty that I never sent thank you cards for all of Avery’s presents.
I felt guilty about feeling guilty.
And I woke up New Year's morning so angry at all of that guilt. At all of the unreasonable expectations I put on myself, and all of the (mostly perceived) expectations of others. And while I could resolve to be kinder to myself, to make more time for self-care, to say “no” more... the last thing I want to do is set more expectations that I’ll eventually feel guilty about not living up to (I mean, who wants to fail at self-care?).
So screw a list of resolutions this year.
Rather, I’m setting one simple, achievable intention – one that requires doing less, not more. I simply won't shop for six months.
The timing is right, so why not?
I’ve been wanting to try a shopping “fast” for a long time, but have always found excuses not to. Some of them were legit (like being pregnant), and some were superfluous (a trip that required a new pair of sandals, or a wedding that simply necessitated a breezy wrap dress).
But at a year postpartum, I finally fit into my "normal" size again, and have full access to my prior wardrobe. Note: I'm air-quoting here because everyone's "normal" is different and subject to change. I wasn't sure I would ever return to my pre-pregnancy weight, and I was okay with that. Some women don't, and it's not because they didn't exercise enough or eat right or practice enough mindfulness. I didn't do any of those things, to be honest. That's just the way my body responded.
Anyway, taking a break from my closet gave me some much-needed perspective, and has filled me with a new appreciation for the things I already have. Thanks to some coaching from Anuschka Rees and Colette Patterns' Wardrobe Architect project, I put some major thought into my wardrobe over the past few years. I invested in several staple pieces, and honed my personal style (you can see some of that work here, here, and here). Getting dressed in the morning is so much easier these days, and I feel confident and comfortable in the clothes I have.
That said, I still do have a tendency to shop my feelings. After a hard day at work or a long night caring for a sick baby, all I want to do is something mindless – and browsing pretty things online, at the mall, or even my local Salvation Army fits that bill. In a way it does feel like a form of self-care, but not the kind that I want to cultivate. So for this and a few other reasons, I’m cutting myself off. Here’s the deal:
Parameters
- No new clothing or accessories for six months
- Repair, borrow, or trade for anything new
- Exceptions: bras/ underwear if needed or the replacement of any essential items that may get irreparably damaged (shoes, etc.)
Intended outcomes
- Save some $$$
- Learn how to better care for and repair my clothes
- Find new creative ways to style the clothes I have
- Find better ways to deal with stress/ boredom
I’m hoping to include lots of outfit posts and clothing maintenance tips along the way, so stay tuned. And if you’re on a similar journey, let me know! I’d love to hear about your experiences.
Happy new year, friends, and here’s to a more mindful and creative 2018!
Summer Capsule Wardrobe, Make One: A Vintage-Style Halter Top
Hot damn! It's my belly button. Call the police and the fireman oh wait no, just get me a bottle of self-tanner. Clearly I haven't seen much sun lately, but that's not stopping me from showin' off my first make of 2015. It's a floral halter top using Simplicity 1365, a revival of a 1970's pattern that fits in perfectly with my Summer capsule wardrobe plans. I found the fabric at Britex a few months back, along with matching vintage-style buttons (have you ever seen Britex's button wall? It's majestic).
I'm pretty happy with the fit, although the button closure in the back pulls a bit (this is because I was out of interfacing and too impatient to buy more... my bad). But my favorite thing about this pattern is the clean finish. It's fully lined and requires the you "stitch in the ditch" to secure the straps from the inside. This means that I have a beautiful, fully-finished garment without the use of a serger. So much better than using pinking shears or dealing with French seams! I'm already planning a version using some of the black Nanette Lepore eyelet I have stashed away.
In other news, I've been working on adding variety to my poses, as evidenced in the diptych below. Probably still needs some work.
Wardrobe Architect 2015: Planning My Spring/ Summer Capsule Wardrobe
During the first round of the Wardrobe Architect series, I did a lot of work defining my core style, favorite shapes, silhouettes, color palette, and print preferences, culminating in aSpring/ Summer capsule wardrobe plan. Then summer happened, and I never actually got around to sewing anything. All of that thinking did help me make smarter shopping choices, though, and I ended up investing in a few versatile pieces that I wore all summer long.
This year, I created an expanded Spring/ Summer capsule plan that includes several pieces from my current wardrobe. I plan to fill in the gaps with some handmade separates, dresses, and maybe even a Rigel bomber if I'm feeling ambitious. As for the pieces I know I can't make (e.g., the leather jacket and skinny jeans), I plan to hit up my favorite ethical brands like Amour Vert, Everlane, and Adriano Goldschmied. So here it is: the full Spring/ Summer vision above and the detailed plan below, including pattern choices from Colette, Grainline, Papercut, By Hand London, and Simplicity. If some of the "Have" pieces look familiar, it's because they're actual photos of my clothes... which I photographed on a dress form and painstakingly isolated in Photoshop. In other words, I had a rockin' Saturday night.
From top left: Chambray Button-up Shirt, Madewell Denim Jacket, Papercut Rigel Bomber, Everlane Seed Stitch Raglan, Theory Lace Sweatshirt, Veda Leather Jacket, Amour Vert Breton Top, Grainline Tiny Pocket Tank, Simplicity Vintage Halter, Jean Short Cutoffs, Cream Skinny Jeans, Grainline Maritime Shorts, BCBG Sundress, Amanda Uprichard Sundress, By Hand London Georgia Dress, Colette Mabel Skirt, Blue Paisley Skirt, Colette Zinnia Skirt
Among the Palms and Cherry Blossoms
* Note: while this bag is imported, Steven Allen has a great track record when it comes to using sustainable materials and American manufacturing. They're definitely I brand I can get behind -- and this Imogene tote might be the most beautifully constructed thing I own. Seriously, I saved up for this sucker, and it brings me more joy than I like to admit.
Architecting My Wardrobe, My Blog, My Sanity
Here's the thing, I began 2015 with a promise to myself: I will commit to doing less. It's not that I don't love having hobbies (oh darling, I do), but between the new job, commuting three hours a day, starting Crossfit, a slew of extracurriculars, and some minor health issues... well, 2014 wore me the heck out.
I didn't realize how bad it was until I visited my mother after several months apart. She gave me that mom stare and said, "Honey, you look exhausted."
I wanted to reply, No Mom, I just turned 32 when you weren't looking. I have wrinkles now, and a tendency to get crippling hangovers after one strong cocktail. But I knew what she meant. The telltale sign of emotional exhaustion isn't dark circles or bloodshot eyes; it's the inability to fully experience life's moments of joy. And that's something a mother can spot a mile away.
Anyway, that's my roundabout way of saying that I'll be taking a hybrid approach to this year's Wardrobe Architect challenge. I do plan to sew, but I don't think I can commit to creating an entire capsule wardrobe from scratch. Which is fine; as Kristen pointed out in her post today, people around the world are taking part in this for a variety of reasons: refining their wardrobes, quitting fast fashion, becoming more mindful consumers, and so on. These are the same reasons I started this blog in the first place, so I think we're all on the same page.
What I can commit to – and what I'm quite excited about – is sharing the progress that I made during last year's Wardrobe Architect series, with a few updates and lessons learned. My goal has always been to create a thoughtful wardrobe from a mix of ready-to-wear clothing and a few handmade pieces, and this year's challenge offers a perfect opportunity to synthesize what I've learned as a beginning seamstress and an ethical consumer-in-progress.
I've also been been doing a lot of behind the scenes work to make this blog more useful for other ethically-minded shoppers. Soon, I'll be rolling out a brand spankin' new format, complete with an interactive, categorized ethical shopping guide. My hope is that these resources will help those of you who also plan to take a hybrid approach to the WA series plan, purchase, and maintain a sustainable wardrobe. Here's a sneak peak of what's to come:
An ethical shopping guide, searchable by attribute, and each with its own page detailing the company's philosophy...
This is still going to take forever to finish building out.
But then... I swear... fewer projects :)
Wardrobe Architect Weeks 9 and 10: the Travel Capsule
A seasonal wardrobe can feel like a joke in San Francisco, when you're just as likely to battle a damp, biting wind in July as you are in December. Warm summer afternoons turn wicked by 4pm, when the fog rolls in and the wool jackets come out. I don't mind – I'm one of those poor suckers who fell in love with this city – but it can make planning a Spring/ Summer capsule wardrobe a little complicated.
The steps to a capsule wardrobe are simple:
- Choose one to six silhouettes for the season.
- Create a color palette.
- Break down your silhouettes and colors into a list of pieces.
- Organize what to make, what to buy, and what you already own.
My Travel Capsule
Instead of trying to create a wardrobe that would be appropriate for a San Francisco summer - which would necessarily include tights, scarves, and sweaters - I focused on creating one for travel. Although we haven't decided exactly where we want to go yet, Jon and I are hoping to sneak off to a warmer climate in late August (either central America or central Europe - we'll see). The idea of spending all day in a sleeveless dress makes me giddy, and it made planning this capsule a lot more fun.
After all the work I and many others did to define our core style, favorite shapes, silhouettes, color palette, and print preferences, choosing the 6 silhouettes above was a breeze. Although my actual Spring/ Summer (travel) capsule wardrobe will be a bit more expansive, I think these are generally the shapes and colors I'll feel great traipsing around in this season.
For the palette, I narrowed down my choices to 5 neutrals and 5 statement colors. Navy, tropical blues, pinks, and corals paired with creams and camels will play just as well in Paris and they might in Mexico City:
Next, I'll be off to spring clean my closet and see which pieces I can incorporate into the capsule. Then, let the making begin!
Wardrobe Architect Catch-Up: Palettes and Prints
Needless to say, blogging and other extraneous activities (like unloading the dishwasher) have been on the back burner, and I have a little catching up to do on the Wardrobe Architect series. So here goes...
Exploring Solids and Prints
In this post, Sarai talks about seductive power of prints (yep! you should see my stash), and encourages us consider which prints we will actually wear vs. the ones that are just plain cute. These days, I've been gravitating heavily towards solids in my professional wardrobe, partly because it's just a heck of a lot easier to put outfits together when you're only working with 1-2 colors. And when I'm groggily trying to dress myself at 6am, this is invaluable.
But prints are tons of fun, and even a simple stripe can add dimension and personality to an outfit. Here are the find myself wearing most often:
- Stripes, checks, and plaids - bring 'em on. Stripes are by far the most common print in my closet, and I love me a gingham halter top. Classic.
- Polka dots - I wear these more sparingly, and usually of the smaller, more subtle variety. I like how the ikat print above adds a little texture to the traditional polka dot.
- Geometrics - I love geometric patterns, but prefer them on a more textured fabric (wovens, knits). My Portland Collection sweater is pretty much my ideal geometric print, but I also love the twist that the dip-dye print adds above.
- Florals - I'm drawn to bright, bohemian floral patterns -- things that look a little dreamy and painted-on. I usually prefer florals that have a vintage touch, and I have total weakness for campy, tiki room designs.
From top left: Premier Prints Ikat Craze Birch Frost, Striped Rayon Jersey Knit, John Kaldor Shake Pink, Cotton Black and White Gingham, Ink Dyed Fabric (I have no idea where this came from), Onyx/ Natural Ikat Dots
My color palette
This exercise was a hard one for me, because if I didn't have some semblance of taste and discretion, I would wear ALL OF THE COLORS ALL THE TIME. I've always had a hard time answering that most-boring-of-questions, "what's your favorite color?" because I really don't have one. It depends. I love 'em all.
Fortunately the structure-craving half of my brain prevails, and so I've developed two guiding palettes:
Neutrals and near-neutrals
My neutrals and near-neutrals are pretty similar to those that Sarai identified. Black, navy, and red, along with honey and cream tones form the backbone of my wardrobe.
Statement colors
My statement colors tend to be warm and summery with the occasional jewel tone. I love combining tropical colors with a more traditional solid like navy or beige - in fact one of my all-time favorite dresses consists of this combination. This palette exemplifies one of my core style adjectives: lush.
I just took a trip to Britex last night with my prints and palette in mind, and ended up with some awesome finds. Oh so many, many plans...
Wardrobe Architect Week 3: Exploring Shapes
This week, Colette's Wardrobe Architect Project focuses on shapes -- specifically, the silhouettes you feel most comfortable wearing. Again, this comes down to what you feel good in, not necessarily what you admire on other people. So while I think maxi dresses look amazing on some women, I can't leave the house in one without feeling ridiculous.
Sarai provides an awesome worksheet that helps you break your preferences down by ease (tight or loose), length, neckline, waistline position, sleeve length and fullness. I also created two illustrations (necklines and skirt styles) to help me visualize the process.
While my preference in many of these categories isn't very strong on an aesthetic level, I do find myself often gravitating toward the same shapes and combinations (skinny jeans and loose top, cinched waists and flared skirts). And so I share...
Ease
Generally, I like a loose top and tight pants, a full skirt and fitted top, or a fitted top and structured skirt. I like to accentuate my waist when possible, although in the right outfit a loose, flowing top makes me feel like an easy breezy bohemian princess. What I can never do is loose pants and a tight top (I refuse to relive that part of the 90's).
Neckline
Waistline position
I used to love a high, cinched waist (see: my prolonged Amy Winehouse phase), but these days I'm feeling a little more relaxed. For professional wear and fancy dresses I still opt for a higher waistline, but for everything else I like it to fall at my natural waist.
Sleeve length
I'm a fan of long or three-quarter length sleeves or sleeveless tops. Being broad-shouldered, cap and short sleeves don't generally do me any favors.
Skirt fullness/ length
I love a skirt I can spin in, but anything too full makes me feel like I'm wearing a costume. So the only thing I rule out is a skirt full enough to accommodate copious amounts crinoline. The longest I'll go is an inch or so below the knee (I think the only time I've worn a floor-length skirt was on my wedding -- and yes, I tripped several times). In terms of shortness, I've been known to rock a mini-skirt now and then. Generally with tights.
Street style photos via The Sartorialist; Garment illustrations by yours truly.
Wardrobe Architect Week 2: Core Style
Over at the Coletterie, Sarai has been facilitating the Wardrobe Architect project, a series that encourages us makers (and wearers) to take a thoughtful approach to wardrobe design and construction.
Last week's exercise focused the various elements that form our personal style (history, philosophy, culture, community, etc.). I'll have to play catch-up on that one, but today I will focus on week two's theme: defining a core style. This week's questions are especially timely for me; as the curator of a fashion blog, I obsess about my own style (and veer away from it) way too much. It helps to put those neurotic thoughts down on paper and use them to make better buying and making decisions. So here goes...
When you are wearing your favorite clothing, how do you feel (e.g. confident, sexy, poised, powerful, etc)?
Comfortable and playful, in that I could dance or run or jump at any moment; approachable, in that I could fit in to whatever social context I might find myself in; confident, in that I look like an adult with her sh*t together.
When you’re wearing something that is not quite right, how do you feel? What are the feelings you want to avoid about the clothes you wear?
Silly, as though I'm wearing a costume; panicked, as though my clothing might keep me from escaping an imminent disaster.
What are some words that describe styles that you like in theory, but are not quite you?
The "quirky girl" thing; extreme femininity; uber-coordinated outfits. The styles I gravitate toward but always feel supremely uncomfortable wearing usually involve knee socks, bows, and lots of makeup. And while writing a blog encourages me to play around with styles that I wouldn't normally wear, that's not necessarily a good thing. To be honest, there are several outfits on my ModCloth style gallery page (and on this blog) that I have never or rarely worn in public. This drives me nuts, because I'd like to actually reflect my personal style on my personal style blog. But every time I decide to do a photo shoot, I'm like "IT HAS TO BE AN OUTFIT!" So I try outfit-ify whatever piece I want to show off and end up looking like someone else. Maybe someone cute, but still someone else. I guess my first step to recovery is giving up the knee socks.
Finally, the exercise helps you narrow down your core style to 3-5 words. Here are mine:
Classic, beachy, witty, lush, romantic.
I also created a Pinterest board to help visualize these descriptors. I may not have ombre locks or or know how to surf, but this board still feels perfectly me.